If you’re sharp-eyed you may have noticed some ‘special offers’ on 5 year fixed rates. BMO kicked off another low-rate war by once again offering a rock-bottom 5 year fixed rate of 2.99% and a new 10 year fixed at 3.99%.
Nobody wants to be left out of fun like that, so TD, CIBC and Scotiabank quickly followed suit and started offering a 2.99% rate as well.
How are customers responding?
Techar said reaction to BMO’s previous offer was fantastic. “We saw an increase in volume almost immediately and it continued for the whole two-week period.”
These deals are temporary and expire in a few weeks. You’d almost think something was about to happen March 29th, but who knows? Rumour has it more changes are coming to insured mortgage rules in Canada whether it’s higher down payment requirements or shorter amortization terms.
So is this a deal too good to refuse, or a trap for the gullible?
If rates start to rise, could it be a benefit to buy a home now? Would these ridiculously low rates offset a drop in prices at a higher interest rate?
What about in markets whose prices have fallen for the last few years? There are many of these across BC – The Okanagan has seen prices collapse by more than 30% so already.
And what does Mark Carney have to say about all of this?
“Canadian household spending is expected to remain high relative to GDP as households add to their debt burden, which remains the biggest domestic risk,” Carney said Thursday as he held the bank’s trend-setting rate to 1 per cent.
