📅 Last Updated: December 9, 2021
✏️ Written By Bryan Daly
🕵️ Fact-Checked by Caitlin Wood

Mortgages St. John’s - Compare Providers

ProviderLoan AmountRateTerm (Months)Rating
00 Up to $50,000Prime – 46.96%3 - 120
Up to $50,000
1001709683200 Dashloansup to $1,250 12%-32% 90 - 150 days
up to $1,250
231700524800 Parachute$5,000 - $25,000 24.99% - 29.99% 30 or 60
$5,000 - $25,000
151695254400 GoLoans$1250 16.06% (nominal) - 31.99% (effective) 3 - 5
$1250
31692748800 BreeUp to $350 0% Up to 65 days
Up to $350
81688083200 City Lending Centers (CLC)$150 - $1,600 10 - 35% 3 - 6
$150 - $1,600
1001686182400 Northstar Brokers$300 - $3,000 18% + fees 6
$300 - $3,000
1001686182400 Deposit My Cash Now$300 - $3,000 18% + fees 6
$300 - $3,000
1001686182400 My Next Pay$300 - $3,000 18% + fees 6
$300 - $3,000
61683676800 Windmill Microlending$15,000 6.7% Up to 60 months
$15,000
71666051200 Nyble$250 0% -
$250
1001643932800 FlexMoney$500 - $15,000 +18.9% APR 6 - 60
$500 - $15,000
131639094400 Loanz$1,000 - $15,000 29.9% - 46.9% APR   12 - 60
$1,000 - $15,000
301637280000 Symple Loans$5,000 - $50,000 5.75% - 22.99% Up to 84
$5,000 - $50,000
1001623369600 AfterpayVaries 0% 6 or 8 weeks
Varies
21620777600 Spring FinancialUp to $35,000 9.99% - 46.96% 9 - 78
Up to $35,000
171607558400 Helium Loans$500 - $50,000 6.99% - 46.99% 12 - 36
$500 - $50,000
1001600646400 Iceberg Finance$1,000-$7,500 12.99% - 29.99% 24 - 60
$1,000-$7,500
1001598918400 LM Financial$1,000 - $15,000 - -
$1,000 - $15,000
1001598832000 LM Credit$500 – $15,000 + 25.99% 9 - 60
$500 – $15,000
1001595980800 FlexiLoans$200 - $1,200 25% - 32% -
$200 - $1,200
1001593561600 PayBright- 0+ 2 - 60
-
1001582243200 LendCare- - Up to 60
-
1001580947200 ECN Capital- - -
-
1001580860800 SimplyBorrowed$500 - $5,000 - 12 - 24
$500 - $5,000
1001580860800 Pebble Cash$350 - $1,000 - 2 - 12 weeks
$350 - $1,000
161580774400 goPeer$1,000 - $25,000 7.5% - 31.5% APR 36 - 60
$1,000 - $25,000
1001579478400 North’n Loans$100 - $1,500 - -
$100 - $1,500
1001579478400 MDGUp to $5,000 29.78% - 44.8% 36 months
Up to $5,000
1001579219200 Loan or Credit$100 - $25,000 +4.9% -
$100 - $25,000
1001576713600 Flexiti Financial- Up to 35% -
-
181576713600 Financeit$500 - $100,000 6.99% - 14.99% 12 - 240
$500 - $100,000
1001575590400 Climb1800- 2900 15.99% 23 - 36
1800- 2900
1001562198400 Pylo Finance$500 - $15,000 15.99 - 39.99% 6 - 60
$500 - $15,000
1001560124800 Fresh Start FinanceUp to $15,000 29.99% - 46.96% 9 - 60
Up to $15,000
191552262400 Money Mart$1,000 - $15,000 29.9% or 46.90% 6 - 60
$1,000 - $15,000
1001551830400 Payday King$100 - $1,000 546% APR 14 days
$100 - $1,000
1001569974400 Private Loan Shop$500 - $50,000 15 - 30% -
$500 - $50,000
1001551830400 Progressa$1,000 - $15,000 19% - 46.95% 6 - 60
$1,000 - $15,000
1001551398400 Money Provider$500 - $1,000 28% - 32% -
