The Details: What you need to know about “discount mortgages.”

Grandma always said, “The price is the price, but the details are the details!”

There are discounted and restricted mortgage rates out there but they do not share the details of their disadvantages up front with you.

1. Restricted or Limited Products / Bait & Switch

People will not even sign a 3 year cell- phone contact any more but they will try to save $15 a month on a restricted mortgage; which could cost them $30,000 as a payout penalty – BUYER BEWARE is what the regulators say.

Brokers often advertise these products to get you to call them and then they switch you into a “regular product” if you are lucky – or you get a “restricted product” that you probably do not want if you know all the details.

Discount mortgages called “limited” or “restricted” and often have:

• No rate holds
• Only monthly payments
• Only 1 statement a year
• No on-line administration = call centre only
• Only 5/5 extra repayment option – most broker lenders are 15/15 + 2x or 20/20
  • The 1^st number is the % of the original mortgage amount you can repay every year without penalty
  • The 2^nd number is the increase in monthly payment in % you can do without penalty.
  • The 2x = double the payment!
• And they use the bank payout penalty calculations – as below in the Dirty Trick – AND in addition to that penalty, a 3% fee of the entire mortgage balance added to the penalty!
  • This could easily end up at $30,000.

 The other main “Details” that are not often disclosed are:

2.Collateral Charge

To keep you from leaving the bank for a lower rate when you renew later, the banks register your mortgage as a collateral charge – which is the same as an “I owe you” / IOU for the home. Other banks will not take another banks IOU for a mortgage; which means:

• A lawyer will have to re-register your mortgage at land titles; $1000.
• An appraisal is needed as the registration is usually for more than the value  of the home; $450

• http://blog.markherman.ca/?s=collateral
  • This means on renewal you will not get the best rates because it will cost you about $1500 – $2500 to move banks – even after your term is over.

3. The “Dirty Trick” of how the banks calculate your payout penalty

• If you have to move or break your mortgage the payout calculation is usually way lower at a broker-only bank than any of the big banks. The big banks all calcualte the penatly the same way now – to their advantage, not yours.
• http://blog.markherman.ca/2015/08/26/payout-penalties-how-the-big-5-banks-get-you/

To avoid these products, or to disucss what your personal situation may be, call us any time at 403-681-4376.

Mark Herman, Top Calgary, Alberta, mortgage broker for renewals, first time home buyers and home purchases.