Canadians still looking towards Alberta for employment
Comment – all the in-migration is what caused the home prices to boom form 200k to 400k in 6 months in 2006 and 2007. This is all happening again right now – as noted below.
The outcome will not be prices going to 600k but well priced homes will move quickly and there will be upward price pressure until most of the excess inventory is moved.
Alberta continues to be a draw for people in other parts of the country.
And that’s good news because in recent months there has been more talk about looming labour shortages in the future.
According to Dan Sumner, economist with ATB Financial in Calgary, 4,720 Canadians relocated to Alberta during the second quarter of 2011, largely unchanged from the 5,275 that moved here during the first quarter. But Alberta is on pace for about 20,000 net-interprovincial migrants in 2011, which if achieved will be the highest annual pace for net interprovincial migration since 2006.
Sumner says the largest net migration gain in the second quarter was from Ontario. Alberta was by far the largest benefactor of net-interprovincial migration in the country with Saskatchewan in second place gaining only 1,239 net migrants.
“Interprovincial migration can be a difficult variable to predict; however, with the unemployment rate lower in Alberta, wages higher, housing prices relatively affordable and the provincial economy expected to grow among the fastest in the country, it’s hard to imagine that more Canadians won’t be calling Alberta home over the near future,” adds Sumner.
“While more skilled workers is essential for the continued development of Alberta’s economy, it also puts pressure on social and institutional resources. As a former premier of this province once stated, ‘when people move to Alberta, they don’t bring their schools and hospitals with them’.”
Calgary house prices to get burst of energy
House prices to get burst of energy
Where oil goes, so goes Calgary.
As much as we like to say the city isn’t as dependent on black gold for its health and prosperity, the fact is, we are.
With oil prices regaining strength and with hiring happening in the oilfields, the economy is beginning to strengthen — and it’s pulling consumer confidence along with it.
A real estate axiom says that when the economy is good, the pace of home sales at the higher end of the market increases.
People in those income brackets aren’t likely to buy if there is an indication the economy is headed south.
“That’s probably true,” says Norb Park, managing broker with Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. “The business-minded are probably saying the economy is heading in the right direction, the oilpatch is in good shape, so this isn’t a bad time to deal.”
Resale housing statistics from the Calgary Real Estate Board tend to agree.
From the start of the year to the end of August, 948 homes priced at $700,000 and more changed hands, up from 779 for the same eight-month period in 2010.
In August, sales in that price range totalled 104 compared with 67 for the same month a year ago.
“There’s a mindset that when oil is doing well, then the economy must be good,” says Park. “That, in turn, increases consumer optimism — and right now, people are feeling positive.”
But not all of us can afford homes that expensive.
Matter of fact, nearly 50 per cent of single-family homes sold this year and last were priced between $300,000 and $450,000.
“With Calgary’s energy sector slated to grow, it is expected to lift the city’s employment, income and in-migration — and in turn help contribute to growth in the resale market,” says Sano Stante, president of the Calgary Real Estate Board. In-migration refers to the migration of people to the city.
“We expect price growth to improve as we approach the end of 2011 and move into 2012,” he says, adding the market is seeing a boost in sales at both ends of the market.
“Improving economic conditions, coupled with affordability and price stability, has given Calgary a boost in buyers for upper-end homes and entry-level condos,” he says.
CREB also reports the average price for single-family resale homes reached $468,051 by the end of August, a one-per-cent increase compared to last year.
Taking a page from the RBC affordability reports, Stante says: “When looking at Canada’s major cities, Calgary is one of the most affordable regions for homeownership in the country. Buyers are benefiting from improved selection at all price ranges in the market.”
The single-family home market had 1,106 sales in August, an increase of 28 per cent when compared to the same month last year — which, by the way, was the lowest for August since 1994.
Sales of 9,485 for the start of the year to the end of August are 10-per-cent higher than the same period last year.
Condo sales totalled 468 units in August 2011, with a year-to-date total of 3,885 — similar to levels recorded in the first eight months of 2010.
PACE QUICKENING
Just like the sale of used single-family homes, the pace is also quickening for resale condos.
As of the end of August, 834 units sold at prices below $200,000, well up from 596 for the same eight-month period in 2010, says the Calgary Real Estate Board. But condo prices continue to remain one per cent lower than last year’s figures with an average price of $288,167 for January to August.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Housing Market in Canada is Stable
Housing Market Still Stable: CREA
- Friday, 16 September 2011
According to new data released from the Canadian Real Estate Association, housing activity in Canada remained stable in the month of August, which represents the second month in a row.
