BROKERAGE LICENSE ID
#10280
Karen Matthey
Co-Owner / Mortgage Agent
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Address:
775 Blackburn Mews, Kingston, Ontario
BROWSE
PARTNERS
Welcome to a new way of getting a mortgage! My job is to work with your realtor and lawyer to make the mortgage process as straightfoward and stress-free as possible.
I bring over 10 years of experience in finance to the job, having started my career in Europe and Asia as an Investment Banker before returning to Canada in 2011 to become a Mortgage Agent.
I was raised in Kingston and attended Queen's University, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree in 2003. Both my father and brother work as Mortgage Agents and together we form the Matthey Mortgage Team, with a combined 60+ years of mortgage and finance experience.
Phone: 613 384 4000 ext 248
Email: karen@mtgprof.com
BLOG / NEWS Updates
5 Things You Need to Know about Investors Group’s 1.99% Mortgage
Investors Groups 3 year variable mortage at Prime 1.01% captured a great deal of attention this week. The fact is, this mortgage could be right for some borrowers, as long as they fully understand the terms and conditions. For a $250,000 mortgage, the interest savings versus a 5-year variable rate are approximately $3,000 over 3 years, which is pretty compelling.
Here are 5 things you should consider about IGs 1.99% Mortgage Deal:
Be very certain that you will not need to refinance within the term. You cannot refinance or add to this mortgage unless you sell your home and pay a penalty. So if there is a risk that your financial circumstances could change (loss of income, retirement, financial assistance for a child in post-secondary education, etc.) this may not be the right product for you.
Ensure that the 3.75% monthly payment is affordable payments are based on this much higher rate although your mortgage interest is 1.99%. This is a higher monthly payment than almost any other 3 or 5-year mortgage out there.
Understand what the penalty could be if you do sell your home. The penalty for this mortgage is not clearly stated on the website, which could mean it is pricier than the market average. Most likely it is 3 months interest based on the 3.75% interest rate, which is more expensive than the majority of variable rate mortgage penalties out there.
Check that you qualify at the qualifying rate of 4.79%. Yes thats right. The interest rate is 1.99%, the payments are based on 3.75% but you must qualify for this mortgage at the Bank of Canada qualifying rate of 4.79%. Talk about confusing!
Understand the fees you could be charged at renewal if you do not renew with Investors Group. They are likely to offer to renew you at their rates, but currently their 5 year fixed rate special offer is 3.35% and 5-year variable is 2.75% or Prime 0.25%. These rates are above market, and if you choose to leave Investors Group it is likely you will have to pay upwards of $1,300 in legal and appraisal fees to switch to another Lender. This is due to the way that Investors Group will register this mortgage, making it harder for you to switch without paying fees.
In summary, weigh the interest savings versus the potential fees and costs before you make your decision. Dont be afraid to ask questions to your banker or mortgage broker asking them to clearly define the penalties, fees and special conditions of any mortgage that you enter into. The rate can be a great deal paying thousands more in penalty or fees may wipe out that gain.
Feel free to give me a call or send an email with any questions.
Karen Matthey
Mortgage Agent, Lic: #M12001008
613 893 4139
karen@mtgprof.com
Record December caps record year for Canadian home sales
Statistics released today by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) show national home sales set another all-time record in December 2020.
Home sales recorded over Canadian MLS Systems jumped by 7.2% between November and December to set another new all-time record.
Seasonally adjusted activity was running at an annualized pace of 714,516 units in December 2020 the first time on record that monthly sales at seasonally adjusted annual rates have ever topped the 700,000 mark.
The month-over-month increase in national sales activity from November to December was driven by gains of more than 20% in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Greater Vancouver.
Actual (not seasonally adjusted) sales activity posted a 47.2% y-o-y gain in December the largest year-over-year increase in monthly sales in 11 years. It was a new record for the month of December by a margin of more than 12,000 transactions. For the sixth straight month, sales activity was up in almost all Canadian housing markets compared to the same month in 2019.
For 2020 as a whole, some 551,392 homes traded hands over Canadian MLS Systems a new annual record. This is an increase of 12.6% from 2019 and stood 2.3% above the previous record set back in 2016.
Mortgage Deferral Agreements and Their Impact
CMHCs Fall 2020 Residential Mortgage Industry Dashboard discusses mortgage deferral agreements and their impact.
At the end of the second quarter, credit unions, mortgage finance companies (MFCs) and mortgage investment entities (MIEs) have allowed mortgage deferral agreements for about 6%, 7% and 7% of their respective residential mortgage portfolios.
Chartered banks have allowed 16% of mortgages to go into deferral since the beginning of the pandemic. Of these, close to 2 out of 3 borrowers had resumed payments on their mortgages at the end of the third quarter of 2020. In the coming months, we could see higher delinquency rates if some borrowers are unable to resume their payments; these mortgages will have to be booked as arrears.
These deferral agreements have affected financial institutions cash flows, with reductions of:
4% in scheduled mortgage payments
3% in non-scheduled payments (accelerated monthly payments and lump-sum payments)
While remaining at low levels, mortgages in arrears (90 or more days delinquent) have increased slightly between the first and second quarters of 2020 from:
0.24% to 0.26%, on average, for chartered banks
0.23% to 0.25%, on average, for non-bank mortgage lenders
We also observe an increase in early-stage delinquencies (31 to 59 days and 60 to 89 days), which suggests that arrears could continue on an upward trend.
Source: CMHC
