Mortgages Alberta

Mortgages Alberta - Compare Providers

Select Category

• Personal
• Commercial
• Auto
• Title
• Mortgage
• Debt Relief

• Personal
• Commercial
• Auto
• Title
• Mortgage
• Debt Relief

		Provider	Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0		Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
100	1709683200		up to $1,250	12%-32%	90 - 150 days	up to $1,250
23	1700524800		$5,000 - $25,000	24.99% - 29.99%	30 or 60	$5,000 - $25,000
15	1695254400		$1250	16.06% (nominal) - 31.99% (effective)	3 - 5	$1250
3	1692748800		Up to $350	0%	Up to 65 days	Up to $350
8	1688083200		$150 - $1,600	10 - 35%	3 - 6	$150 - $1,600
100	1686182400		$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
100	1686182400		$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
100	1686182400		$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
6	1683676800		$15,000	6.7%	Up to 60 months	$15,000
1	1670889600		$1,000 - $15,000	19.9% - 34.9%	-	$1,000 - $15,000
7	1666051200		$250	0%	-	$250
100	1643932800		$500 - $15,000	+18.9% APR	6 - 60	$500 - $15,000
100	1735238391			29.9% - 46.9% APR	12 - 60
30	1637280000		$5,000 - $50,000	5.75% - 22.99%	Up to 84	$5,000 - $50,000
100	1623369600		Varies	0%	6 or 8 weeks	Varies
2	1620777600		Up to $35,000	9.99% - 46.96%	6 - 60	Up to $35,000
17	1607558400		$500 - $50,000	6.99% - 46.99%	12 - 36	$500 - $50,000
100	1598918400		$1,000 - $15,000	-	-	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1598832000		$500 – $15,000	+ 25.99%	9 - 60	$500 – $15,000
100	1595980800		$200 - $1,200	25% - 32%	-	$200 - $1,200
100	1593561600		-	0+	2 - 60	-
100	1589155200		$2,500	15.65% AIR	13 - 26	$2,500
100	1582243200		-	-	Up to 60	-
100	1580947200		-	-	-	-
100	1580860800		$500 - $5,000	-	12 - 24	$500 - $5,000
100	1580860800		$350 - $1,000	-	2 - 12 weeks	$350 - $1,000
16	1580774400		$1,000 - $25,000	8.99% - 34.99% APR	36 or 60	$1,000 - $25,000
100	1579478400		$100 - $1,500	-	-	$100 - $1,500
100	1579478400		Up to $5,000	29.78% - 44.8%	36 months	Up to $5,000
100	1579219200		$100 - $25,000	+4.9%	-	$100 - $25,000
100	1576713600		-	Up to 35%	-	-
18	1576713600		$500 - $100,000	6.99% - 14.99%	12 - 240	$500 - $100,000
100	1575590400		1800- 2900	15.99%	23 - 36	1800- 2900
100	1562198400		$500 - $15,000	15.99 - 39.99%	6 - 60	$500 - $15,000
100	1560124800		Up to $15,000	29.99% - 46.96%	9 - 60	Up to $15,000
19	1552262400		$1,000 - $15,000	29.9% or 46.90%	6 - 60	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1569974400		$500 - $50,000	15 - 30%	-	$500 - $50,000