“The housing market in Canada remained on a firm footing in August when compared to volatile financial markets,” said Gary Morse, CREA President. “Through their actions, homebuyers are showing that they remain confident about the stability of the Canadian housing market, and recognize that the continuation of low interest rates represents an excellent opportunity to buy their first home or trade up.”
Looking at specific metropolitan centres, Toronto and Ottawa registered a monthly increase in activity, compared with Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver registering slight declines. Year-over-year, actual sales activity nationally rose by 15.8%.
Representing the first time that year-to-date activity has surpassed 2010 levels, 324,030 homes have traded hands, which is also in line with the ten year average.
70% of all local markets were solidly in balanced territory for the month of August, which represents the largest percentage on record. Only 12 markets reported being in buyer’s market position.
The national sales-to-new listings ratio, a measure of market balance, stood at 51.6 per cent in August, unchanged compared to July. The actual (not seasonally adjusted) national average price for homes registered in at $349,916, which marks a 7.7 % increase year-over-year, which was also the lowest price point seen in 2010.
“Once again, economic and financial market headwinds outside Canada are keeping interest rates lower for longer,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s Chief Economist. “Those headwinds will likely persist until, and indeed after, fiscal quagmires in the U.S. and Europe are resolved. In the meantime, the Bank of Canada will have ample reason to delay raising interest rates further, which is supportive for the Canadian housing market.”
Centres that had been hotbeds for both sales and for price appreciation, that had been having the effect of skewing national prices upwards like Toronto and Vancouver appear to have moderated somewhat, pulling price levels more in line with averages.
The Bank of Canada’s changing language
I love this data below as it is easily summarized into: World events mean that mortgage rates in Canada are going to stay low for about another year. This is great news for people in the variable as rates (Prime) were expected to rise and they are not going to for a while now. Fixed rates will also stay low too so everyone wins.
If you are not sleepy right now then do not bother to read the rest of this below. Perhaps bookmark it for a sleepless night and use the powers of economic speak to zonk you out then.
On Wednesday September 7, 2011, 4:51 pm EDT
Watching the Bank of Canada’s language on the economy change over the past year is like seeing a healthy, upbeat person gradually come around to the idea that a serious illness is overtaking them.
A year ago, the central bank was continuing the slow process of raising its key interest rate toward familiar levels, as the western world began to put the financial cataclysms of 2008 behind it. On Sept. 8, 2010, the target rate for overnight loans between banks rose to one per cent.
And here’s how the world economy looked to the Bank of Canada — getting better, but though not steadily: “The global economic recovery is proceeding but remains uneven, balancing strong activity in emerging market economies with weak growth in some advanced economies,” the Bank of Canada said in September of 2010.
And Canada’s economy — buoyed by demand for commodities like oil, gas, uranium and fertilizer — was recovering: “The Bank now expects the economic recovery in Canada to be slightly more gradual than it had projected in its July Monetary Policy Report (MPR), largely reflecting a weaker profile for U.S. activity,” the central bank’s statement read at the time.
It was canny, however, about forecasting any further increases in rates, sensing possible trouble ahead: “Any further reduction in monetary policy stimulus would need to be carefully considered in light of the unusual uncertainty surrounding the outlook.”
That was code for don’t get too excited, folks: a lot could still go wrong — and it did.
Remember that for more than a year, from April 2009 to June 2010, the central bank’s key rate had been 0.25 per cent — effectively zero, or maximum stimulus, as a rising Canadian dollar did some of the bank’s inflation-cooling work and the world began to recover its appetite for Canadian commodities.
The bank had gradually increased its key rate over the next few months to 0.75 per cent. Then came the bump to one per cent exactly a year ago.
Since then, as Europe’s debt problems have flared in Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, and in some people have taken to the streets to protest government attempts to curb spending and remain solvent, the Bank of Canada’s key rate has been rock steady at one per cent.
Now watch how the language has moderated, as central bank economists saw the economy flattening:
On Oct. 10, leaving the rate at one per cent, the bank said: “In advanced economies, temporary factors supporting growth in 2010 — such as the inventory cycle and pent-up demand — have largely run their course and fiscal stimulus will shift to fiscal consolidation over the projection horizon .… The combination of difficult labour market dynamics and ongoing deleveraging in many advanced economies is expected to moderate the pace of growth relative to prior expectations. These factors will contribute to a weaker-than-projected recovery in the United States in particular.”