$500 - $1,000
1001551398400 Loan Express- - 14 days
-
181546128000 Loan AwayUp to $5,000 19.9% - 45.9% APR 6 - 36
Up to $5,000
1001551139200 Lendful$5,000 - $35,000 9.9%+ 6 - 60
$5,000 - $35,000
151551139200 LendDirectUp to $15,000 29.99% to 46.93% APR Open-end
Up to $15,000
1001550534400 Health Smart Financial Services$300 - $25,000 7.95%+ 36 - 60
$300 - $25,000
1001550534400 Focus Financial Inc.Up to $1,500 Up to 59% APR 14 days
Up to $1,500
1001550534400 Eastern Loans$500 - $1,000 28% - 32% 3 -5
$500 - $1,000
1001550534400 DMO Credit$300 - $1,000 38% APR 3 - 4
$300 - $1,000
1001549411200 Capital Cash$100 - $1,000 546% APR 14 days
$100 - $1,000
1001567555200 Cash Depot$300 - $3,000 18% + fees 6
$300 - $3,000
1001549238400 Credit 700$500 - $1,000 28% - 32% 4 - 5
$500 - $1,000
1001549238400 Credit2Go$250 - $1,000 29% APR 3 - 4
$250 - $1,000
201548720000 Ledn$500 - $1,000,000 7.9% 12
$500 - $1,000,000
1001548720000 Amber Financial$1,000 - $50,000 4.6% – 49.96% 3 - 60
$1,000 - $50,000
1001548633600 Affirm Financial$300 - $7,500 29.9% - 39.9% 6 - 60
$300 - $7,500
1001548633600 310 Loan$50 - $1,500 - 14 days
$50 - $1,500
1001545955200 Newstart CanadaUp to $20,000 19% - 49% 36 - 48
Up to $20,000
161545264000 Ferratum$2,000 - $10,000 18.9% - 54.9% 12 - 60
$2,000 - $10,000
51545264000 SkyCap Financial$500 - $10,000 12.99% – 39.99% 9 – 36
$500 - $10,000
21543622400 Fairstone FinancialUp to $60,000 19.99% - 39.99% 6 - 120
Up to $60,000
101545264000 Consumer Capital Canada$500 - $12,500 19.99%+ 12 - 60
$500 - $12,500
1001545350400 LaminaUp to $1000 30% 3 - 5
Up to $1000
1001545350400 Loans SOSUp to $5,000 60% 6 - 60
Up to $5,000
1001545350400 Cashco FinancialUp to $7,000 - 6 – 60
Up to $7,000
1001545350400 UrLoan$500 - $2,500 29% - 46.95% 6 - 36
$500 - $2,500
51545350400 LoanMeNow$500 - $1000+ 28%-32% 3
$500 - $1000+
1001545350400 Captain Cash$500 – $750 28% – 34.4% 3
$500 – $750
1001545350400 BC Loans$500 – $750 23% - 34.4% 3 – 12
$500 – $750
1001545350400 Urgent Loans$300 - $1500 27% - 35% 3 - 4
$300 - $1500
41545264000 easyfinancial$500 - $100,000 Starting at 29.99% 9 - 84
$500 - $100,000
31545264000 Mogo FinanceUp to $5,000 47.72% -
Up to $5,000
41568937600 Cash Money$1,500 – $10,000 Varies by province Varies
$1,500 – $10,000
101545177600 Borrowell$1,000 - $35,000 5.99% - 29.19% 36 - 60
$1,000 - $35,000
ProviderLoan AmountRateTerm (Months)Rating
00 Up to $50,000Prime – 46.96%3 - 120
Up to $50,000
31725321600 iCommissionup to $40,000 - -
up to $40,000
81714089600 Primed Loans$10,000 + 4%-45% 90 days+
$10,000 +
71714089600 OnTap Capital $10,000 to $2,000,000 10%+ Up to 36
$10,000 to $2,000,000
21669852800 Driven$5,000 - $300,000 - 3 - 24 months
$5,000 - $300,000
1001648512000 2M7 Financial Solutions$10,000 - $250,000 Varies 6-12
$10,000 - $250,000