100	1551830400		$1,000 - $15,000	19% - 46.95%	6 - 60	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1551398400		Up to $1,500	15% - 19%	14 days	Up to $1,500
100	1551398400		$100 - $1,500	15% - 17%	14 -31 days	$100 - $1,500
100	1551398400		$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	-	$500 - $1,000
100	1551398400		-	-	14 days	-
18	1546128000		Up to $5,000	19.9% - 45.9% APR	6 - 36	Up to $5,000
100	1551139200		$5,000 - $35,000	9.9%+	6 - 60	$5,000 - $35,000
15	1551139200		Up to $15,000	29.99% to 46.93% APR	Open-end	Up to $15,000
100	1550534400		$300 - $25,000	7.95%+	36 - 60	$300 - $25,000
100	1550534400		$100 - $1,500	-	14 days	$100 - $1,500
100	1569974400		Up to $1,500	Varies by province	up to 62 days	Up to $1,500
100	1550534400		Up to $1,500	Up to 59% APR	14 days	Up to $1,500
19	1550534400		$2,500 +	-	-	$2,500 +
100	1550534400		$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	3 -5	$500 - $1,000
100	1550534400		$300 - $1,000	38% APR	3 - 4	$300 - $1,000
100	1567555200		$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
100	1549238400		$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	4 - 5	$500 - $1,000
100	1549238400		$250 - $1,000	29% APR	3 - 4	$250 - $1,000
20	1548720000		$500 - $1,000,000	7.9%	12	$500 - $1,000,000
100	1548720000		Up to $5,000	-	12 - 60	Up to $5,000
100	1548720000		$1,000 - $50,000	4.6% – 49.96%	3 - 60	$1,000 - $50,000
100	1548633600		$300 - $7,500	29.9% - 39.9%	6 - 60	$300 - $7,500
100	1548633600		$50 - $1,500	-	14 days	$50 - $1,500
16	1545264000		$2,000 - $10,000	18.9% - 54.9%	12 - 60	$2,000 - $10,000
5	1545264000		$500 - $10,000	12.99% – 39.99%	9 – 36	$500 - $10,000
100	1545264000		$500 – $10,000	Starting at 9.90%	12 - 36	$500 – $10,000
2	1543622400		Up to $60,000	19.99% - 34.99%	6 - 120	Up to $60,000
10	1545264000		$500 - $12,500	19.99%+	12 - 60	$500 - $12,500
100	1545350400		Up to $1000	30%	3 - 5	Up to $1000
100	1545350400		Up to $5,000	60%	6 - 60	Up to $5,000
100	1545350400		Up to $7,000	-Up to 48.99%	Up to 60 months	Up to $7,000
100	1545350400		$500 - $2,500	29% - 46.95%	6 - 36	$500 - $2,500
5	1545350400		$500 - $1000+	28%-32%	3	$500 - $1000+
100	1545350400		$500 – $750	28% – 34.4%	3	$500 – $750
100	1545350400		$500 – $750	23% - 34.4%	3 – 12	$500 – $750
100	1545350400		$300 - $1500	27% - 35%	3 - 4	$300 - $1500
4	1545264000		$500 - $100,000	29.99%-35%	9 - 84	$500 - $100,000
3	1545264000		Up to $5,000	47.72%	-	Up to $5,000
10	1545177600		$1,000 - $35,000	5.99% - 29.19%	36 - 60	$1,000 - $35,000
18	1545177600		$100 - $20,000	Up to 46.8%	Up to 60	$100 - $20,000
100	1569974400		Up to $1,500	15% - 23%	14 days	Up to $1,500

