Fixed vs variable
BoC overnight is at 2.25% (Apr 2026), prime 4.45%. Variable mortgages sit around 4.2%; 5-year fixed around 4.4%. The bond market is pricing in 1–2 more small cuts this year. If those land, variable beats fixed by year 2; if BoC pauses or hikes, fixed is safer. The honest answer: pick variable if a 50bp jump would not break you; pick fixed if it would.
What your bank didn’t say:Banks often steer toward fixed because variable mortgages cost the bank less when funding tightens. The "fixed is safer" pitch ignores that you pay a 20–40bp premium upfront for that safety, and the IRD penalty on Big-6 fixed is brutal if you break early. The right answer is risk-tolerance-driven, not rate-prediction-driven.
Affordability
Stress-test rule says you qualify at the higher of (your contract rate + 2%) or 5.25%. On a $100K household income with 20% down, that gets you to about $480K–$520K in most Canadian markets. The qualifying number is what the bank will lend; the affordable number is usually 25–30% lower because property tax, condo fees, insurance, and maintenance pile on after closing.
What your bank didn’t say:Banks pre-approve to the qualifying ceiling because larger loans earn more. The number that matters is whether your total housing cost (mortgage + tax + maintenance + insurance) stays under 35% of gross household income. Most first-time buyers who stretched to the pre-approval ceiling regretted it inside 18 months — interest-rate shocks, job changes, and life events do not respect amortization tables.
Breaking your mortgage
TD uses Interest Rate Differential (IRD) calculated against their POSTED rate, not the rate you actually got. On a $500K mortgage at year 3 with 2 years left, that is typically $12,000–$18,000. Monolines (First National, MERIX, MCAP) calculate IRD against the discounted rate — same scenario runs $3,000–$5,000.
What your bank didn’t say:The "Big 6 IRD" calculation is the single biggest hidden cost in Canadian mortgages. Your bank will quote you the penalty without explaining it is 4x what a monoline would charge for the same break. They are not allowed to lie about it — but they are allowed to not bring it up.
Big 6 vs monoline
As of late April 2026: posted 5-year fixed runs 5.39%–5.79% across TD, RBC, BMO, Scotiabank, and CIBC. Discounted (negotiated) rates land 80–120bp lower depending on file strength — typically 4.49%–4.69% on a clean owner-occupied file with 20%+ down. National Bank often sits 5–10bp under Big 5 on negotiated. Monolines (First National, MCAP, MERIX) come in 10–25bp under that.
What your bank didn’t say:Posted rates are window dressing. Banks negotiate down to broker-channel pricing if you ask — especially at renewal, where retention pricing is discretionary. The number on their website is rarely the number you should pay. Always get a written broker quote before accepting any bank offer.
Big 6 vs monoline
For most borrowers: monolines (First National, MERIX, MCAP, CMLS, RMG) beat Big 6 on rate by 15–30 bps and beat them dramatically on prepayment penalties. Big 6 win on integration (one app for everything), branch access, and HELOC flexibility. If you plan to stay 5 years and not break, monoline almost always wins on math.
What your bank didn’t say:Banks will tell you monolines "have less stability." All 5 of the major Canadian monolines are OSFI-regulated and CMHC-insured the same way Big 6 are. The "stability" pitch is a sales tactic, not a substance argument.
Rent vs buy
Probably not, if your reason for buying is stable (you found a place you want, you plan to stay 5+ years, your income is steady). Macro events move rates and supply, not the calculus of whether owning fits your life. Toronto and Vancouver prices in 2026 are flat-to-down 8% from 2022 peaks; rates are 2 points above 2021 lows. Waiting for "settled" usually means missing the window — sellers price into the uncertainty, not the bottom.
What your bank didn’t say:Real estate sites and brokers push the "buy now or be priced out forever" line. The flip side they will not say: if your job, marriage, or city of choice is shaky, every transaction cost you eat (5–6% to sell within 3 years) wipes out paper appreciation. The right time to buy is when your life is stable, not when the news is.
