Find the Best Mortgage Rates in Quebec

About the Quebec Housing Market

The Quebec housing market is dynamic and complex, affected by numerous factors, including inflation, immigration and the Bank of Canada’s policy rate. Over the years, the housing market in Quebec has shown remarkable resilience and adaptability, often outperforming other Canadian provinces.

One of the key drivers of Quebec’s housing market is construction and immigration. The province’s welcoming stance towards French-speaking immigrants has translated into a steady stream of new residents, who drive demand for housing. However, this influx could lead to a phenomenon where an increase in population leads to higher demand for goods and services, thereby causing prices to rise.

Quebec has experienced significant year-over-year home price increases over the last few decades. In recent years, Quebec‘s housing market has been robust, with solid price growth fuelled by low interest rates, a strong job market, and steady population growth due to immigration. However, it is important to note that with rising house prices, there are concerns over housing affordability, especially in Québec’s larger cities.

The Bank of Canada plays a crucial role in the Quebec housing market through its influence over the policy rate. The policy rate, or the interest rate at which major financial institutions borrow and lend “overnight” funds among themselves, has a direct impact on mortgage rates. When the Bank of Canada lowers the policy rate, borrowing becomes cheaper, which can stimulate demand for housing and push prices up. Conversely, when the policy rate is increased, borrowing becomes more expensive, and this can cool down the housing market. The Bank of Canada (BoC) increases in its Key Policy Overnight rates in the last half of 2022 and most of 2023 have temporarily limited the growth of mortgages throughout key markets in Canada, with marked temporary decreases in property prices.

The BoC’s rate increases may have temporarily slowed the housing market in Quebec, but we expect this to be short-lived, as it is reaching a turning point in its fight against inflation. Canada welcomed more than 2 million immigrants between 2022 and 2023, with some choosing to call Quebec home. Over the shorter term – a combination of labour shortages, wage increases and demand due to population growth should intensify pressure on housing while the federal government seeks to tame inflation.

Quebec Mortgage Strategy

Fixed rates are usually priced at 1 to 1.5% more than the bond yield.  Long and short-term bond yields are not showing signs of relenting soon.  Big banks have been pricing in risks as shorter-term rates rise due to their recent popularity. We expect the shorter-term rates to stay above expectations and borrowers to shift towards shorter-term fixed rates to curb risk if a purchase or renewal is on the horizon. 

The Bank of Canada (BoC) forecasting suggests that inflationary pressures will be checked back in place by the end of 2024 when we expect rates to start decreasing.  In the current market, it would be advisable to go with a fixed rate over a variable one; or take on a shorter-term fixed rate to evade the market and then renew back into a variable rate once the inflationary pressures are off.

Welcome Tax & Rebates in Quebec

Quebec charges a Property Transfer Duties Tax, colloquially known as the Welcome Tax. 

Municipalities collect the duties rather than the province, and they can set rates higher than 1.5% but not higher than 3% (except in Montréal) on any bracket over $500,000. 

Tiers are adjusted annually by the provincial government based on Québec’s annualized consumer price index (CPI). The welcome tax rate is calculated as

• 0.5% on amounts up to $55,200
• 1% on amounts exceeding $55,200 up to $276,000
• 1.5% on amounts that exceed $276,000

Rebates through the Home Purchase Assistance Program are limited to properties within the City of Montréal.

First-Time Home Buyer Programs in Quebec

Several first-time home buyer incentives and programs in Quebec were explicitly designed to help lighten the financial burden for first-time home buyers. These programs will offset some home-buying costs and help fund your down payment, which is often one of the biggest hurdles in buying your first home. See: First-Time Home Buyer Programs in Canada

Learn About Rates & Mortgages in Quebec

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

What Affects My Mortgage Rate in Quebec?

Factors such as credit score, income, down payment and purpose of the loan play a role in determining how your mortgage rate is priced.

Mortgage rates in Canada vary depending on different factors such as the borrower’s credit, the property which is being used as collateral, the borrower’s income capacity to service the debt, the borrower’s capital in the form of savings/investments and down payment, and most importantly, conditions. Conditions such as the purpose of the loan and the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio – these two conditions will have the most impact on the rate. The mortgage rate is priced based on the risk associated with that mortgage, property and borrower.

The lowest rate is only one of the essential aspects of getting a mortgage that will save you the most interest. Sometimes the lowest rate is the “no frills” or “restricted” or “limited” mortgage that a lender offers, which beyond not having a high rate, doesn’t have any prepayment privileges or other features such as portability or assumability. 

Down Payment

The down payment size will determine your loan-to-value (LTV) ratio and whether you must also purchase mortgage default insurance. LTV is most important to mortgage rate pricing with insured or insurable lending criteria.

Insured and insurable mortgage rate pricing applies on properties valued at less than $1 million; the amortization is up to 25yrs. In such cases, the lender will provide a better rate as there is a lower risk of loss. 

You would need to purchase the insurance on the front end in the case of an insured purchase with less than a 20% down payment. To give you a lower rate, lenders can also purchase the insurance on the back end to lower the default risk on the mortgage if your down payment is more than 20%. 

An insured mortgage is qualified as such when your down payment is less than 20%. Therefore, you will need to purchase default (high ratio) insurance. Although this insurance is added to your mortgage, the taxes (PST) on purchasing this insurance are not.

