Kamloops Real Estate Blog

You’ve saved for your down payment, you’ve crunched the numbers and you’ve decided on the Kamloops neighbourhood where you want to live – but are you really ready to start shopping around?

Buying your first home is one of life’s most exciting milestones, but there are lots of steps on the way to crossing the threshold as an owner for the first time. To make sure this process goes smoothly, you’ll need to get financing advice right from the get-go and do some work in advance.

Get your down payment and deposit ready. A down payment must come from your own resources, and in most cases must have been held in your account for at least 90 days. Using a gift from your parents or other family member for a down payment?  You’ll need a letter stating that it is actually a gift and does not need to be re-paid. These funds will likely need to be deposited in your account two weeks before your purchase closing date.

The Home Buyers’ Plan is another financing option for first-time buyers. It allows you to withdraw up to $25,000 ($50,000 per couple) from your RRSP to buy or build a home.

Keep in mind that when placing an offer, a deposit is usually required. It can be all, or part, of a down payment.

Figure out what you can afford. The best way to do this is by talking to a mortgage expert and getting pre-approved for a mortgage. A mortgage consultant can provide examples of what monthly payments and home buying costs will be, to eliminate surprises.

Get in touch with the professionals. Think of home buying as a team sport – a mortgage consultant can help you find a good real estate agent, real estate lawyer, home inspector and home insurance agent. Be sure to get in touch with these professionals early in the buying process to avoid last-minute scrambles.

Come up with an offer strategy. It’s easy to get caught up in the emotion, so it is important to decide on a maximum price before bidding and to stick to it.

Choose your mortgage strategy. Ask yourself: Do I want the stability of a fixed-rate mortgage or am I comfortable with the potential rewards and risks of a variable-rate loan? A mortgage expert can help you decide which one makes the most sense for your financial situation, as well as help you understand your payment options and the other features of various types of mortgages.

Get ready to close. When buying a home, it pays to learn about closing costs, which can represent up to 3 per cent of the purchase price, including land transfer tax, lawyer’s fees, appraisal fees, title insurance and home inspection fees.  A mortgage professional can help estimate how much these will cost and offer ideas for how you can cover these costs.

A lot of first-time buyers can’t wait to get out there and house hunt, but they need to understand that this is not a decision to enter into lightly. But with careful planning and expert advice, you can make your first home – and your first mortgage – work well for you in the long term.

The Bank of Canada is expected by many economists to raise short-term interest rates in June or July, prompting many Kamloops home buyers and mortgage holders to ask whether a variable-rate mortgage or a fixed-rate mortgage is best for them.

How, exactly, are mortgage rates offered by lenders determined?  Many Canadian mortgage holders are surprised to learn that the pricing for variable-rate and fixed-rate mortgages are determined by two different means.

First, let’s look at the pricing of variable-rate or “floating rate” mortgages.  The rate for these mortgages is tied directly to the Prime rate, which is set by the Bank of Canada, usually through regularly scheduled announcements.  A competitive variable rate mortgage is now commonly available at Prime (now at 2.50%) minus 0.60%, or even lower in some cases.  Those with variable rate mortgages need to keep an eye on the Prime rate and should keep in contact with a mortgage professional, who can explain interest rate trends.

Pricing for fixed rate mortgages follows a separate dynamic, and is a bit more complex.  Fixed-rate mortgages are priced in relation to the bond markets, as bonds are the main competing investment to mortgages for investors.  Mortgages are priced higher than bonds, usually between about 1.20% and 1.90%, to account for higher risk of default and administration costs incurred by investors who hold mortgages as opposed to relatively hassle-free bonds.

The most popular type of mortgage in Canada is currently the five year fixed-rate mortgage.  Discounted rates for this type of mortgage (available through a mortgage broker) have been trending upwards in recent weeks and currently stand at about 4.29%.

With rates for both variable and fixed mortgages relatively low, consumers must decide based on their own preferences and unique circumstances. A mortgage broker can help consumers evaluate their mortgage options and make an optimal choice.