Obtain the Right Mortgage
RightMortgage®
The right mortgage often means different things to different people. Perhaps it is securing a unique mortgage product or negotiating the best payment. Maybe it means providing you with the best mortgage terms that suits your goals. It could even mean discussing options at your convenience, on your timeline in the comfort of your own home. The true question is what does the Right Mortgage® mean to you?
Our services are at no cost to you (O.A.C.) Feel great knowing that all of your options, advice and legwork come Free Of Charge
Your John Antle Kelowna Mortgage Broker offers you a variety of lenders and the convenience of comparing all of your options in one place. An independent Kelowna Mortgage Broker that is working for you makes all of the difference. We work for you. Not the Banks.
Custom Build Your Own Mortgage
Industry’s #1 Mortgage May Be Just Right For You
Since the Right Mortgage® launched in 2008, thousands of Canadians have helped it become one of the mortgage industry’s most successful mortgage products with over $4,000,000,000 in purchases by people just like you.
The Right Mortgage® is unlike any other mortgage transaction. It’s completely customer-focused as it should be. It only offers discounted rates versus posted rates.
What’s that mean? You can save thousands of dollars over the course of your mortgage term. Since it’s underwritten by our exclusive lender, we ensure it offers all the flexibility you are looking plus you’ll enjoy an exclusive relationship where you’ll receive constant communication from your John Antle Mortgage Professional throughout the mortgage. Should your circumstances ever change, your John Antle Mortgage Professional will be there to help you!
Contact Kelowna mortgage broker John Antle today to discuss your next mortgage
Frequently Asked Questions
My Mortgage Options
Open Vs Closed Options
Open Mortgage
In an open mortgage, borrowers can make additional mortgage payments without incurring penalties. An open term allows a borrower to renew, refinance or switch lenders at any time. The term is typically shorter, and is set from six months to five years with either a variable or fixed rate. While open mortgages provide borrowers with freedom, they usually come with a higher interest rate.
Open mortgages are advantageous to borrowers in that they allow extra payments to be made without penalty. As an open mortgage comes with a shorter term, borrowers who intend on living in their home for a short term may find that an open mortgage best suits their needs.
Closed Mortgage
Closed mortgages have restrictions on the amount borrowers can pre-pay. In agreeing to a closed mortgage, if you refinance or sell your home before the term is up you will incur a penalty. Closed mortgages have longer terms than open mortgages, ranging from six months to 10 years. Closed mortgages also typically have lower interest rates than open mortgages. While you cannot pay out your mortgage early without a penalty, Right Mortgage offers pre-payments for up to 20% of the original principle balance with each year.
Closed mortgages provide borrowers with stability through restrictive pre-payment options and lower interest rates. A closed mortgage may be suitable for borrowers who are planning on staying in their home for a longer term.
Fixed Rate Vs. Variable Rate
Fixed-Rate
In a fixed-rate mortgage the interest rate remains the same through the term. The interest rate is “fixed” (meaning it will not change throughout the term) and the borrower’s payment amounts remain stable throughout the duration of the term.
With a fixed-rate mortgage, the borrower is confident in knowing the amount they will pay. Fixed-rates provide borrowers with stability. Regardless of market conditions, or changes in interest rates, the rate on a fixed-rate mortgage remains stable, at the agreed upon rate.
A long-term, fixed-rate loan will usually have a higher interest rate than a short-term, fixed-rate loan. In the end, the fixed-rate loan with the longer term will usually be more expensive. When choosing your fixed term, it is important to consider the length of time you want to lock in your rate to avoid unnecessary future prepayment penalties.
Variable-Rate
A variable-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage is a mortgage loan with an interest rate that is adjusted periodically. These adjustments are based on an index (usually referred to as the lender’s “Prime Rate”) which reflects the cost to the lender of borrowing on the credit markets.
As a result of these adjustments, Variable Rate Mortgages are generally better-suited to borrowers who are able to withstand potential increases in payments during the term. If the index (or Prime Rate) increases substantially in a short period of time, the borrower could experience a financial burden.
On the other hand, a variable-rate mortgage is often considered to be advantageous because the initial interest rate is lower than a fixed-rate. However, it is important to remember that variable-rate mortgages depend on market conditions. The potential for saving money is balanced by the risk of higher costs if interest rates rise.
Long Term Vs. Short Term
Long -Term
A mortgage with a term of three years or more is usually considered to be a long term mortgage. The interest rate is typically higher than in a short term, but it offers stability by guaranteeing set payments and a set rate for a long period of time.
A long term mortgage is a good option when current rates are reasonable and borrowers want the stability of regular, consistent payments. A longer term may be considered by borrowers who believe that interest rates will rise over the course of the term.
Short-Term
Short term mortgages have a term of less than three years. Typically, the shorter the term, the lower the interest rate.
A short term mortgage may be considered by borrowers who believe that interest rates will fall in the short time, dropping in time for renewal. However, short-term mortgage borrowers run the risk of receiving a higher rate when their mortgage is up for renewal.