Amortization Period

On the prime lending side, the amortization period can be at most 30yrs. The maximum allowable amortization is 25 years on mortgages with less than a 20% down payment or equity in the property at the time of renewal. You can go up to 30yrs amortization on mortgages with down payments of 20% or more. 

The longer the amortization, the lower your mortgage payment. The shorter your amortization period, the more money you save on interest over the term or life of the loan. The difference between two identical mortgages with different amortizations is the interest-carrying cost for the extended time the money is lent out.

Property Usage

If you’re buying a home you intend to live in, this is considered your primary residence and will be known as owner-occupied. If you’re buying an investment property you intend to rent to others, you’ll pay higher interest rates than your primary residence. Or purchase a primary residence with a second separate legally registered suite. Your property will be an owner-occupied rental, with access to the lowest rates as a primary residence. 

The logic behind your higher rate for a mortgage on a property solely for investment purposes is if money is tight, people will pay the mortgage on their primary residence before other obligations. As such, lenders build added risk into the rates for rental properties.

Mortgage Type

The type of mortgage you select will significantly affect your mortgage rate. Mortgage types such as adjustable, variable, fixed, open, closed, standard charge or revolving home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) under a collateral charge are all personal choices based on your unique financial planning needs.

When looking at open versus 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.

There are two types of variable-rate mortgages, those that have fixed payments and those that have variable or fluctuating payments. Fixed payment variable rate mortgages are more specifically called variable rate mortgages (VRM); variable rate mortgages with a variable payment, in which the payment adjusts with changes in the lender’s prime rate, are more accurately called adjustable rate mortgages (ARM). Commonly, they are both known as variable-rate mortgages.

Your Credit Score

nesto has a specific minimum FICO score requirement of 680 or 720 out of 900 to provide you with the best mortgage rate. Our strict underwriting guidelines do not permit missed payments, especially mortgage payments. To explain missed payments, you must show whether it was a mishap due to poor budgeting or cash flow.

Moreover, you must prove that your monthly obligations and carrying costs are within your income. Underwriters will want to know if you have implemented any practices to avoid any negative habits in the future.

What are the Different Types of Mortgages?

Open vs Closed Mortgage

With an open mortgage, you can prepay any amount anytime without a prepayment penalty. The compromise for having an open mortgage is that interest rates are higher to make up for the flexibility of paying it off at any time.

With a closed mortgage, on the other hand, the interest rate is more attractive than an open mortgage because you’re limited by how much extra you can pay toward your mortgage each year. The lender can also expect to make interest from you for a set amount of time versus the uncertainty of having your whole balance paid off at any time.

An open mortgage only makes sense for someone unsure about their short-term goals, such as being relocated for work or knowing that a separation or divorce is imminent after the maturity date. An open mortgage may be suitable for someone expecting a large inheritance earmarked for a prepayment – more than the annual allotment on their mortgage contract. It is best to complete a cost analysis to ensure that the interest saved with an open term exceeds the penalty due to a prepayment over and above your allotment.

Fixed Mortgages

Quebec‘s most common mortgage term is 5 years, specifically the 5-year fixed-rate mortgage. While this is only sometimes the most economical option for everyone, it has become the most popular. A fixed-rate benefits budgeting and offers financial stability, given that mortgage payments always remain the same. 

Deciding on a fixed rate is a question of personal choice and risk appetite. We recommend speaking with a mortgage professional to assess any material risks that may pose a concern for you over the term of your mortgage. 

For a first-time home buyer (FTHB) who is getting used to all their new bills related to owning a home, it is recommended that they choose a fixed rate to provide some stability during the first term of their mortgage. By making their most significant monthly obligations (mortgage, condo/maintenance/strata fees and property taxes) static amounts, they can take the time to put together a financial plan and start to put aside some money towards their emergency savings.

Variable Mortgages

A variable rate mortgage has proven to save borrowers more money than a fixed rate over time. Every borrower’s circumstances and goals differ; therefore, an advisor should thoroughly discuss all current financial restraints and future considerations before deciding on the most suitable mortgage.

With a variable mortgage, the interest rate will fluctuate depending on benchmark rates, whereas a fixed rate remains the same throughout the mortgage term. Deciding on a variable is a question of personal choice and risk appetite. We recommend speaking with a mortgage professional to assess any material risks that may pose a concern for you over the term of your mortgage.

How nesto works

At nesto, all of our commission-free mortgage experts hold concurrent professional designations from one or more provinces. Our clients will receive the best advice and care when they speak with specialists that exceed the industry status quo. 

Unlike the industry norm, our agents are not commissioned but salaried employees. This means you’ll get free, unbiased advice on the most suitable mortgage solution for your unique needs. Our advisors are measured on the satisfaction and quality of advice they provide to their clients. 

nesto’s working hard to change how the mortgage industry functions. We start with honest and transparent advice, followed by our best rates upfront. We can offer you these best rates by using technology by providing a virtual and 100% online process to reduce our overhead costs. 

By working remotely across Canada, all our mortgage experts and staff spend less time commuting to work and more time with their friends and family. This makes for more dedicated employees and contributes to our success with happy and satisfied clients.

nesto is on a mission to offer a positive, empowering and transparent property financing experience, simplified from start to finish.