		Provider	Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0		Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
3	1725321600		up to $40,000	-	-	up to $40,000
8	1714089600		$10,000 +	4%-45%	90 days+	$10,000 +
7	1714089600		$10,000 to $2,000,000	10%+	Up to 36	$10,000 to $2,000,000
2	1669852800		$5,000 - $300,000	-	3 - 24 months	$5,000 - $300,000
100	1648512000		$10,000 - $250,000	Varies	6-12	$10,000 - $250,000
100	1620345600		-	-	12 - 60	-
100	1611878400		$5,000 - $30,000,000	-	Up to 18	$5,000 - $30,000,000
17	1607558400		$500 - $50,000	6.99% - 46.99%	6 - 36	$500 - $50,000
100	1598918400		-	-	-	-
100	1592438400		-	-	-	-
100	1585612800		-	0.9% - 12%	6 months - 5 years	-
100	1581984000		$10,000 - $10,000,000	6% - 12.5%	-	$10,000 - $10,000,000
100	1581033600		-	-	-	-
100	1581033600		-	-	-	-
100	1581033600		-	-	-	-
100	1580947200		-	-	-	-
100	1580947200		$10,000 - $1,000,000	-	-	$10,000 - $1,000,000
100	1580860800		-	-	-	-
100	1580860800		-	-	-	-
100	1580860800		-	-	-	-
100	1580860800		-	-	-	-
100	1580860800		$5,000 - $1,000,000	-	-	$5,000 - $1,000,000
100	1580860800		-	-	-	-
100	1580860800		-	-	-	-
100	1580860800		up to $250,000	-	-	up to $250,000
100	1580860800		-	-	-	-
100	1580688000		Up to $10,000	-	-	Up to $10,000
100	1580256000		$5,000 - $500,000	-	6 - 18 months	$5,000 - $500,000
100	1579478400		-	-	-	-
100	1579478400		$10,000- $30,000,000	Min 4.95%	-	$10,000- $30,000,000
100	1579478400		-	-	12 - 120	-
100	1579478400		-	-	24 to 60	-
100	1579478400		-	-	-	-
100	1579478400		-	-	-	-
100	1579046400		-	-	-	-
100	1578873600		-	-	-	-
100	1577059200		-	-	-	-
100	1577059200		-	-	-	-
100	1577059200		-	-	-	-
100	1575849600		$5,000 - $150,000	15% +	6 - 24	$5,000 - $150,000
100	1575849600		Up to $250,000	-	-	Up to $250,000
100	1575590400		-	-	-	-
100	1575590400		-	-	-	-
1	1545955200		$5,000 - $150,000	Fee-Based: Starting at 9%	12 - 60	$5,000 - $150,000
100	1552262400		$500,000 - $10,000,000	-	-	$500,000 - $10,000,000
100	1548720000		Up to $5,000	Prime +7% or 8%	36 - 60	Up to $5,000
100	1552262400		Up to $250,000	-	Up to 10 years	Up to $250,000
100	1552262400		-	-	-	-
100	1552262400		Up to $1,000,000	-	-	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400		$10,000+	-	Up to 15 years	$10,000+
100	1551830400		Up to $1,000,000	-	Up to 15 years	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400		Up to $500,000	-	Up to 10 years	Up to $500,000
100	1551830400		$5,000 - $10,000	-	Up to 7 years	$5,000 - $10,000
100	1551398400		$3,500+	-	-	$3,500+
100	1551398400		$10,000 - $1,000,000	4% - 14%	12 - 84	$10,000 - $1,000,000
100	1551139200		Up to $75,000	-	Up to 18	Up to $75,000
100	1550534400		$500-$50,000	0.5% weekly	12 week cycles	$500-$50,000
100	1550534400		$1,000 - $1,000,000	6% - 20%	-	$1,000 - $1,000,000
100	1550534400		Up to $5,000,000	4.5%	24 - 72	Up to $5,000,000
100	1550534400		-	-	-	-
100	1550534400		$5,000 - $200,000	-	-	$5,000 - $200,000
100	1549411200		$50,000 - $12,000,000	-	24 - 96	$50,000 - $12,000,000
100	1549411200		$5,000 - $1,000,000+	-	1 - 60	$5,000 - $1,000,000+
100	1549238400		$5,000 - $1,000,000	-	3 - 24	$5,000 - $1,000,000
100	1548720000		$5,000 - $5,000,000	-	4 - 18	$5,000 - $5,000,000
100	1548720000		Up to $100,000	6.05% +	60	Up to $100,000
100	1548720000		$10,000+	18% - 22%	-	$10,000+
100	1548720000		$10,000 - $300,000	4.70% - 5.45%	-	$10,000 - $300,000
100	1548633600		Up to $5,000,000	5% - 10%	12 - 60	Up to $5,000,000
10	1545177600		$1,000 - $35,000	5.6% – 25.5%	36 – 60	$1,000 - $35,000
100	1545264000		$5,000 - $250,000	-	3-18	$5,000 - $250,000
100	1545264000		$5,000 - $150,000	-	3 - 24	$5,000 - $150,000
6	1545350400		$5,000 – $100,000	15% +	12 – 18	$5,000 – $100,000
100	1545264000		$5,000 – $100,000	Starting at 6.87%	3 – 18	$5,000 – $100,000
5	1545177600		$5,000-$300,000	15% - 25%	4 - 24	$5,000-$300,000
4	1545177600		$5,000 – $500,000	Starting at 5.9%	3 – 60	$5,000 – $500,000
5	1545264000		$500 - $10,000	12.99% – 39.99%	9 – 36	$500 - $10,000
100	1561507200		Up to $300,000	-	-	Up to $300,000