1001620345600 TD Bank- - 12 - 60
-
1001611878400 Accord Financial$5,000 - $30,000,000 - Up to 18
$5,000 - $30,000,000
171607558400 Helium Loans$500 - $50,000 6.99% - 46.99% 6 - 36
$500 - $50,000
1001598918400 Loop- - -
-
1001585612800 BarterPay- 0.9% - 12% 6 months - 5 years
-
1001581984000 Clearbanc$10,000 - $10,000,000 6% - 12.5% -
$10,000 - $10,000,000
1001581033600 GE Capital- - -
-
1001581033600 We Can Financial- - -
-
1001580947200 Key Equipment Financing- - -
-
1001580947200 Corl$10,000 - $1,000,000 - -
$10,000 - $1,000,000
1001580860800 Yellowhead Equipment Finance Ltd- - -
-
1001580860800 Specialty Truck Financing- - -
-
1001580860800 Travelers Financial- - -
-
1001580860800 Peel Financial- - -
-
1001580860800 Pioneer Financial Services$5,000 - $1,000,000 - -
$5,000 - $1,000,000
1001580860800 Polaris Leasing- - -
-
1001580860800 Patron West- - -
-
1001580860800 Payabilityup to $250,000 - -
up to $250,000
1001580860800 Planet Financial- - -
-
1001580688000 RiseUp to $10,000 - -
Up to $10,000
1001580256000 Merchant Growth$5,000 - $500,000 - 6 - 18 months
$5,000 - $500,000
1001579478400 Onesta- - -
-
1001579478400 Lionhart Capital$10,000- $30,000,000 Min 4.95% -
$10,000- $30,000,000
1001579478400 Lift Capital- - 12 - 120
-
1001579478400 Leaseline- - 24 to 60
-
1001579478400 Lease Direct- - -
-
1001579478400 John Deere- - -
-
1001579046400 Hitachi Capital Canada- - -
-
1001577059200 Export Development Canada- - -
-
1001577059200 Essex Lease Financial Corporation- - -
-
1001577059200 Equilease- - -
-
1001575849600 Alliance Financing Group LTD$5,000 - $150,000 15% + 6 - 24
$5,000 - $150,000
1001575849600 CanaCapUp to $250,000 - -
Up to $250,000
1001575590400 CLE Capital- - -
-
1001575590400 Canada Equipment Loan- - -
-
11545955200 SharpShooter Funding$5,000 - $150,000 Fee-Based: Starting at 9% 12 - 60
$5,000 - $150,000
1001552262400 Laurentian Bank of CanadaUp to $250,000 - Up to 10 years
Up to $250,000
1001552262400 HSBC Bank Canada- - -
-
1001552262400 National BankUp to $1,000,000 - -
Up to $1,000,000
1001551830400 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)$10,000+ - Up to 15 years
$10,000+
1001551830400 ScotiabankUp to $1,000,000 -   Up to 15 years
Up to $1,000,000
1001551830400 Bank of Montreal (BMO)Up to $500,000 - Up to 10 years
Up to $500,000
1001551830400 Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)$5,000 - $10,000 - Up to 7 years
$5,000 - $10,000
1001551398400 CWB National Leasing$3,500+ - -
$3,500+
1001551398400 Money in Motion$10,000 - $1,000,000 4% - 14% 12 - 84
$10,000 - $1,000,000
1001551139200 Lease LinkUp to $75,000 - Up to 18
Up to $75,000
1001550534400 FundThrough$500-$50,000 0.5% weekly 12 week cycles
$500-$50,000
1001550534400 Econolease Financial Services Inc.$1,000 - $1,000,000 6% - 20% -
$1,000 - $1,000,000
