Is it time to refinance your mortgage?
Interest rates are on the move, and many homeowners may find themselves questioning whether they’re getting a good deal on their mortgage rate and terms. Or maybe you want to tap into your home equity. Whatever the reason may be, if you are wondering how to refinance your mortgage, it is important to understand the steps involved and what to expect.
Let’s take a deeper dive:
Refinancing Your Mortgage in Canada
Here are six steps to refinancing your mortgage in Canada:
Evaluate Your Current Mortgage
Here are four questions to answer as you assess your current mortgage:
- What are your current mortgage terms?
- What is your mortgage rate?
- What is the remaining balance?
- What are the penalties or fees?
Understanding why you want to refinance is critical during this process. You need to identify the purpose, whether to access equity, solidify your monthly payments or consolidate your debt. It is not something to take lightly.
Check Your Credit Score
Your credit score plays a crucial role in getting approved for a new mortgage with favourable terms.
As a result, it is vital to access and obtain a copy of your credit report and score from a reputable credit bureau. By doing this, you can ensure that the data is accurate, and you can identify any areas for improvement if required.
Research Lenders and Mortgage Rates
When you are considering refinancing your mortgage, should you stick with your current lender or find somebody else? This depends on what your research shows. Therefore, comparing offerings from other banks, credit unions, and mortgage brokers is imperative to locate the best deal that matches your objectives.
After this is achieved, you need to calculate the costs and savings:
- Estimate the possible savings and costs associated with refinancing.
- Consider factors such as closing costs, appraisal fees, legal fees, and prepayment penalties for your existing mortgage.
- Compare these costs to the long-term savings from the new mortgage to ensure the refinancing makes financial sense.
Pre-Approval
Once you have selected a mortgage lender, be sure to apply for pre-approval. Doing this lets you know how much you can borrow and streamlines the borrowing process. A pre-approval application typically involves extending your personal and financial information, income verification, employment information, credit reports, and other associated documents.
Processing
Yes, the refinancing process is a tad difficult. The first is the underwriting endeavour, which includes the lender reviewing your application, evaluating the residential property’s value, and assessing your creditworthiness. The lender could request additional documentation for clarification purposes. The second will be an appraisal of your property that might be needed to determine the present market value, a vital step in determining the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. The third is that you will need to hire an attorney or notary to manage the legal components of the refinancing process, as this professional will review the agreement, prepare the documents, and arrange the mortgage closing.
The Final Steps
The three final aspects of mortgage refinancing will be like this:
Mortgage Closing: You will need to sign the paperwork, like the new mortgage agreement, either at a lawyer’s office or through a remote online notarization platform. Funds Disbursement: The new mortgage funds will be allocated and will be used to cover closing costs, offer funds to access equity, or pay off the current mortgage.
Begin Repayment: You will now start to make payments on your new mortgage using the updated terms and conditions in the new mortgage agreement.
The Growth of Mortgage Refinancing
Even when interest rates are higher, some homeowners still refinance because consolidating debt can reduce total monthly obligations. Before you commit, compare the monthly payment reduction to the extra interest you may pay if that debt is stretched over a longer amortization. The goal is to improve cash flow now without significantly increasing the total cost over time.
“Many homeowners will have outstanding debt, whether it be on HELOCs, LOCs, credit cards, or loans,” said Victor Tran, a Ratesdotca mortgage expert, in a statement. “Rising interest rates will push up the amount of interest they have to pay to service the debt, and it can be more affordable to refinance a mortgage and roll all of the debt into one payment instead of several.”
Choosing the Right Refinancing Strategy for Your Goals
Refinancing is not one-size-fits-all. The steps may look similar, but the best move depends on what you want your mortgage to do for you over the next few years. If you are researching how to refinance your mortgage, these strategies will help you choose the right direction before you refinance mortgage terms or switch lenders.
Lowering Your Rate: Break and Reset vs. Blend and Extend
If your main goal is a lower rate, you will usually need to decide how to handle your current mortgage contract.
Break and Reset
You end your current mortgage and start a new term at today’s rate. This often triggers a prepayment penalty. It can make sense if the interest savings over the next few years clearly outweigh the penalty. Penalties are commonly based on three months’ interest or an interest rate differential (IRD), depending on your mortgage.
Blend and Extend
Some lenders allow you to blend your current rate with a new rate and extend your term. The blended rate may not be as low as a full reset, but this can reduce or avoid a large prepayment penalty. It can be a practical option when you want some savings without paying a significant penalty upfront.
