Ratellow Blog
Institutional-grade research and analysis on Canadian mortgage markets, rates, and regulation.
Top Stories
Do You Have to Pass the Stress Test at Renewal? 2026 Rules
Updated about 22 hours ago
Same-lender renewals and straight switches are exempt from the MQR. Refinances are not. The 2026 rules, exact OSFI dates, and the qualifying math.
Bridge Financing Canada 2026: Buying Before You Sell
Buying before you sell in Canada's 2026 market: what a bank bridge loan costs at prime plus 2 to 3 percent, who qualifies, and a worked $750K example.
Refinance Before Your 2026 Renewal — or Wait?
Sub-4% rates are tempting the renewal-wave homeowner. But for most people within two years of renewal, the penalty and refi-only stress test mean waiting wins.
Latest Feed
Ratellow's AI Mortgage Answer Engine: A Personal Research Hub for Canadians and the Pros Who Advise Them
Published 3 months ago
How Ratellow uses frontier AI models to turn the Canadian mortgage canon into instant, sourced answers — and how anyone can save scenarios, FAQs, and calculators to a free Personal Research Hub.
Past the Down Payment: The 2026 First-Time Buyer Closing-Day Cash Event
Published 3 months ago
Provincial closing costs vary widely in 2026. PST on CMHC premium, Quebec's new welcome-tax rebate, and a $750K cash event across five Canadian cities.
The First-Time Buyer Stack: How FHSA, the $60K RRSP HBP, and 30-Year Amortization Actually Combine in 2026
Published 3 months ago
The three biggest 2024 first-time-buyer reforms — $60K HBP, FHSA carry-forward, 30-year insured amortization — work better stacked. Worked math.
The 90-Day Renewal Countdown: A Week-by-Week Action Plan for 2026 Canadian Mortgage Renewals
Published 3 months ago
A week-by-week 90-day plan for 2026 Canadian mortgage renewers. Lock a rate hold, run the math, negotiate, switch — every action mapped to the day.
2026 Mortgage Renewal Payment Shock: What Your Canadian Renewal Actually Costs
Published 4 months ago
1.15 million Canadian mortgages renew in 2026, most at rates roughly double what they locked in. Run your number in our inline calculator and see the real 5-year cost.
Spring 2026 Mortgage Reset: Why Fixed Rates Broke 4% and the BoC Can't Fix It
Published 4 months ago
CREA just downgraded its 2026 forecast after fixed rates jumped above 4% in March. Here's what the bond-yield shock means for renewers and spring buyers.
April 26 BoC Decision: Your 2026 Renewal Playbook
Published 4 months ago
The Bank of Canada decides April 26. If you're renewing in the next 180 days, here's the exact playbook for either outcome — with the math.
OSFI's Q1 2026 Renewal Warning: 5 Actions to Take Now
Published 4 months ago
OSFI flagged a 'small cohort' of Canadian renewers facing real stress. Here's what Q1 2026 filings mean in plain English, and 5 actions to take now.
Variable Mortgage Math: Should You Ride the 2026 Surge?
Published 4 months ago
Variable-rate mortgage funding hit a new high in January 2026 as borrowers bet on BoC cuts. Here's the math on a $500K renewal before you follow.
