Find the Best Mortgage
Rates in Edmonton

Your Guide to Getting the Best Mortgage Rates in Edmonton

When you’re looking to find the very best mortgage rates in Edmonton, nesto is your one-stop shop. You can always rely on us to help you better understand how to navigate mortgages in any kind of market and provide the very best interest rate upfront.

About Edmonton

The capital of Alberta, Edmonton sits on the North Saskatchewan River.

Its past is recreated at Fort Edmonton Park, a living history museum with an 1846 fort and streets from 1885, 1905 and 1920. The city’s contemporary landmarks include the Royal Alberta Museum, with aboriginal-culture and natural-history galleries, and the futuristic-looking Art Gallery of Alberta, known for its First Nations art.

With a population of 1,461,182, Edmonton is the “Gateway to the North”.

Learn About Rates & Mortgages in Edmonton

Welcome to our Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQ) section, where we answer the most popular questions our nesto advisors receive on a daily basis, designed to help you make informed mortgage decisions every time you need a new mortgage or to renew/refinance an existing one. 

About the Edmonton Housing Market

Riding the wave of a wild 2021 in residential real estate in Edmonton, 2022 isn’t slowing down. In February 2022, the market experienced at 40+% jump in the number of homes sold on a year-over-year basis.

The average price of a single-family home in Edmonton hit a record high of nearly half a million dollars in February 2022, which is due, in part, to more homes than ever before selling above the million dollar mark.

Edmonton closing costs

Closing costs refer to a large variety of different fees and charges associated with the completion of your mortgage deal, including all legal and administrative expenses you’ll be responsible for paying leading up to, or on, your home’s closing date. It’s important to include these costs in your budget because, in most cases, they can’t be rolled into your mortgage payments.

Closing costs range depending on the specific property you plan to purchase but, as a safe estimate, set aside 5% of the purchase price as a buffer to cover these expenses. They typically amount to anywhere from 3-5% of the home’s price, but it’s always wise to err on the side of caution by saving more money than you need. Any surplus can be used to help furnish and decorate your new home, or put aside for future maintenance costs. There really is no such thing as saving too much. See: Closing Costs: What are They and How Much Will You Pay?

Edmonton first-time home buyer programs

There are several first-time home buyer incentives and programs available in Alberta that were designed specifically to help lighten the financial burden for first-time home buyers. These programs will offset some home buying costs as well as help fund your down payment, which is often one of the biggest hurdles involved in buying your first home. See: First-Time Home Buyer Programs in Canada

Edmonton Mortgage Brokers

Looking to buy in Edmonton? It’s best to speak to someone who understands the market to help you navigate mortgage rates in this city. Don’t hesitate to submit an application online and one of our advisors will be happy to help you find the best product for your needs. 

What are the Different Types of Mortgages?

Open VS Closed Mortgage

With an open mortgage, you’re able to prepay any amount of your mortgage at any time without facing a prepayment penalty. The compromise for having an open mortgage is that interest rates are higher to make up for the flexibility of being able to pay it off at any time.

With a closed mortgage, on the other hand, the interest rate is more attractive than a closed mortgage because you’re limited by how much extra you can pay towards your mortgage each year. So, the compromise here is that you’ll face a prepayment limit. This means that you’re only permitted to pay a certain percentage of your original or current balance per year – often 15%, on average, but this varies between lenders. If you have the choice, be sure to always opt for the original balance prepayment option as it will enable you to pay off more in a year. And if you choose to pay more than your annual limit, you’ll receive a prepayment penalty. It’s important, therefore, to be aware of your limits and stay within them.

Fixed Mortgages

Fixed-rate mortgages make up 70% of all mortgages in Canada. A fixed-rate mortgage keeps your interest rate steady over the term of your mortgage (1-10 years). There’s no doubt that the five-year fixed-rate mortgage is the most common choice selected by Canadian homeowners. But, this isn’t the best option for everyone, regardless of its popularity. Fixed-rate mortgages appeal to homebuyers who are looking for a dependable payment schedule, manage a tight monthly budget or are generally more conservative. For instance, Millennials with large mortgages relative to their income may be better off opting for the peace of mind provided by a fixed rate and payments.

Variable interest rate mortgages

A variable interest rate can increase and decrease during your term. If you choose a variable interest rate, your rate may be lower than if you selected a fixed rate.

There are two types of variable mortgages: a) Variable rates with Fixed payments and b) Variable rates with Adjustable payments

Fixed payments with a variable interest rate

In general, under this option, the payment remains fixed over time despite variations of the interest rate.

If the interest rate goes up, more of your payment goes towards the interest, and less to the principal.

If the interest rate goes down, more of your payment goes towards to the principal. This means, you pay off your mortgage faster.

That being said, if the market interest rates increase to a certain percentage or trigger point, your lender may increase your payments. This payment increase will make sure that you pay off your mortgage by the end of the amortization period. The trigger point is listed in your mortgage contract.