By Dec. 7, it saw recovery “largely as expected,” but sounded the first note of bigger trouble ahead: “At the same time, there is an increased risk that sovereign debt concerns in several countries could trigger renewed strains in global financial markets.”
On Jan. 18, 2011 — happy new year! — there were signs the economy was rebounding all too well, with government spending in the U.S. and Canada showing up in growth all over. As well, Canadian commodities remained hot sellers, pushing up the value of the Canadian dollar.
In fact, the bank said, “the cumulative effects of the persistent strength in the Canadian dollar and Canada’s poor relative productivity performance are restraining this recovery in net exports and contributing to a widening of Canada’s current account deficit to a 20-year high.”
Translation: “No need to raise interest rates.”
On March 1, the recovery kept pushing ahead, driven by exports, but the bank left rates unchanged, and stuck with this now-boilerplate paragraph at the end of its release: “This leaves considerable monetary stimulus in place, consistent with achieving the 2 per cent inflation target in an environment of significant excess supply in Canada. Any further reduction in monetary policy stimulus would need to be carefully considered.”
On April 12, the bank forecast 2.9 per cent gross domestic product growth in 2011 and 2.6 per cent in 2012 — all good, with robust spending and business investment leading investors to “become noticeably less risk-averse.”
And yet, searching the horizon for clouds, the bank saw enough to stick with its boilerplate: “This leaves considerable monetary stimulus in place, consistent with achieving the 2 per cent inflation target in an environment of material excess supply in Canada. Any further reduction in monetary policy stimulus would need to be carefully considered.”
By May 31, however, the bank began to see some of its more horrible imaginings coming true, and the boilerplate was dropped. Again leaving the key rate at one per cent, the bank said global inflation might be growing, but “the persistent strength of the Canadian dollar could create even greater headwinds for the Canadian economy, putting additional downward pressure on inflation through weaker-than-expected net exports and larger declines in import prices.”
Stimulus might be “eventually withdrawn,” it said, but “such reduction would need to be carefully considered. ”
On July 19, the bank’s language noted slower-than-expected U.S. economic growth, Japan recovering at a lower-than-expected pace from its nuclear disaster, and said “widespread concerns over sovereign debt have increased risk aversion and volatility in financial markets.” In other words, investors were getting jumpy about how Europe might pull itself together without major defaults and weakened currency.”
And on Wednesday, laying out all the factors that are besetting global growth and the Canadian economy, the bank finally sounded a doctor facing a sick patient.
It didn’t explicitly suggest returning to more stimulus (lowering interest rates), as some economists had forecast it might, but the bank no longer expected to withdraw economic stimulus:
“In light of slowing global economic momentum and heightened financial uncertainty, the need to withdraw monetary policy stimulus has diminished. The Bank will continue to monitor carefully economic and financial developments in the Canadian and global economies, together with the evolution of risks, and set monetary policy consistent with achieving the 2 per cent inflation target over the medium term.”
Alberta repeat home buyers moving on to larger homes
Alberta repeat home buyers moving on to larger homes
This article is EXACTLY what we have been hearing over the last 6 months.
CALGARY — Repeat home buyers in Alberta are moving on to larger or more luxurious homes, according to a survey released Tuesday.
The TD Canada Trust Repeat Home Buyers Report said Albertans are the most likely in the country to feel they compromised on the layout and features of their current home and are not willing to do so again in their next house hunt.
The report, which surveyed Canadians who recently bought or intend to buy a home that is not their first, found that 59 per cent of Alberta repeat buyers are moving on to larger or more luxurious homes. And even though many are upgrading, they are among the least likely to need a mortgage to finance the purchase (58 per cent versus 69 per cent nationally).
“If you are moving because you want more room or certain features in your home, a renovation could be an option to save the expense of moving by making your current home work for you,” said Jessy Bilodeau, Mobile Mortgage Specialists, TD Canada Trust.
The TD Canada Trust Repeat Home Buyers Report found that seven-in-10 Alberta repeat buyers were moving earlier than they expected (40 per cent) or had no intention of moving but now find themselves on the house-hunt again (30 per cent). The number of people intending to buy a home that is not their first in the next two years increased 21 percentage points over 2010 (84 per cent versus 63 per cent in 2010).
The large majority of Albertans (84 per cent) plan to sell their current home before buying a new one. More than one-in-five (22 per cent) say market conditions played a factor in their decision to buy another home and 69 per cent expect to sell their home at or above asking price, said the report.