Strategic Debt Consolidation
Refinancing to pay off debt can simplify your budget and reduce interest costs by moving higher-interest balances into lower-interest borrowing. For example, moving a $20,000 credit card balance at 21% interest into a mortgage at 5% interest can reduce interest costs significantly. This strategy works best when you refinance mortgage debt with a clear plan to avoid carrying new credit card balances afterward. Otherwise, you can end up with both a larger mortgage and new revolving debt.
Improving Cash Flow by Extending Amortization
If your monthly payments feel tight, an amortization reset can lower the monthly amount. You may be able to extend your amortization to 25 or 30 years, depending on lender rules and your situation. This can provide breathing room in your budget, but it usually increases the total interest you pay over the life of the mortgage. Think of it as a stability move when cash flow matters more than minimizing long-term interest.
Using Home Equity Within the 80% Loan-to-Value Limit
In many cases, homeowners can refinance and access equity up to 80% of the home’s appraised value. However, as of early 2025, new federal rules allow for an exception: if you are building legal secondary suites (such as a basement apartment or garden suite), you may be able to access an insured refinance of up to 90% of the home’s ‘as-improved’ value. This is subject to a $2 million property value cap and specific municipal zoning requirements.
Common uses include:
- Home renovations that may improve comfort and potentially increase resale value
- Paying off higher-interest debt
- Funding major planned expenses, such as tuition or a large purchase
Choosing Equity Access: Refinance vs. HELOC vs. Second Mortgage
If your goal is to access equity, refinancing is not the only option.
Refinance (Cash-Out Refinance)
This replaces your existing mortgage and can provide a lump sum. It may offer a lower rate than other borrowing options, but breaking a mortgage mid-term can trigger penalties.
HELOC
A home equity line of credit can be useful for ongoing projects or expenses where you want flexible access to funds. Rates are often variable, and payments can change.
Second Mortgage
A second mortgage can sometimes help you access funds without breaking the first mortgage. This can be useful when your existing rate is very good, and the penalty to break it is high, but the second mortgage rate may be higher than what you would get through a refinance.
Managing Rate Risk: Fixed vs. Variable and Term Length
Your interest rate and term choices shape both your monthly payment and your flexibility.
Fixed vs. Variable
A fixed rate can provide predictable payments and stability. A variable rate can offer savings at times, but the payment or the interest portion can change as rates change.
Term Length
A shorter term can provide flexibility and let you renegotiate sooner. A longer term can offer stability, but it may limit your ability to change lenders or refinance again without costs.
A simple way to choose is to match the term and rate type to your timeline. If you plan to move or refinance again in a few years, flexibility may matter more. If stability is the priority, a longer fixed term may be a better fit.
Tax Note (If Investing With Borrowed Funds)
In Canada, if refinanced funds are used to purchase income-producing investments, the interest on that portion of the borrowing may be tax-deductible in some cases. Speak with a qualified tax professional before using this strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Mortgage Refinancing
How do I know if refinancing is worth it?
Start by adding up all refinance costs, including any prepayment penalty, appraisal, and legal fees. Then compare those costs to your expected monthly savings or interest savings with the new mortgage. If the savings outweigh the costs within the time you expect to keep the mortgage, refinancing may make sense.
Why might I qualify for less than 80% when I refinance?
One common surprise is that the appraisal comes in lower than expected because lenders rely on recent comparable sales, property condition, and market trends, not online estimates or asking prices. The lender then uses that appraised value to set your borrowing limit, so even a small change in valuation can affect how much equity you can access. If you are refinancing to consolidate debt, the lender may also require that some funds go directly to specific creditors, and the final amount is further shaped by your income, existing debt payments, and the lender’s underwriting rules.
What can a mortgage refinance calculator miss?
A mortgage refinance calculator is useful, but it can overestimate your savings if you do not enter the right costs. Many people forget to include the prepayment penalty for breaking a closed mortgage, plus legal fees, appraisal fees, and discharge or registration costs. A mortgage refinance calculator also cannot tell you whether you will qualify under lender rules or what rate you will actually be offered. For a realistic result, include every fee you can estimate and treat the output as a starting point, not a final answer.
Talk to a REMAX agent to review your home equity and next steps before refinancing. We can help you understand your options and connect you with trusted local mortgage professionals. Contact us today.
