In this edition of the TOM + ANAIS Mortgage Newsletter, Tom shares a personal story about renewing his own mortgage and navigating today’s higher-rate environment. He discusses key renewal questions—whether to refinance, choose fixed or variable rates, and how to structure hybrid lending—and explains why he ultimately chose a fully variable rate strategy. With interest rate cuts expected and economic uncertainty ahead, flexibility remains key. The article highlights how TOM + ANAIS provide honest, strategic mortgage advice tailored to clients’ financial goals, covering refinancing, renewals, HELOC options, lender comparisons, and rate guarantees.

In this witty spring update, TOM + ANAIS return with a mix of mortgage insights and real-world humour. The Bank of Canada held the prime rate at 4.95% on June 4th—its second consecutive hold after seven rate cuts—citing trade uncertainty and soft inflation. While some experts expect more cuts later in 2025, the central bank seems to be taking a cautious “wait and see” stance.

On Wednesday, we marked the beginning of the Lunar New Year – and the Year of the Snake. And while this is meant to represent a phase of wisdom, renewal and the metaphorical “shedding of skin,” it is fair to say that at this moment there is definitely a great deal more lurking in the grass.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Monday Canadians will be able to borrow for longer, while also increasing the maximum value for insured mortgages, potentially giving buyers more money in the housing market.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Monday Canadians will be able to borrow for longer, while also increasing the maximum value for insured mortgages, potentially giving buyers more money in the housing market.

While for some people getting approved for a mortgage is the hardest part of purchasing a new home, for others the hardest part is actually once the approval is obtained. There are steps after the approval that can be confusing and pose more challenges if you have never gone through the mortgage process before.

Subject free offers are increasingly needed to ensure you are the successful bidder in today’s red hot Real Estate market.  For many clients, this adds another level of stress and uncertainty in what can be an already stressful set of circumstances. While never an ideal situation, there are ways to mitigate the inherent risk of writing subject free offers.