1001550534400 Easylease CorpUp to $5,000,000 4.5% 24 - 72
Up to $5,000,000
1001550534400 Capify$5,000 - $200,000 - -
$5,000 - $200,000
1001549411200 Canadian Equipment Finance$50,000 - $12,000,000 - 24 - 96
$50,000 - $12,000,000
1001549411200 Capital Key$5,000 - $1,000,000+ - 1 - 60
$5,000 - $1,000,000+
1001549238400 Cashbloom$5,000 - $1,000,000 - 3 - 24
$5,000 - $1,000,000
1001548720000 BFS Capital$5,000 - $5,000,000 - 4 - 18
$5,000 - $5,000,000
1001548720000 BDCUp to $100,000 6.05% + 60
Up to $100,000
1001548720000 Baron Finance$10,000+ 18% - 22% -
$10,000+
1001548720000 B2B Bank$10,000 - $300,000 4.70% - 5.45% -
$10,000 - $300,000
101545177600 Borrowell$1,000 - $35,000 5.6% – 25.5% 36 – 60
$1,000 - $35,000
1001545264000 iCapital$5,000 - $250,000 - 3-18
$5,000 - $250,000
1001545264000 Lendified$5,000 - $150,000 - 3 - 24
$5,000 - $150,000
61545350400 IOU Financial$5,000 – $100,000 15% + 12 – 18
$5,000 – $100,000
1001545264000 Company Capital$5,000 – $100,000 Starting at 6.87% 3 – 18
$5,000 – $100,000
51545177600 Journey Capital$5,000-$300,000 15% - 25% 4 - 24
$5,000-$300,000
41545177600 Lending Loop$5,000 – $500,000 Starting at 5.9% 3 – 60
$5,000 – $500,000
51545264000 SkyCap Financial$500 - $10,000 12.99% – 39.99% 9 – 36
$500 - $10,000
1001561507200 Thinking CapitalUp to $300,000 - -
Up to $300,000
ProviderLoan AmountRateTerm (Months)Rating
00 Up to $50,000Prime – 46.96%3 - 120
Up to $50,000
31632960000 SafeLendUp to $50,000 15.99% + 12 -72
Up to $50,000
81624233600 Auto Credit DealsUp to $50,000 29.99% – 46.96% 12 - 96
Up to $50,000
171607558400 Helium Loans$500 - $50,000 - 24 - 60
$500 - $50,000
1001600646400 Iceberg Finance$1,000-$7,500 12.99% - 29.99% 12 - 84
$1,000-$7,500
1001594339200 Alphera Financial Services- - -
-
1001581033600 WeFinanceCars- + 4.9% -
-
1001581033600 Walker Financial Services- - -
-
1001580688000 Rifco- - -
-
1001579478400 National Powersports Financing- - -
-
1001579478400 LMG Finance- - -
-
1001578873600 iA Auto Finance- +8.99% -
-
1001578873600 Gamache Group- - -
-
1001551830400 Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)$5,000 - $10,000 - up to 84
$5,000 - $10,000
1001552262400 Laurentian Bank of CanadaUp to $250,000 - 12 - 60
Up to $250,000
1001552262400 National BankUp to $1,000,000 - up to 96
Up to $1,000,000
1001551830400 DesjardinsUp to $100,000 - 6 - 96
Up to $100,000
1001551830400 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)$10,000+ - 12 - 96
$10,000+
1001551830400 ScotiabankUp to $1,000,000 - up to 96
Up to $1,000,000
1001577059200 Daimler Truck Financial- - up to 72
-
1001577059200 DealerPlan Financial- - -
-
1001575849600 Coast Capital Savings- Starting at 4% Up to 84
-
1001575849600 Canada Auto Finance$5000 - $45,000 4.90 % - 29.95% APR 36 - 72
$5000 - $45,000
1001575849600 Credit River Capital Inc- - -
-