		Provider	Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0		Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
3	1632960000		Up to $50,000	15.99% +	12 -72	Up to $50,000
8	1624233600		Up to $50,000	29.99% – 46.96%	12 - 96	Up to $50,000
17	1607558400		$500 - $50,000	-	24 - 60	$500 - $50,000
100	1594339200		-	-	-	-
100	1582761600		-	-	12 - 96	-
6	1582761600		-	11.9% - 22.9%	Up to 84	-
100	1581033600		-	+ 4.9%	-	-
100	1581033600		-	-	-	-
100	1580688000		-	-	-	-
100	1579478400		-	-	-	-
100	1579478400		-	-	-	-
100	1579478400		-	-	-	-
100	1578873600		-	+8.99%	-	-
100	1578873600		-	-	-	-
100	1551830400		$5,000 - $10,000	-	up to 84	$5,000 - $10,000
100	1552262400		Up to $250,000	-	12 - 60	Up to $250,000
100	1552262400		Up to $1,000,000	-	up to 96	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400		Up to $100,000	-	6 - 96	Up to $100,000
100	1551830400		$10,000+	-	12 - 96	$10,000+
100	1551830400		Up to $1,000,000	-	up to 96	Up to $1,000,000
100	1577059200		-	-	up to 72	-
100	1577059200		-	-	-	-
100	1575849600		-	Starting at 4%	Up to 84	-
100	1575849600		$5000 - $45,000	4.90 % - 29.95% APR	36 - 72	$5000 - $45,000
100	1575849600		-	-	-	-
100	1575590400		-	-	-	-
100	1575590400		-	-	-	-
100	1575504000		-	-	-	-
100	1574985600		-	-	-	-
6	1569974400		$7500 - $59,995	3.95% +	12 - 96	$7500 - $59,995
100	1562112000		-	Up to 49.9%	-	-
100	1561507200		-	-	-	-
100	1561507200		-	-	Up to 84	-
1	1560124800		Up to $100,000	3.99% - 19.9%	24 -96	Up to $100,000
100	1551830400		Up to $30,000	-	-	Up to $30,000
100	1548720000		-	-	-	-
100	1548633600		-	4.2%+	-	-
5	1545264000		$500 - $10,000	12.99% – 39.99%	9 – 36	$500 - $10,000
100	1545177600		Up to $50,000	-	-	Up to $50,000
100	1545177600		$5,000 – $40,000	-	12 – 72	$5,000 – $40,000
100	1545177600		-	-	Maximum 84	-

