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
Home sales drop in April as mortgage rates shoot higher
Home sales recorded over Canadian MLS Systems dropped by 12.6% between March and April 2022. The decline placed monthly activity at the lowest level since the summer of 2020.
While the national decline was led by the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) simply because of its size, sales were down in 80% of local markets, with most other large markets posting double-digit month-over-month declines in April. The exceptions were Victoria, Montreal and Halifax-Dartmouth where sales edged up slightly.
The actual (not seasonally adjusted) number of transactions in April 2022 came in 25.7% below the record for that month set last year. That said, as has been the case since last summer, it was still the third-highest April sales figure ever behind 2021 and 2016.
Following a record-breaking couple of years, housing markets in many parts of Canada have cooled off pretty sharply over the last two months, in line with a jump in interest rates and buyer fatigue, said Jill Oudil, Chair of CREA. For buyers, this slowdown could mean more time to consider options in the market. For sellers, it could necessitate a return to more traditional marketing strategies. Of course, there are significant regional differences, so your best bet is to contact your local REALTOR. They have the information, guidance negotiation skills to help you navigate this rapidly-changing market as it evolves, continued Oudil.
CANADA: Home sales declined in March. Beginning of a downward slide?
By Daren King
On a seasonally adjusted basis, home sales decreased 5.4% from February to March, a first monthly decline in three months. Despite this decline, the resale market remained very active on a historical basis, standing above the historically high level of 45K now for 21 consecutive months. Is this the beginning of a downward trend in the Canadian real estate market? In our opinion, the housing market should remain active during the spring due to many people who have secured advantageous interest rates and will want to act before the end of their interest rate guarantee. However, with the recent increase in mortgage interest rates and the worst affordability conditions on record, we expect the residential market to slow down in the second half of the year.
According to CREA, new listings decreased by 5.5% during the month. However, the reduction in sales compensated for the decrease in new properties for sale, so that the number of months of inventory rose from its historical low of 1.6 to 1.8 months in March. Based on the active-listings-to-sales ratio, the housing market continued to be tight in 9 of the 10 provinces, with only Saskatchewan indicating a balanced market. These market conditions should continue to support prices in the coming months.
On a year-over-year basis, home sales fell 16.3% compared to the most active month ever recorded for any period of the year that was March 2021. Nevertheless, it remains the second most active month of March on record.
Housing starts decreased by 4.0K in March to 246.2K, a slide of 1.6% m/m from 250.2K in February and below consensus expectations calling for a 250K print. Although housing starts in March were slightly below consensus expectations, they remained high on a historical basis. The trend in housing permits continues to suggest a higher level of starts at this time. Moreover, with the tight conditions in the resale market, the willingness of various levels of government to build more and the resumption of immigration, housing starts should remain high for some time. That being said, we are entering the building season in Canada with elevated commodity prices and renewed supply chain challenges. Combined with more restrictive monetary policy by the Bank of Canada, we expect housing starts to taper in 2023.
The Teranet-National Bank Composite Notional House Price Index increased 1.7% in February compared to January after seasonal adjustment. On a year-over-year basis, home price increased by 17.7% in February. All 11 markets of the composite index were up in the month. The March Teranet-National Bank HPI will be published on April 20.
Source: National Bank of Canada https://www.nbc.ca/content/dam/bnc/en/rates-and-analysis/economic-analysis/economic-news-resale-market.pdf