1001575590400 Capital Trust Financial- - -
-
1001575590400 Canadian Truck Loan- - -
-
1001575504000 Canada Car Loans- - -
-
61569974400 Car Loans Canada$7500 - $59,995 3.95% + 12 - 96
$7500 - $59,995
1001562112000 Car Creditex- Up to 49.9% -
-
1001561507200 Auto Capital Canada- - -
-
1001561507200 Carfinco- - Up to 84
-
11560124800 Canada DrivesUp to $100,000 3.99% - 19.9% 24 -96
Up to $100,000
1001548720000 Approve Canada- - -
-
1001548633600 2nd Chance Automotive- 4.2%+ -
-
1001545955200 Newstart CanadaUp to $20,000 19% - 49% 36 - 48
Up to $20,000
51545264000 SkyCap Financial$500 - $10,000 12.99% – 39.99% 9 – 36
$500 - $10,000
1001545177600 Splash Auto Finance by RifcoUp to $50,000 - -
Up to $50,000
1001545177600 Carloans411$5,000 – $40,000 - 12 – 72
$5,000 – $40,000
1001545177600 AutoArriba- - Maximum 84
-
ProviderLoan AmountRateTerm (Months)Rating
00 Up to $50,000Prime – 46.96%3 - 120
Up to $50,000
1001578873600 Instant Loans Canada$1,000 - $35,000 - 24 - 60
$1,000 - $35,000
1001545955200 Newstart CanadaUp to $20,000 19% - 49% 36 - 48
Up to $20,000
1001545264000 BHM FinancialUp to $25,000 - 12 - 60
Up to $25,000
ProviderLoan AmountRateTerm (Months)Rating
00 N/AN/AN/A
N/A
31726531200 Lotly$15,000 + 6% - 16% 12 - 60
$15,000 +
51700524800 Rocket Mortgage- - -
-
1001695772800 QuestMortgage- - -
-
41690934400 Neo MortgageVaries 5.54%+ Varies
Varies
21688601600 nestoMin $100,000 5.34%+ 2 - 10 years
Min $100,000
1001627344000 Peoples Bank- 1.94% - 2.45% 12 - 60
-
1001581033600 Mortgage Alliance- 2.74% - 6.30% 12 - 120
-
1001580947200 Paradigm- - -
-
1001580860800 Verico- - -
-
1001580860800 True North Mortgage- 2.64% - 4.45% 12 - 120
-
1001580860800 Tangerine$50,000+ 2.74% - 3.49% 12- 120
$50,000+
1001580860800 Turnedaway- - -
-
1001580860800 REICO- - -
-
1001580688000 Motusbank- 2.79% - 6.00% 6 - 60
-
1001579478400 Mortgage Architects- 2.74% - 3.70% 6 - 120
-
1001578873600 IntelliMortgage- - -
-
1001578873600 Invis- 2.69% - 3.95% 6 - 120
-
1001577059200 Dominion Lending Center- - -
-
1001577059200 First National Financial LP- 2.84% - 7.30% -
-
1001574899200 CHIP Reverse Mortgagemin 25,000 3.89.% - 4.84% 12 - 60
min 25,000
1001560124800 Centum- 2.89% - 3.79% -
-
1001548720000 Broker Financial Group Inc.- 2.41% - 3.84% -
-
11517097600 Alpine Credits$10,000+ Based on equity -
$10,000+
ProviderServicesRating
00 Debt Consolidation Program, Debt Settlement Program, Consumer Proposal, Bankruptcy Consultation
N/A (Referrer)
1001576540800 BDO Credit Counselling, Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal
1001576540800 Full Circle Debt Solutions Inc Credit Counselling, Debt Management Program
1001576368000 Consolidated Credit Credit Counselling, Debt Management Program
1001576454400 4Pillars Debt Restructuring, After Care - Credit Rebuilding Program, Corporate Debt Restructuring

Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial capital of St. John’s has been seeing lots of affordable housing in recent years compared to other major cities in Canada. However, even an “affordable” home in St. John’s can still cost well over $300,000. As a result, most of those aspiring homeowners in St. John’s are going to need a mortgage.

Cost of Buying a House in CanadaCheck out this infographic to learn about the cost of buying a house in Canada.

Comparing Mortgage Offers in St. John’s

As affordable housing is a valuable commodity in Canada, you’re likely to find plenty of mortgage lenders and mortgage brokers throughout the city of St. John’s. While the mortgaging process is more or less the same in every province, every lender or broker is going to offer different mortgage rates, terms, and conditions. Although rates are often the main thing on prospective St. John’s homeowners’ minds when searching for mortgages, there are other factors to consider before you yourself apply, including but not limited to:

Amortization Periods

This refers to the total amount of time that you’re mortgaging a property for. Generally, the average amortization on a Canadian house is 20-30 years. However, some mortgage lenders in St. John’s allow for periods of up to 35 years. It’s very important to factor the length of your amortization into your budget, as you will be in debt the entire time.

Wondering how long you should amortize your home for? Look here for the answer.

Term Lengths

Once you’re approved, your mortgage will be divided into “terms”. Within each term, you’ll pay a certain rate and hold a contract with a specific lender in St. John’s. Terms can last anywhere from 6 months to 10 years. When your term ends, you can either renew your contract with your current lender in St. John’s or apply with a new one to secure better rates.

Read this to learn the differences between your mortgage term and your amortization.

Possibility of Prepayments

Your mortgage allows you to finance your home over time through installments. However, you don’t totally own the home until all payments have been made. As such, many home buyers in St. John’s prefer to pay off their mortgage as quickly as possible.

This can be done by negotiating a payment schedule that involves larger installments and a shorter amortization, or in this case, through prepayments. Essentially, prepayments allow you to invest additional money into your mortgage while your term is still ongoing, helping you get out of debt faster. That said, not all lenders or brokers in St. John’s allow prepayments, as they would be losing money. Those that do may charge you a penalty for modifying your contract. Be sure to ask your lender about these issues if you think that prepayments are a possibility for you in the future.

Thinking about paying off your mortgage early? Consider this first.

Open vs. Closed Mortgages

Some lenders in St. John’s may also allow you to choose between an open and closed mortgage, both of which have specific conditions that can also affect your financial profile.

  • Closed mortgages involve restrictions that you must follow to avoid breaching your contract. You won’t be able to refinance or renegotiate your mortgage until the end of a term, without a penalty. However, your interest rate will be lower than with an open mortgage, which will save you money.
  • Open mortgages are generally accompanied by more flexible contract conditions and payments. While this type of flexibility often leads to a higher risk for the lender, and therefore less reasonable interest rates, you will have the option of paying down your mortgage whenever you want, penalty-free.

Fixed vs. Variable Interest Rates

Now we come to the most common issue for home buyers in St. John’s and most Canadians in general, their interest rate. Though the rate you receive will vary based on factors such as your income, credit health, and lender’s policies, there are two different kinds of interest rate you can go with:

  • Fixed rates mean that your mortgage payments will not change during your term. In many cases, a fixed rate will be slightly higher than a variable one but will be easier to calculate and budget for, since you’ll know exactly how much your payments will come out to.
  • Variable rates mean that your payments can fluctuate during your term because they will be based on the Bank of Canada’s prime rate, which goes up and down with the country’s economic conditions. Although this will make it harder to calculate your payments, it’s possible to save money when the prime rate drops.

Here’s why the lowest mortgage rate may not actually be what you need.

Appropriate Credit Score for Mortgage Approval

As we mentioned, a factor that can affect your interest rate, approval chances, and contract conditions is your credit health. This is because certain parts of your credit profile, namely your credit score, are used by lenders as proof of your ability to keep up with loan payments. Since your mortgage involves a significant amount of money, your lender in St. John’s will check your credit score to see how creditworthy you are.