How To Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster
Prepayment Privileges
Open mortgages provide the most flexibility for making prepayments. With an open mortgage you can pay the outstanding balance out in full or in part without penalty. Closed mortgages, on the other hand, have restrictions on how much borrowers can pre-pay. If you have a closed mortgage without prepayment privileges in your mortgage agreement then you are unable to make a prepayment without penalty.
Prepayment clauses included in the mortgage agreement outline the amount borrowers may pre-pay without incurring a penalty. The Right Mortgage allows for up to 20% prepayment annually without penalty. For more information about prepayment privileges or for information about your current prepayment privileges please contact John Antle Mortgages directly.
What Causes a Penalty
Most mortgages offer borrowers the option of a prepayment privilege. A prepayment privilege allows you to pay off some of the principal balance owing on your mortgage each year, without incurring a penalty. Right Mortgage offers borrowers to prepay up to 20% per year without penalty.
Prepayment penalties are incurred when the borrower pays more towards principal than what is allowed under the prepayment privilege of their mortgage contract. Penalties are also incurred when a borrower pays off the entire mortgage balance before the end of its term.
For advice on how to avoid a penalty, please visit the How to Avoid a Penalty page of this site or contact John Antle Mortgages.
When Would I Have to Pay a Penalty
Penalties may be avoidable with the right planning, the right mortgage and diligent tracking of prepayments.
You will be charged a penalty if you…
- Pay more than your prepayment privileges allow.
- Refinance and increase the amount you are borrowing before your maturity date and break your term in the process.
- Transfer your mortgage to another financial institution before your maturity date.
- Early renew your mortgage and break your term before your maturity date.
To avoid penalties be sure to…
- Track the value of annual prepayments to be sure they don’t exceed the maximum amount outlined in your mortgage agreement.
- Review your length of term, and consider whether you may want to refinance before your maturity date.
Review your length of term, and consider whether you may want to transfer your mortgage before your maturity date.
How to Avoid a Penalty
There are several ways a borrower can pay off a mortgage faster without having to pay a prepayment charge.
You can pay down your mortgage faster by increasing the amount or frequency of your regular payments. In changing your payments to weekly or bi-weekly, or increasing your payment amount you can put more money towards your mortgage and save money in interest. The Right Mortgage allows you to increase your payment amount by 20% per year.
Lump sum payments allow you to put money directly towards your outstanding principal. In paying down lump sums towards your mortgage and not exceeding your prepayment privileges, you will avoid a penalty while making extra payments towards your mortgage. The Right Mortgage allows you to prepay up to 20% per year without penalty.
If you are moving, you can choose to port your mortgage and take your current mortgage interest rate and term with you to your new home. You can avoid a prepayment charge for paying off your mortgage before the maturity date porting your mortgage.
If you are refinancing and increasing your mortgage, you may be able to “blend” your current rate with the new rate for the equivalent remaining term. You can avoid a prepayment charge by keeping your current rate on your current balance remaining, and blending it with the new rate for the increased amount.
An assumption of a mortgage is another way to avoid penalties if you are moving. The buyer of your home can assume your current mortgage, accepting liability for the existing mortgage. The buyer needs to apply and qualify in order to assume the mortgage, receiving your existing mortgage rates and terms.
How are Prepayment Penalties Calculated?
As a part of the contract between mortgage lenders and borrowers, the lender earns income through the interest that is paid by the borrower throughout their term. If the borrower pays off the mortgage before their maturity date, the lender is entitled to recoup the interest that they would be losing. As such the borrower would incur a prepayment penalty. A prepayment penalty is calculated in one of two ways:
- The greater of three months interest (depending on the current mortgage loan balance) OR
- The Interest Rate Differential (IRD). The IRD is the difference between your original mortgage interest rate and the interest rate that the lender can charge today.
How to Estimate the Three Months’ Interest
Step 1: ________ (A)
How much do you want to prepay?
Step 2: ________ (B)
Your current annual interest rate
Step 3: ________ (C)
A x B = C
Step 4: ________ (D)
C ÷ 4 = D
D = the estimated three months’ interest
How to Estimate the Interest Rate Differential
Step 1: ________ (A)
Your current annual interest rate
Step 2: ________ (B)
The published interest rate for an equivalent mortgage, and remaining term.
Step 3: ________ (C)
A – B = C, the difference between your current rate and the rate in B
Step 4: ________ (D)
How much do you want to prepay?
Step 5: ________ (E)
The number of months remaining on your current term
Step 6: ________ (F)
(C x D x E) ÷ 12 = F
F = the estimated IRD
To calculate a penalty, visit our online penalty calculator.
Additional Fees
When you make a prepayment you may have other fees charged in addition to the prepayment penalty.
A Mortgage Discharge Fee will be applied for preparing the discharge statement.
A Mortgage Assignment Fee will be applied if you choose to assign your mortgage to another financial institution.
A Cashback Reimbursement will be applied if you received a cashback payment in connection with your mortgage. If you prepay the mortgage in full and choose to switch your mortgage to another financial institution you may be required to reimburse a proportionate amount of the cashback. You may also be required to reimburse a proportionate amount of the cashback if you renew and the renewal is effective before your current maturity date.