“The reality is that it’s still a buyers’ market, and homes need to be priced correctly to sell,” said Bilodeau.
Albertans are more likely this year to say they are keeping their current home as a rental property (46 per cent versus 25 per cent last year) or that they will stay in their current home and the new home will be a rental property (41 per cent versus 25 per cent last year).
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Owning a Calgary house more expensive: But still among most affordable in Canada
This is good news for those looking to buy. Prices are stable and affordable.
Owning a home in Calgary became more expensive in the second quarter of this year but housing in the city is one of the most affordable among major cities in Canada, says a report released Monday.
“The long hoped for rebound in the Calgary-area market that appeared to be on track earlier this year lost some momentum in the second quarter,” says the RBC Housing Trends and Affordability report.
“After posting two successive increases, home resales edged down during the April-June period, providing little impetus to prices, which continued to move sideways for the most part.
“With such absence of price pressure, the loss of housing affordability was minimal in the quarter. The RBC measures for the Calgary area rose between 0.4 and 1.1 percentage points, representing a smaller deterioration among major Canadian cities. Owning a home in the area, therefore, continues to be close to the most affordable that it has been in almost six years.”
The RBC Housing Affordability Measure, which has been compiled since 1985, shows the proportion of median pre-tax household income that would be required to service the cost of mortgage payments (principal and interest), property taxes and utilities. The higher the measure, the more difficult it is to afford a house. For example, an affordability measure of 50 per cent means that home ownership costs take up 50 per cent of a typical household’s pre-tax income.
In the second quarter, Calgary’s measures were 37.1 per cent for a detached bungalow, 38.5 per cent for a standard two-storey, and 23.0 per cent for a standard condominium. The measures increased by 0.6 per cent (bungalow), 1.1. per cent (two-storey) and 0.4 per cent (condo).
However, they are lower than a year ago by 3.1 per cent for a bungalow, 2.9 per cent for a two-storey and 1.6 per cent for a condo.
“Notwithstanding the latest bout of uncertainty, we believe that the strong economic fundamentals of Alberta and Calgary will find their way into the housing market and will support homebuyer demand in the period ahead,” says the report.
RBC says the average bungalow price in Calgary declined by two per cent year-over-year in the second quarter to $411,700 while a two-storey dropped by 1.6 per cent to $415,200 and a condo fell by 1.1 per cent to $249,000.
Sano Stante, president of the Calgary Real Estate Board, said prevailing negative economic conditions will restrain any increases in interest rates for awhile.
“Those are increases that we fully expected prior to these events and they’ve now been abated,” said Stante. “That was our biggest risk of deteriorating affordability.
“With an assurance that interest rates are going to stay low for the next 12 months anyway — and there’s somewhat of an assurance — then it really looks like we’re going to lead the nation in affordability especially when we start to get increased employment and in-migration towards the end of this year. That should really lend to a more robust real estate market.”
Robert Hogue, senior economist with RBC, said he too expects Calgary’s affordability to remain about the same.
“Previous to a few weeks ago we expected higher interest rates would start really putting more and more pressure across the board in Canada including in Calgary on the monthly costs of home ownership,” he said. “Now we’ve pushed everything out to the middle of next year.
“For the next few months or quarters I think chances are that affordability is probably will go sideways, the same as the housing market.”
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
A 180 Degree Change in Mortgage Rate Expectations
This last blip in the stock market has taken the wind out of the world’s recovery sails. It now looks like rates are going to stay the same or go DOWN!?! for the 12 months or so.
The USA has said for the 1st time ever that they are not going to change their rates until 2013. They have never given a date in the past and this IS a big deal. It means that Canadian rates are going to have to track closely to the USA rates or our dollar will skyrocket and quickly slow our growth and path to recovery.
That would mean that while fixed rates have NEVER been better in 111-years, variable rates are also super attractive because Prime (P) will now stay close to 3% (where it is today) and the rate of P-8% = 2.2% for a mortgage is CRAZY low now that we know it is going to stay around there for 2 more years!
Call to discuss if you have any questions on this. 403-681-4376: Mark
A 180 Degree Change in Rate Views
- 46% probability of a rate cut Sept. 7.
- 100% probability of a rate cut by year-end.
That’s what prices of closely-followed overnight index swaps (OIS) were implying at the close of business on Monday. OIS trade on market expectations for Bank of Canada rate moves.