What does it mean when you have a credit score of 780? Look here to know.

Your score ranges from 300 to 900 and is assigned to you when you start using credit products. It goes up when you make responsible payments and down when you make irresponsible ones. While lending standards differ from lender to lender in St. John’s, a recent change in Canadian mortgage rules indicates that 600 would be the minimum credit score for approval on mortgages that are less than $1M. If you apply for a larger mortgage or borrow money for your down payment, many lenders will raise their limit to 650.

Canadian Credit ScoreFor even more information about credit score, take a look at this infographic.

The Frequency of Your Mortgage Payments

Another important factor to discuss with your lender is how frequently you’ll be making your upcoming payments. Remember, the faster and larger your payments are, the quicker you’ll be out of debt. On the other hand, if you can’t afford those payments, you can end up in debt, leading to a greater risk of foreclosure.

Want to know how a foreclosure would affect your credit score? Click this link.

The most common mortgage payment frequencies are:

  • Monthly (12 payments/year) – Simple and effective, most homebuyers in St. John’s choose this frequency because it’s easy to budget for.
  • Weekly (52 payments/year) – For those who can afford it, making weekly payments is a good way of building your credit quickly.
  • Bi-weekly (26 payments/year) – Ideal for those with wage-based employment, where bi-weekly paychecks are common.
  • Accelerated weekly (52 larger payments/year) – Paying a quarter of your typical monthly payment every week will allow you to make one extra payment per year, thereby completing your mortgage faster.

Accelerated bi-weekly (26 larger payments/year) – This has the same effect as the accelerated weekly option, only you’ll be paying half your typical monthly payment every two weeks.

Look here for more information about these mortgage payment options.

Other Mortgage Types in St. John’s

Let’s discuss some of the other mortgage types that you may have access to in St. John’s. Again, every lender is different. Your bank might offer one kind of mortgage, while your broker or alternative source might offer another. Make sure to study up on all mortgage types to know which one is appropriate for you.

Conventional Mortgage

Though it’s not always the “conventional” choice for the average St. John’s home buyer, a conventional mortgage can be considered the most simple format. If you select this option, you’ll need to make a down payment equalling 20% or more of the home’s purchase price. As a result, you won’t need to buy default mortgage insurance.

Read this to discover the difference between a collateral and a conventional mortgage.

High-Ratio Mortgage

Ironically, this option is often a more conventional choice, as many home buyers simply cannot afford (or don’t want to make) a 20% or more down payment, which can be a significant amount if a home costs over $300,000. In this case, you would need to purchase default mortgage insurance through one of these providers:

  • Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
  • Genworth Financial
  • Canada Guaranty Mortgage Insurance Company

For more information about high-ratio mortgages, look at this other article.

Second Mortgage

For those who are already mortgaging a home, there’s are two other mortgage products that you can access using your home equity. Both products are commonly referred to as “second mortgages” because they fall into the second position next to your original mortgage. Once the balance of your primary mortgage is paid off, you can have your second mortgage placed in first position:

  • Home equity loan – This allows you to access up to 80% of your available home equity via a lump sum of loan cash, which you would repay through installments over several years, usually with a fixed interest rate.
  • HELOC – A home equity line of credit allows you to borrow from a revolving credit limit, similar to a credit card. Again, you can typically get approved for a limit of up to 80% of your available home equity. You can then withdraw from it as needed and only pay a fixed or variable interest rate on what you’ve borrowed.

Bridge Loan

When you cannot get approved for a traditional mortgage with a bank due to bad credit, you can apply for a bridge loan with a private lender. This helps you access a short-term mortgage loan, which you can use to improve your credit. The goal would be to fix your credit score enough that you can qualify with an alternative lender for another short term, then eventually become eligible with a prime lender, like a bank.

Click here for more information about short-term mortgage financing and bridge loans.

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