Over the past three years the mortgage market has changed dramatically creating several key issues that may affect you. One of the key issues has been the loss of a substantial number of mortgage lenders. Where there was once over 70 mainstream mortgage lenders, there are now less than 40, and even fewer that are completely reliable.
The companies who have disappeared have left the Canadian market for many different reasons. The asset backed commercial paper market has all but dried up, meaning that some lenders who sold off mortgages to realize profits have had to shut their doors. In other cases large American banks scared straight by the real estate crisis in the USA have pulled out of the Canadian market to focus on the problems back home. For some companies costs simply outran profits, causing small lenders to close up shop for financial reasons.
While it would not be fair to name specific companies who have chosen to stop lending in Canada either permanently or temporarily, it is important to know whether lenders who have closed their doors may affect you. If your mortgage is not with one of Canada’s five major banks you should be taking steps to find out the status of your lender and if action needs to be taken to ensure that your mortgage will be renewed.
Many clients who have mortgages with lenders that no longer lend in Canada have been taking steps to prepare for their mortgage maturity date. These steps include but are not limited to.
· Taking steps to repair credit.
· Pre-emptive pursuit of cosigners.
· Searching for financially stable jobs.
· Renegotiating existing mortgages.
· Saving money to make substantial lump sum payments.
· Moving mortgages to safer lenders completely.
· Selling homes in advance of the maturity date.
If you are unsure of the status of your lender please call us at your earliest convenience. We will be happy to discuss your situation with you and give advice on what steps you may want to take.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.