That amounts to a 180 degree swing in market psychology. Just a few weeks ago traders were pricing in a rate hike by January.
“As we’ve seen, markets can swing and perception can swing quite aggressively, and we could well be back to a fall expectation [of a rate hike] in a month’s time,” said RBC economist Eric Lascelles to the Globe & Mail.
Lascelles counterpart at Scotiabank, Derek Holt, says: “Any talk of the Bank of Canada hiking this year is just foolish in my opinion.”
Peter Gibson, chief portfolio strategist at CIBC World Markets notes: “I think it’s clear that there are a lot of serious problems still in the world and it’s more likely that we’re setting the stage for a sustainably low level of interest rates for a very long time.”
And that is the takeaway here.
Despite the roller coaster of emotions as of late, this about-face in rate assumptions reminds us of the necessity to focus on long-term trends. Long-term, North America’s prognosis still seems compatible with low-growth and low-inflation. That’s an environment where fixed mortgage rates typically underperform.
Alberta to top province for economic growth
Oil to drive Alberta to top province for economic growth:3.8% forecast for next two years
CALGARY — Alberta will lead the country in economic growth this year and next year, according to a report released Wednesday by Scotia Economics.
The report says real GDP growth in the province will be 4.2 per cent this year, the highest in the nation, followed by 3.3 per cent growth in 2012, which will tie Saskatchewan as the highest in the country.
Scotia Economics is forecasting Canadian economic growth of 2.7 per cent this year and 2.5 per cent in 2012.
“Alberta will once again lead Western Canada’s outperformance, with growth averaging nearly 3.8 per cent in 2011-12,” says the report. “Heavy oil output is being ramped up, with further investment and construction activity underpinning a multi-year period of solid growth.
“The manufacturing and service sectors will experience a positive spillover as physical and human capital are added to support the expansion. However, rising construction and labour expenses will also weigh on business costs, and may pressure capacity towards the end of the forecast period.”
The report says the oil sector will continue to be Alberta’s growth engine with significant investment and output gains contributing to the increased momentum. Total crude oil output is projected to expand by nearly 30 per cent from current levels by 2012, bringing total production to 50 per cent above 1999 levels, it said.
“Alberta is expected to lead the country in job creation over the 2011-2012 period. The province lagged the national pickup in hiring earlier this year, but has been gaining momentum ever since. Alberta has one of the tightest labour markets in Canada, which is expected to put increasing pressure on wages,” says Scotia Economics.
Employment growth of 2.7 per cent this year and 1.8 per cent in 2012 is forecast for the province.
Rates increasing from 111-year, all-time lows now or soon!
Below is a great blurb on what is happening with yo-yo predictions of the future of mortgage rates. Get pre-approved now, consider locking-in if you were going to OR redo your mortgage now for the last of these low rates!
OPINION:
The laws of gravity dictate that what goes up must come down but I’m afraid, when it comes to the laws of economics and interest rates, what goes down must come up. Ultra-low interest rates are only a short-term solution and not sustainable in the long run. This is something which all economists agree on. Unfortunately this is the point where the common consensus ends and opinions diverge. The issue which is most divisive amongst the experts at the moment is exactly when these rate hikes will begin. As recently as a month ago many experts were predicting that rates would remain at their current levels until as late as March of 2012. A tumultuous week in the markets has seen many of these experts revise their predictions, with many now citing September as the month to bring a halt to the rate freeze.
Surprising inflationary reports for May demonstrated the fastest annual rate in eight years. While Mark Carney previously highlighted the transient threat of rising gas prices, which witnessed a 30% rise, gas prices were not alone in driving the inflation. Even the core rate, which strips out the more volatile prices of food and fuel, rose to a rate of 1.8%, quickly racing towards the Bank of Canada’s 2% target rate. With Canadian inflation now standing at 3.7%, exceeding those of Australia (3.3%); Mexico (3.3%); Chile (3.3%) and Columbia (3.0%) the calls for increased rates have grown ever louder. The fact that these countries all have short-term rates exceeding 4%, while Canada’s lingers at 1% only strengthens the case for a rate increase.
This week also saw a dramatic surge in 5 year bond yields. On Monday the yield had fallen to 2%, leading many to speculate that lenders would be forced to further drop fixed rates, which have already been subject to a series of slashes in the last few months. However these calls were short-lived as yields rebounded strongly in the face of the inflation report combined with renewed hopes that the European Central Bank could be able to prevent the default of Greek debt.
