Update to Canada's Mortgage Qualifying Rules Expla…
21 Jul - Earlier this summer, new changes were announced for the federal mortgage stress test, shifting the ground again in terms of how much house new and seasoned home buyers are qualified to purchase. In April, Canada’s financial regulator, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI), proposed an increase for the stress test’s minimum qualifying rate on uninsured mortgages. This raised the previous rate from 4.79% to its current value of 5.25%. As of June 1, 2021, the new qualifying rate for the stress test is applicable to all federally regulated mortgages, including both uninsured and insured mortgages. Insured mortgages apply to borrowers who have a downpayment that’s less than 20% of their home purchase, while uninsured mortgages are available to borrowers who have a downpayment worth 20% or more. The stress test’s minimum qualifying rate helps ensure borrowers can still make mortgage payments in the event of a change in circumstances, such as a job…