		Provider	Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0		Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
100	1578873600		$1,000 - $35,000	-	24 - 60	$1,000 - $35,000
100	1545264000		Up to $25,000	-	12 - 60	Up to $25,000

		Provider	Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
3	1726531200		$15,000 +	6% - 16%	12 - 60	$15,000 +
7	1708473600		Varies	Varies	1 - 10 years	Varies
5	1700524800		-	-	-	-
6	1696377600		-	5.69% +	-	-
100	1695945600		-	-	-	-
100	1695772800		-	-	-	-
4	1690934400		Varies	5.54%+	Varies	Varies
2	1688601600		Min $100,000	5.34%+	2 - 10 years	Min $100,000
3	1679616000		$100,000 - $2 million	Fixed, variable, or adjustable rates	1 - 5 years	$100,000 - $2 million
100	1627344000		-	1.94% - 2.45%	12 - 60	-
100	1581033600		-	2.74% - 6.30%	12 - 120	-
100	1580947200		-	-	-	-
100	1580860800		-	-	-	-
100	1580860800		-	2.64% - 4.45%	12 - 120	-
100	1580860800		$50,000+	2.74% - 3.49%	12- 120	$50,000+
100	1580860800		-	-	36 - 60	-
100	1580860800		-	-	-	-
100	1580860800		-	-	-	-
100	1580688000		-	2.79% - 6.00%	6 - 60	-
100	1579478400		-	2.74% - 3.70%	6 - 120	-
100	1578873600		-	-	-	-
100	1578873600		-	2.69% - 3.95%	6 - 120	-
100	1577059200		$25,000 - $800,000	4.59% - 5.64%	6 - 60	$25,000 - $800,000
100	1577059200		-	-	-	-
100	1577059200		-	--	-	-
100	1577059200		-	2.84% - 7.30%	-	-
100	1574985600		$100,000 - $750,000	-	12 - 120	$100,000 - $750,000
100	1574899200		min 25,000	3.89.% - 4.84%	12 - 60	min 25,000
100	1574899200		-	2.23% - 4.45%	-	-
100	1560124800		-	2.89% - 3.79%	-	-
100	1548806400		$10,000 - $1,500,000	Varies	12 - 24	$10,000 - $1,500,000
100	1548720000		-	2.41% - 3.84%	-	-
100	1548720000		-	-	-	-
1	1517097600		$10,000+	Based on equity	-	$10,000+

		Provider	Services	Rating
0	0		Debt Consolidation Program, Debt Settlement Program, Consumer Proposal, Bankruptcy Consultation	N/A (Referrer)
100	1732233600		Credit Counselling, Orderly Payment of Debts (OPD) Program
100	1576540800		Credit Counselling, Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal
100	1576540800		Credit Counselling, Debt Management Program
100	1576368000		Credit Counselling, Debt Management Program
100	1576454400		Debt Restructuring, After Care - Credit Rebuilding Program, Corporate Debt Restructuring

If you plan to buy a home in Alberta, you’ll probably need to take out a mortgage to finance it. A mortgage will help you finance a purchase, which would otherwise be nearly impossible given the high prices of real estate these days. Here’s everything you need to know about mortgages in Alberta.

Pre-Approvals Are Very Helpful

Before you start house hunting in Alberta, it’s always a good idea to start out the process by getting pre-approved for a mortgage. They’re usually good for about 90 days, after which they are no longer valid. While this won’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll get final mortgage approval after you’ve made an offer on a home, it can be helpful in many ways.

Know How Much You Can Afford

For example, there’s no sense in looking at homes that are in the $800,000 range if you can only get approved for a $500,000 mortgage based on your current finances. Getting pre-approved will tell you how much you’ll likely get approved for, which can help you budget accordingly and focus only on properties in Alberta that are within your financial means.

Stand Out to Sellers

Sellers in Alberta want to be confident that the buyer they agree to sell to has the financial capability of getting approved for a mortgage. With a pre-approval letter in hand, buyers will seem more serious to sellers, which will give the sellers more reassurance. And if there is a bidding war, a pre-approval letter is absolutely necessary.

Move The Mortgage Approval Process Along

Once you find a home, put in an offer, and the deal enters escrow, the final mortgage approval process begins. But because you’ve already been pre-approved and have already submitted all documents, the process can be much smoother and more streamlined, helping to move the process along faster.

Wondering if you should spend your entire pre-approval amount when buying a home? Find out here.

Different Types of Mortgages Available in Alberta

There are a few different types of mortgages in Alberta that you may want to consider before deciding on one:

Conventional mortgages – These mortgages require a minimum 20% down payment.

Look here to know the difference between a conventional mortgage and a collateral mortgage.

High-ratio mortgages – These are conventional mortgages in Alberta that require a minimum of 5% down and come with mortgage default insurance or CMHC insurance. This policy is required by lenders in Alberta and Canada, in general, because of the higher risk associated with a higher loan-to-value ratio and protects the lender if you are unable to pay your mortgage.

Trying to get a down payment for a house in Canada? Here’s how you can accomplish that goal.