So what does this mean for your mortgage?
It means that if you are looking for pre-approval for a purchase or refinance there has never been a better time to secure your rate with Mortgage Mark while rates are still low. For those of you in a variable rate we’d like to reassure you that we still think this is still a good option. However our variable rate clients should prepare their finances and make sure they will be able to handle a potential increase to their payments coming in September. If you would like further details on any of the information listed here we implore you to call Mark Direct at 403-681-4376 for our sound, unbiased mortgage advice.
Don’t be afraid to leave your bank for a better rate
Don’t be afraid to leave your bank for a better rate
Jay LaPrete
A new survey from CMHC says the vast majority of Canadians renew their mortgages with their original lender, but you can save thousands over the life of a mortgage by looking at competing rates from competing institutions and mortgage brokers.
Garry Marr, Financial Post · Jun. 23, 2011 | Last Updated: Jun. 27, 2011 7:47 AM ET
Are the banks doing an incredible job of retaining customers or are Canadians just too lazy to shop around when renewing their mortgages?
One finding of a survey by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. released this week was that 89% of consumers renewing their mortgage stay with the same financial institution. And 68% stay when they are doing a refinancing.
“They stay with the lender because of rate and they leave the lender because of service,” says Pierre Serré, vice-president, insurance product and business development, with CMHC.
Consumers are more aggressive shoppers when they are seeking a mortgage to buy their first home than they are upon renewal. Only 57% of first-time buyers took out their mortgage with their existing financial institution.
Rob McLister, a mortgage broker and editor of Canadian Mortgage Trends, says the banks are doing more to retain customers but there is a pretty good chance you won’t get the best deal if you renew automatically.
“Most of the time people do some rudimentary research before they go back to their lender. Not so long ago people would just take the renewal letter, sign it and send it back. It still happens but not as much anymore,” he says.
Mr. McLister says the banks “are not as stupid” now and when they send out renewal rates they have special offers. The posted rate on a five-year fixed closed mortgage today is 5.39% but he’ll see clients get offers in the mail as low as 4.04% in a renewal letter. The problem is a broker could probably get you 3.59% — meaning you just left 45 basis points on the table.
On a $250,000 mortgage at 4.04% paid monthly and amortized over 25 years, the monthly payment would be $1,320.48, with the interest cost during a five-year term at $47,014.79. Chop the rate down to 3.59% and the monthly payment drops to $1,260.09 ,with the interest over the five years falling to $41,658.85.
If you were crazy enough, or lazy enough, to take the posted rate, you would pay $1,510.01 monthly for the same mortgage and your interest cost would jump to $63,201.92.
Let’s just say it pays to shop around. So why don’t more people do it?
There is a perception that it’s difficult to switch banks, plus it will cost you some money to switch. Yes, it’s a hassle but for $5,000-plus, count me in. As for the costs, the bank you are switching to will often cover your legal costs. Even if it doesn’t or say you face a discharge fee of $300, that’s small price to pay upfront.
Mr. McLister says if you change the terms of your mortgage and refinance, it could cost you as much $700 to switch, something you would have to do if you have a home-equity line of credit or have a collateral charge on your mortgage.
Elton Ash, regional executive vice-president with Re/Max of Western Canada and a long-time realtor, says for most people if the customer service is good, they stay.
“Unless the lender has really screwed up, they stay,” says Mr. Ash says. “It’s like realtors, not all of them charge the same fee. There are lots of discounters out there but it’s based on service levels more than costs and fees, if it’s relatively competitive.”
The banks are more competitive these days for existing customers. Part of the reason is it can cost a financial institution up to 30 basis points to attract a new customer, so why not just spend the money on retaining existing customers?
“We start calling customers in advance to remind them their mortgage is coming up,” says John Turner, director of mortgages at Bank of Montreal. “It is an increasingly competitive marketplace and customers are shopping. It’s in our interest to advise the customer of their options. That could include refinancing the mortgage overall.”
Farhaneh Haque, regional manager of mobile mortgage specialists with Toronto-Dominion Bank, says her bank starts calling customers as much as 120 days before renewal to discuss options.
“This all about relationships, they are not going to up and leave for a five-basis-point difference,” Ms. Haque says.
She’s right. A 0.05 percentage point is not a great reason to sever your relationship. But renewal time is a great time to test your relationship with your bank and get it to show you some love — or a better rate.
Financial Post
gmarr@nationalpost.com