Written by 11:55 PM General Views: 10

Mortgage Bytes

  • Interest-Rates 8 of 12 securities dealers surveyed by Reuters predict the Bank of Canada will cut rates 1/2% on March 4.  The other four expect a 1/4% cut.  A majority expect the BoC to lower rates again in April and June, by 1/4% each time.
  • Desjardins says Canada’s housing affordability index is at its lowest point in 17 years.  The company says average disposable income is just 1.1% higher than that needed to finance the typical home.  Higher mortgage rates and rising housing costs are the main causes. 
  • In Vancouver, average disposable income is only 2/3 of what’s needed to qualify for the average mortgage.
  • CBC says, “Canadians are able to negotiate with (U.S.) banks to get some good bargains – sometimes paying 50 or 60 cents on the dollar for [U.S.] homes.”
  • Manulife’s mortgage assets grew 8% in 2007.
  • Mortgage Alliance has a new radio campaign and $100K sweepstakes.
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Last modified: April 25, 2014

Robert McLister is one of Canada’s best-known mortgage experts. A mortgage columnist for The Globe and Mail, interest rate analyst and editor of MortgageLogic.news, Rob has been covering Canada's mortgage market since 2007.

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