Payment Frequency Options:

There are multiple options on how you can make your payment

The TWO options that will save you the most money in interest will be ACCELERATED Biweekly and ACCELERATED Weekly

(the accelerated is the crucial part)

An accelerated bi-weekly mortgage payment is when your monthly mortgage payment is divided by two, and the amount is withdrawn from your bank account every two weeks

(vs a Semi-Monthly payment:  your monthly mortgage payment is divided by two and the amount is withdrawn on the 1st and 15th (twice per month) VS every 2 weeks.

Let’s look at an example:

• The example below uses an example 5-year insured variable rate discount as of June 22/2021
• The example below is assuming the Bank of Canada Prime lending rate does not adjust through the entire 5-year term
• Bank of Canada Prime lending rate is subject to change (up or down)
• Lender discounts (variable and fixed) are subject to change
• The information below is for example and illustration purposes only

In June of 2021, you took a 5-year variable rate mortgage at Prime (2.45%) Less 1.10 =1.35%

• Purchase $400,000
• Downpayment (5%) $20,000
• A total mortgage with CMHC premium =$395,200.00
• Amortization=25 years

OPTION (1)

MONTHLY required payment (assuming Prime stays at 2.45%)=$1552.15/month 

Balance at maturity making MONTHLY payments=$326,422.03

OPTION (2)

ACCELERATED BIWEEKLY required payment (assuming Prime stays at 2.45%)=$776.08/every 2 weeks (=approx $1681.50/m when we average it over the year)

Balance at maturity making ACCELERATED BIWEEKLY payments=$318,366.65

(that is a difference of $8055.38 owed in 5 years)

Taking it one step further: 

OPTION (3)

Increase that minimum required payment (calculated on the low variable rate discount) to a payment equal to a fixed rate (we are using 2.09% in this example)

ACCELERATED BIWEEKLY =$845.35

Balance at maturity =$309,963.24

(that is a difference of $16,458.79 owed in 5 years) 

Prepayment Options:

Every lender has flexible prepayment options (allowing you to make extra payments on the mortgage throughout the year without penalty)

This can be done by increasing regular payments (usually a 10-20% increase per year option depending on the lender) OR by doing lump sum extra payments throughout the year.

Each lender has a different policy relating to this- but the flexibility is there, and we are here to help you navigate those options.

By considering OPTION (3) above – you are using your prepayment options to manipulate your payment and lower the amortization (life) and interest paid on the mortgage.

• HRun some example amortization schedules for you so that you can see the different options and balances owed at maturity depending on your affordability
• Move in, get your feet wet with the new bills for the first 3-6 months.
• Then do a review on if you can afford to do even a touch more than your required payment
• Every little bit counts!
• Need some help calculating your best options?  
• We are happy to do complete reviews for our clients whenever you require some extra info! 

What many people aren’t aware of is that your cell phone payment history DOES affect your credit score.
 
Cell phone accounts work differently than a credit card or a line of credit. A cell phone is an open or “O” account, which means the balance has to be paid in full at the end of each month.
 
There is no such thing as a minimum payment with an “O” account like there is with credit cards and lines of credit. You can’t just pay a portion of your bill. The amount that you see on your statement has to be paid in full otherwise your credit score will suffer.
 
Unfortunately, many Canadians don’t view paying their cell phone bill in full or on time as being as important as other payments. Lenders disagree. The bank underwriters (the people who review your application) are thinking, “If you can’t make or keep track of a cell phone payment, what are the chances that you are going to be responsible with your mortgage payment?”

Costly Missed Payments

Let’s take a look at one borrower, John, who was declined for best-rate mortgage financing on the purchase of a new house because he had three late payments on his cell phone bill during the last two years. His argument wasn’t unique. “I called (the phone company) before the payment was due and asked if I could pay half of the bill this month and the remainder of the outstanding balance the following month,” he said. “The customer service rep told me that it was okay to take a couple of months to get caught up.”
 
Susan and Frank found themselves in a similar situation. They were approved for mortgage financing but were then declined at the last minute due to a recent late payment showing up on their report in the same week they were supposed to be moving.
 
Arranging a mortgage and preparing for a move is stressful enough without having a financing issue in the eleventh hour. In the end they were able to find a resolution, but it resulted in a delayed closing. They had to get approved by a different lender at a higher rate. In addition to all the stress and time, this small mistake ended up costing them $3,459.28.
 
Despite what they tell you, late payments will continue to be recorded until your account is caught up. Underwriters will look at an applicant with an outstanding balance as someone who is not in control of their finances. It will drop your score and hurt your chances of being approved for the best rates and terms.

A Matter of Principle

It’s common for consumers to not make a payment because they were unfairly charged or they found a mistake on their bill. On principle, I understand that you might not want to make the payment, however, even if you are disputing the charge, it will not stop the negative item from showing up on your credit report.
 
And keep in mind that one late payment can be enough to negatively impact your best rates and terms for future financing. Your cell phone company will start the collection process if an overdue balance is not paid within 60 to 90 days.
 
As you can guess, a collection appearing on your report does not help your credit score. Many of my clients echo my caution, and in hindsight wished they had simply paid the bill in the first place. If you find yourself in this situation, my suggestion is to clear the amount owing first and then dispute the charges. That way it doesn’t lower your score or cause you to get charged higher rates just because of one account. 

Warning…Warning

If you have paid out or closed your cell phone account, make sure you get something in writing to confirm that there is no outstanding balance owing.
 
The same goes for an outstanding amount or settled collection. Don’t take anyone’s word for it or assume that it will be updated on your credit report. Are you starting to see a trend? Whatever you do, get a confirmation in writing! If you don’t, it will make trying to correct the error even more difficult.
 
The only way to avoid having your cell phone report on both Equifax and TransUnion is to go with a pay-as-you-go contract. If you are on any other type of plan, keep your fingers crossed. You don’t want to be one of the unlucky ones to have a cell phone error or problem tarnishing your credit. To improve your chances of avoiding any issues, ensure you pay the full amount owing each month and keep good records.

If you’re unsure about your renewal date, now’s the perfect time to find out. But, whatever you do, be sure to have an experienced mortgage broker negotiate on your mortgage at renewal with multiple lenders – including banks, credit unions, and trust companies – to ensure you secure the best mortgage product and rate based on your specific needs.

Brokers can pull one credit report and shop your deal with numerous lenders. If you try to do this yourself, each lender will pull a report, which will negatively impact your credit score and could prevent you from qualifying for the best possible mortgage.

Too many people simply sign the renewal form sent by their bank/lender up to six months prior to the renewal date without shopping their options. In fact, this is one of the biggest mistakes a homeowner can make.

Accepting this offer most often means you’ll be paying way too much for your mortgage – on average, 1-1.5% higher than you should be paying – and/or your new mortgage won’t adapt to your changing needs as a borrower. It’s important to remember that lenders are in the business of making money, so they won’t often offer the best rate in the renewal letter.

On a $300,000 mortgage, this higher interest rate could translate into a difference of more than $250.00 per month… and over five years you would have paid $15,000+ in additional interest! That’s a lot of money that could have been paid towards the principal balance and helped pay down your mortgage faster.

Mortgage renewal is also the perfect time to take out equity in your home to renovate, pay down debt, send a child to school, take a dream vacation or use however you choose. The benefit of taking money out during renewal is you don’t have to pay any fees to break your mortgage early.

And if your mortgage isn’t up for renewal just yet, it may also be beneficial to have a mortgage broker conduct a free annual mortgage checkup to ensure your mortgage is working for you and keeping more of your hard-earned money in your bank account each month. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain from staying on top of both your short- and long-term mortgage needs.