Bridge loans – These types of loans are often sought after by those in Alberta who have bad credit and are unable to secure a conventional mortgage. They’re designed to provide consumers in Alberta and Canada, in general, with short-term solutions by using their homes to boost their credit when conventional lenders turn them down for a home loan. Bridge loans give borrowers a chance to access lower interest rates on loans in the near future.

For more information about short term mortgage financing and bridge loans, look at this.

Fixed-rate mortgages – With these types of mortgages, the interest rate remains fixed throughout the term. As such, the mortgage payment amount does not change each month, making it easier for borrowers to budget. Many first-time buyers in Alberta prefer fixed-rate mortgages because of their predictable mortgage payments. They’re also ideal if interest rates are expected to increase in the near future. By locking in at today’s rate, borrowers can be protected should the rates increase over the short term.

Check out this other page to learn more about fixed and variable rate mortgages.

Adjustable-rate mortgages – These mortgages involve interest rates that fluctuate. At specific intervals, the rate is adjusted according to the current posted rate as determined by the Bank of Canada. Because the rate fluctuates, the mortgage payment amounts also change periodically. An adjustable-rate mortgage is great if the rate is expected to decrease in the near future, allowing borrowers to take advantage of lower rates. They’re also a good option for those who don’t plan to stick around in their home for very long, allowing them to get out of the mortgage once the initial fixed-interest-rate period expires.

Want to know more about fixed and variable loans in general? Try reading this.

Home equity line of credit (HELOC) – Also referred to as second mortgages, HELOCs allow borrowers in Alberta to borrow against their home. Basically, a new loan is taken out on a home that already has a mortgage on it. HELOCs allow borrowers to borrow against the equity in their home to free up money to be used for other purposes.

Mortgage Amortization Period

When you take out a mortgage in Alberta, you’ll be given a certain amount of time to repay the entire loan amount. This is known as the amortization period. The most common length of time given in Canada is 25 years. However, the amortization period can be shorter or longer, depending on what the lender is willing to offer you.

Shorter amortization periods allow borrowers to repay the loan amount sooner rather than later. But because the loan is repaid in a shorter period of time, the mortgage payments are higher. That said, the overall loan amount is cheaper because less money is put toward the interest portion of the mortgage.

Longer amortization periods are highly favourable among many borrowers in Alberta because the monthly payment amounts are smaller. Borrowers have more time to pay off their mortgage, which can take some pressure off of them to repay their loan. However, longer amortization periods are more expensive in the long run because more money is contributed to the interest portion.

Take a look at this infographic for more information on the cost of buying a house in Canada.

Mortgage Insurance Rules in Alberta

In order to get a mortgage, borrowers must come up with a down payment to be put toward the purchase price of the home. If a borrower in Alberta put less than 20% down on a mortgage, lenders will charge mortgage default insurance, or CMHC insurance, which is designed to protect the lender if the borrower defaults on the loan at any point throughout the term. In order to avoid paying this extra amount, at least 20% must be put down.

Click here for more knowledge about high ratio mortgages and mortgage default insurance.

Tips For Saving for a Down Payment

As mentioned already, a down payment is a crucial part of mortgages in Alberta. But considering how expensive homes in Alberta can be, it can be a challenge for borrowers to save up a sizeable amount of money to be used as a down payment. That said, there are several things you can do to save up for a down payment:

• Prioritize your saving
• Pay off your high-interest debt first (such as credit cards)
• Keep your spending to a minimum
• Borrow funds from your RRSP account
• Look into First-Time Homebuyers Programs
• Have your savings automated

Thinking about borrowing money for your down payment instead? Read this first.

Different Options For Mortgage Payments in Alberta

The goal of having a mortgage is to eventually pay it off in full at some date in the future. But in order to do that, you’ll be expected to make regular installment payments to chip away at that loan amount. You have different options when it comes to making mortgage payments, including the following:

• Monthly payments – This is the most common type of payment schedule, and involves making one payment each month.
• Bi-weekly – Instead of making one payment per month, you’ll make two payments a month for a total of 26 payments.
• Accelerate bi-weekly – The payment schedule involves making one-half of the monthly mortgage payment every two weeks.
• Weekly – With this schedule, your mortgage payments would be made once a week.