Adjustable payments with a variable interest rate

With adjustable payments, the amount of your payment changes if the interest rate changes. A set amount of each payment applies to the principal. The interest portion changes as the interest rates change. You’ll know in advance how much of the principal you’ll have paid at the end of the term.

What Affects My Mortgage Rate in Edmonton?

Factors such as credit score and income play a big part in qualifying for the lowest interest rate in Edmonton. The riskier a borrower appears, the higher the interest rate can be. Rate is definitely not the most important aspect of a mortgage, however, as many rock-bottom rates often come from no-frills mortgage products. In other words, even if a borrower qualifies for the lowest rate, they must often give up other features such as prepayments and porting privileges when opting for the lowest-rate product.

There are many other ways to save money over the mortgage term instead of taking the lowest rate, including rounding up mortgage payments or making lumpsum payments when bonuses, etc are received throughout the year. It’s important, however, not to exceed the allowable limit on annual extra payments with your lender.

Down Payment

The size of your down payment will determine whether you must also pay mortgage default insurance in addition to your regular mortgage payments. Mortgage default insurance is required any time you make a down payment that’s less than 20% of the property’s value.

Amortization Period

If you select a longer amortization period (the maximum is 25 years on mortgages with less than a 20% down payment and 30 years on mortgages with down payments of 20% or higher), your individual mortgage payment will be lower because they’re spread out over a longer period of time. Longer amortizations can come equipped with higher interest rates. You’ll also pay more interest the longer you take to pay off your mortgage.

Property Usage

If you’re buying a home that you personally intend to live in, this is considered your primary residence and is known as owner occupied. If you’re buying an investment property that you intend to rent to others, you’ll pay higher interest rates than on your primary residence. The logic behind this is that people will pay the mortgage on their primary residence before any rental properties. As such, lenders build added risk into the rates for rental properties.

Mortgage Type

The type of mortgage you select – such as variable vs fixed and open vs closed – will play a role in your mortgage rate. Each selection is a personal choice based on a number of factors.

When looking at open vs closed mortgages, for instance, it’s important to note that open mortgages are priced higher because of the flexibility they offer to pay the mortgage off at any time without facing a penalty.

And while variable mortgages have proven to be more cost effective over time than fixed mortgages, some people prefer the certainty of having the same payment throughout the mortgage term as is the case with fixed mortgages.

Your Credit Score

The ideal candidate for a traditional mortgage lender has a credit score that’s 680 and above. The higher the score is above 700 the better – with a maximum score of 900 possible – as borrowers will qualify for the lowest rates. There are options available for people with lower scores as well, but you can expect rates to be higher and terms to be shorter in these circumstances

How to Apply for a Mortgage in Edmonton

When applying for a mortgage, you’ll be asked to provide a number of documents to prove such things as your employment and income, proof of down payment and your general finances including assets and debts.  

Meet with a mortgage expert

Having a mortgage expert looking out for your best interest while navigating the abundance of mortgage choices available today puts you at a huge advantage over shopping direct with one bank or lender. 

Mortgage experts ensure you always have the mortgage that’s best suited to your unique needs and finances – regardless of whether you’re a first-time home buyer, upgrading to a new home, renewing/refinancing an existing mortgage or buying an investment property or vacation home. They can find the ideal mortgage for you by comparing all the offerings from multiple lenders, including banks, credit unions and trust companies, as well as alternative and private funding specialists. In other words, your mortgage expert acts as an intermediary between the you (the borrower) and the lender.

Acquire all necessary documents

Gathering as many documents as possible before speaking to your mortgage expert will help get a quick preapproval or final mortgage approval. 

Required documents include:

• Proof of Identity 
• Employment Verification
• Income Verification 
• Proof of Assets
• Confirmation of Down Payment
• List of Debts/Liabilities
• Purchase and Sale Agreement 
• Real Estate Listing
• Credit Report
• Mortgage Insurance Information
• Appraisal Report
• Property Insurance 
• Legal Representation 
• Survey of Property

Apply for mortgage financing

With all of the required documentation in hand, your mortgage expert will be able to determine the best lender offering – including mortgage features and rate – to suit your specific needs and submit your application for approval. 

Sign & finalize your mortgage

Before your mortgage closing date, you’ll be required to review and sign all final mortgage documents with your real estate lawyer to ensure financing is in place when you take possession of your new home.

How nesto Works

We offer all the help of a mortgage broker, without the commission. Simply put, our salaried mortgage advisors are rewarded based on your satisfaction. We’re here to help you reach your goal and guide you through the complicated world of home financing. #yesyoucan #empowermentisthenewsexy

Every mortgage professional knows the market’s best rates every time they check their email. Only a few of them will give you that rate without making you work for it. nesto’s here to change the industry for this very reason. You always get the best rate upfront with nesto.