Fixed Rates Dropping

Tracy Head • December 19, 2022

Most years we see fixed rates start to drop towards the end of the calendar year as lenders try to boost their business to end the year strong. This year has been no exception.


Over the last few weeks I’ve seen fixed rates drop from close to six per cent about six weeks ago to 4.79 per cent and better as of this week. These rates vary depending on whether your mortgage is insured or not, but in relative terms we have seen close to a one per cent drop in many cases.


What does this mean in practical terms?


For one client I’m working with who is a single mom who is searching for a home to call her own, this increase in affordability has increased her purchase price by almost $20,000 which in her community puts her into a house rather than a condo.


For people who have upcoming renewals it may be time to connect and explore your options. If you are coming out of a fixed rate mortgage in the two per cent range, it is likely that you will be looking at a three month interest penalty to switch out of your current mortgage if you choose to do so before your actual renewal date.


I don’t advocate jumping ship really early in every case. Paying a prepayment penalty AND a higher interest rate isn’t always a great plan, but each situation is unique.


The next year is looking to be a bit bumpy with interest rates still, and from what I’m hearing rates will start trending down again towards the end of next year.


However, if you have a renewal coming up in the next four months I encourage you to reach out to explore your options now. With no historical research to support this, what I have seen for many years is interest rates pop up again as the new year starts.


I sat in on a call yesterday with the president of one of my favorite lenders. He had some interesting thoughts on the variable versus fixed conversation. Their firm has been watching delinquency rates carefully, and I was quite surprised to learn that the numbers of variable rate clients in arrears was actually far lower than the number of fixed rate clients in arrears.


I’m not sure whether that has to do with the proportionate split as to how many clients choose fixed over variable, or if there is something else that really affects these stats. I do know I am concerned for some of my variable rate clients as I know I am feeling the pinch with my own monthly mortgage payment increasing substantially.


I was also surprised to hear that most of the lender’s variable clients were choosing to stay the course

rather than lock into fixed rate terms.


If you are exploring whether locking in at this point makes sense for you, I encourage you to do your homework. Reach out to your mortgage person to run the numbers and see if this makes sense for you. With fixed rates now less than variable it may make sense, particularly if you are losing sleep at night.


However, if you are planning to make any changes over the next few years and are variable it most likely makes sense to stay the course.


Grateful to all who have reached out after reading my column to share their thoughts and feedback. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season filled with love and laughter!!

Tracy Head

Mortgage Broker

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Purchase Checklist

By Tracy Head • August 11, 2025
Last week was a vivid reminder of the importance of finalizing your home insurance as soon as you are within thirty days of your closing date on a home purchase. I had three clients with purchases closing on the Friday after the fire broke out in Peachland. All three had to push their closing dates back because they couldn’t get their insurance in place due to an active fire. Thinking about this led me to consider a few of the key steps involved when purchasing a home. I’ve written about this in prior columns but I feel a reminder is never a bad idea. There are a few areas of crossover between the guidance your realtor gives you and the advice you receive from your mortgage person. When your realtor writes your purchase contract there are some standard conditions that are added to the agreement. You will generally see the following: Subject to the purchaser obtaining satisfactory mortgage financing Subject to the purchaser having a home inspection conducted Subject to the purchaser arranging home insurance Subject to review of strata documents if applicable Subject to the sale of the purchasers’ current home if applicable The financing end is obviously our responsibility. I do double-check with my clients that they have taken care of the other conditions. Most realtors are great at offering support to their clients with respect to addressing the relevant conditions. In some cases I feel like realtors tell clients the steps they need to take but my guess is that the whole process can feel or become overwhelming. Before I give my clients the ok to remove their financing subject I confirm that they have taken care of the home insurance as this is one piece they sometimes miss.  If you are going through the process of purchasing a home my suggestion is keep a notebook (aging myself by suggesting a paper version) or a list on your phone to keep track of your must-do tasks as you go through the process. I have a checklist that I’m happy to share if you would like a copy.

What does your mortgage broker bring to the table

By Tracy Head • August 2, 2025
What does your mortgage broker bring to the table? I love what I do. Every day I learn something new. I meet amazing people. Each day is different and knowing that what I do is important is good for my soul. I had someone call the other day to ask some questions about a pre-approval and he finished up the call with a genuine question. Why would he want to work with a mortgage broker instead of his bank? There are many ways to answer that question. This isn’t intended to be a sales job about working with me but rather with mortgage professionals in general. Before you read any further understand that working with your bank may be the easiest solution for you. There are some amazing employees within the branch system so this is not intended in any way to make light of the work they do. As licensed professionals we work with mortgages every day. Most of us seem to live and breathe mortgages all the time including evenings and weekends. For many of us our families are annoyed by the constant distraction of our work. Boundaries are important of course and some brokers work a strict schedule. Many of us do make ourselves available evenings and weekends to help our clients because not everyone has the flexibility in their workday to deal with their mortgage. We work for you rather than one specific lender or financial institution so are looking for options that fit your situation rather than making your mortgage fit within one product. One of the most important differences between working with your bank and working with a mortgage professional is options. Not every client fits a cookie cutter approach. There are some situations where clients’ income doesn’t support their application in the traditional lending world. Sometimes clients have credit challenges. Sometimes clients are looking at a unique property. Mortgage professionals have access to a wide range of lenders, some of whom offer specialty products not available at your bank. Product knowledge and expertise can be another difference. As an example I work with many clients who are self-employed. There are mortgages specifically geared for self-employed clients that are available at banks as well but often the employees are unaware of these options.  For me, the relationship I build with my clients is the main differentiator about why I say clients should work with a mortgage professional rather than their bank. I take the time to get to know my clients and their situations and longer-term goals. I will still be here when their mortgage comes up for renewal and am able to answer questions in the meantime. I’ve had many clients comment over the years how much they appreciate the personal approach rather than feeling like a number at their bank - having to start from scratch with someone new each time they need help.