Read more about these mortgage payment options by clicking here.

Comparing Mortgages From Different Lenders

In order to make sure you’re getting the best mortgage product with ideal terms and rates, you’d be well-advised to compare mortgage products from different lenders. This will allow you to find the best mortgage for your particular financial situation.

Look here if you’ve been trying to compare lenders in Canada.

In order to compare mortgage offers, there are a few key components to look at, including the following:

• Interest rate
• Fees
• Points to pay down (which can lower the interest rate)
• Amortization period
• Term
• Pre-payment options
• Early repayment penalties

Like any other contract, reading the fine print can help you identify any pertinent information that could influence your decision on which mortgage product to choose, so be sure to carefully review the terms before you sign on the dotted line.

Why do different mortgage lenders offer different mortgage rates? Find out here.

Credit Score Required to Get a Mortgage in Alberta

In order to get approved for a mortgage in Alberta, a certain credit score is required. In Alberta, lenders typically want to see credit scores no lower than 680. Anything lower than this could be a deterrent for mortgage approval.

Read this if you want more details about the minimum credit score for mortgage approval in Canada.

A low credit score is a reflection of a person’s financial past. Usually, a string of missed or late payments has occurred, which have contributed to a lower credit score. Borrowers with a low credit score are risky for lenders, which is why they’ll either reject these mortgage applications or charge a much higher interest rate to make up for it.

The higher the credit score, the better the chances of mortgage approval and lower interest rates.

Alternative Mortgages For Borrowers in Alberta With Bad Credit

If your credit score isn’t as high as conventional lenders would like it to be, you have options to consider:

Get a co-signer – If you can’t get approved for a mortgage on your own, having a co-signer on the mortgage can help convince the lender to accept your application. A co-signer agrees to make the mortgage payments if you fail to do so yourself. It’s a big responsibility, but a co-signer with good credit can mean the difference between a rejected and approved mortgage application.

Want to know what types of loans you can get with a cosigner? Click here to find out.

Work with a bad credit lender – There are lenders out there who deal exclusively with bad credit borrowers. These lenders place more weight on other factors aside from credit scores, such as income and down payment amounts. That said, it’s important to be careful with who you deal with, as some lenders out there could be scammers.

Need a bad credit loan in Alberta? Try looking here.

Take time to improve your credit score – If you’re not in a rush to buy a home, consider taking some time out to improve your credit score. There are many things you can do right now to give your credit score a boost, including the following:

• Make your payments on time and in full every month
• Don’t spend any more than 30% of your credit card limit
• Don’t apply for too many loans or lines of credit
• Don’t close out any old credit lines
• Pay off debt accounts before closing them

Within a few months, you can have a higher credit score, which can make it easier for you to get approved for a mortgage with better terms and a lower rate.

To see some more alternative mortgage financing options, check this out.

Costs of Purchasing a House in Alberta

Your mortgage is a huge cost when it comes to buying a home in Alberta. But there are several other costs associated with this purchase that you should be aware of in order to budget appropriately:

• Down payment
• Interest
• Home inspection
• Appraisal
• Real estate agent commissions
• Legal fees
• Survey fees
• Title insurance
• CMHC insurance
• Home insurance
• Property taxes
• Renovations
• Maintenance fees
• New home warranty fee
• Condo fees (if applicable)

There are plenty of fees associated with buying and owning a home, so make sure you’ve budgeted for them long before applying for a mortgage in Alberta.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Buying a home in Alberta is a big investment, and entering a contract for a mortgage is a long-term commitment. To make sure you a ready to take out a mortgage, take a long look at your finances. Speak with a financial advisor, real estate agent, and mortgage broker to see what your options are. And when you’re ready to take out a mortgage, be sure to speak with an associate at Loans Canada to help you find the ideal mortgage product for you.