Renewal
TD opens with their posted-rate target — that 5.29% is the start of negotiation, not the end. The same week, broker channels were placing 5-year fixed renewals at 4.79%–4.99% on similar files. TD has discretionary retention pricing they will use if you mention you are shopping. Most renewal offers come down 30–60 bps when you bring a competing quote.
What your bank didn’t say:Banks rarely lead with their best rate at renewal. Their "loyalty pricing" assumes you will not shop. Asking for a written quote from a broker — even one you do not use — typically beats your offer by $8K–$15K over the term on a $500K mortgage.
Renewal
Your Canadian mortgage renews even if you live abroad — the lender does not care where you live, only whether the property is still your principal residence or has converted to a rental. If you are renting it out, you must notify the lender (it changes the risk class and may trigger a rate adjustment). Income verification gets harder: most lenders require Canadian-source income or a sponsor; some Big 6 will accept US W-2 if you have a Canadian credit history and CRA filings on record.
What your bank didn’t say:A few brokers specialise in cross-border files (look for CMP-licensed advisors who say "expat" or "foreign income" on their site). Going through your existing branch is usually the worst option — they default to the most conservative underwriting and rate. The "I am moving abroad" disclosure is also where some borrowers get caught: not telling the lender is a misrepresentation that can void the mortgage entirely.
First-time buyer
Not in central Vancouver — median 2BR sits around $850K–$950K in Yaletown, Kits, Mount Pleasant. $600K gets you into a 2BR in Burnaby, Surrey Central, New West, or Richmond outside the core. Or a 1BR + den in Mount Pleasant or Olympic Village.
What your bank didn’t say:Your bank pre-approval is what you can BORROW, not what you can AFFORD. Stress-test math gets you to $600K; reality is property tax, strata, insurance, and maintenance push the real cost 25–35% above the mortgage payment. Most first-time buyers regret stretching to the pre-approval ceiling.
First-time buyer
Mid-2026 medians: 2BR condos sit around $880K downtown core, $760K Etobicoke/East York, $620K–$720K in Scarborough, North York, and Mississauga. Under $750K is realistic outside the core — Mississauga, Scarborough, North Etobicoke, parts of East York. Liberty Village and CityPlace dropped to ~$780K for some units. Older buildings (pre-2000) tend to be priced 10–15% lower per square foot than new builds.
What your bank didn’t say:Listing platforms weight toward newer + more expensive units, inflating perceived medians. Pull actual sold data from your agent or zealty.ca before you anchor on a price. Older buildings often have stable maintenance fees and full reserve funds, while glass-tower new builds have hidden upcoming special assessments — what looks "more expensive" today is often cheaper over a 5-year hold.
Rent vs buy
On a 1BR in central Toronto: rent runs $2,200–$2,600; buying a comparable unit at $700K with 20% down costs $3,400–$3,800/month all-in (mortgage + tax + maintenance). Buying wins long-term ONLY if you stay 7+ years and the unit appreciates 2%+ annually. Renting wins if you might move, change jobs, or want flexibility.
What your bank didn’t say:Real-estate websites push the "renting is throwing money away" line. Math: at current rates, the gap between rent and own costs you $1,000–$1,500/month — over 5 years that is $60K–$90K. If you invest that gap at 6%, you have $80K–$110K. Owning beats renting only when appreciation outpaces that.
Strata fees
Above $1.20/sqft in Vancouver is a yellow flag — usually means deferred maintenance catching up or a special-assessment cycle starting. Below $0.50/sqft is also suspicious — likely underfunded reserves. Healthy range: $0.55–$0.85/sqft for buildings 20+ years old; $0.40–$0.65 for newer.
What your bank didn’t say:Listing agents almost never volunteer the fees-per-sqft number — they cite the dollar amount, which sounds smaller. Always ask for the depreciation report and the last 3 years of fee history. Two years of 10%+ increases means a special assessment is coming, regardless of what fees look like today.
