The Mudrick Blog
Practical mortgage advice written by people who do this every day.
The Bank of Canada Meets September 2: Prep Your Mortgage First
The Bank of Canada meets September 2, 2026. Here is how to get your mortgage ready to move either way instead of guessing the outcome.
Jeff MudrickThis Week's Mortgage News: A Calm Plan for Ontario Borrowers
The headlines moved this week. Most of it does not change your plan. Here is a calm, practical read for Ontario borrowers on what to actually do.
Jeff MudrickWhat This Week's Mortgage News Means for Ontario Borrowers
The headlines moved this week. Most of them do not change your plan. Here are a few calm, practical moves for an Ontario mortgage.
Jeff MudrickMoving? Porting Your Mortgage Might Save You the Penalty
Selling one home and buying another in the same season? You may not have to break your mortgage and pay the penalty. Porting lets you carry your rate and terms to the new place. Here is how it works, and when it does not.
Jeff MudrickThe Bank of Canada Held at 2.25% on July 15: What It Means for Your Mortgage
The Bank of Canada left its policy rate at 2.25% on July 15, 2026. Prime stayed at 4.45%, so variable payments did not move. Here is what the decision and the projections behind it mean for renewals, variable holders and buyers, and what to watch before September 2.
Jeff MudrickYour Renewal Letter Is Not the Finish Line: How to Handle a Mortgage Renewal in Ontario
A renewal letter is an offer, not an obligation. You can negotiate it, or you can move the mortgage somewhere else.
Jeff MudrickUsing Home Equity for Renovations: How a HELOC Actually Works
A HELOC lets you borrow against home equity, usually at rates far below credit cards or unsecured loans.
Jeff MudrickWhat This Week in the Mortgage Market Means for Ontario Borrowers
Variable rates usually follow prime after a Bank of Canada move. Fixed rates track bond yields and can move on their own.
Jeff MudrickThe Bank of Canada Meets July 15: What to Do With Your Mortgage Before Then
The next Bank of Canada rate announcement is July 15, 2026, and it usually comes with a fresh Monetary Policy Report.
Jeff MudrickThe Payment-First Mortgage: How Physicians Should Set Their Housing Budget
Most physicians shop for a house price. The smarter move is deciding your monthly payment first, from your real cash flow, then working backwards. Here's the method we run with every physician client.
Jeff MudrickA Cooler Housing Market Does Not Mean Mortgage Rates Automatically Drop
A softer housing market can help borrowers, but it does not mean mortgage rates automatically fall. Here is how Ontario buyers and renewers should think about it.
Jeff MudrickWhat the Bank of Canada's June Hold Means for Your Mortgage
On June 10, 2026 the Bank of Canada held its rate at 2.25% again. Nothing moved, and that's the story. Here's what the hold means if you're on a variable, shopping fixed, or renewing soon.
Jeff MudrickYour Renewal Payment Is Going Up: The Six-Month Plan That Softens It
A huge wave of Canadian mortgages set during the low-rate years is renewing now, and many payments are landing higher. Panic is optional. Here's the six-month runway that turns a payment shock into a managed change.
Jeff MudrickCash Damming: The Mortgage Strategy Self-Employed Canadians Keep Missing
If you have business or rental income and a mortgage on your home, cash damming can gradually convert your mortgage interest from a personal cost into a deductible business expense. Legally, and with full paper trails.
Jeff MudrickResident to Attending: Buying a Home Before Your Income History Exists
Standard mortgage rules want two years of income history. Physicians in training have a stipend, a specialty, and a trajectory. Projected-income programs bridge that gap, from first year of residency. Here's how it actually works.
Jeff MudrickSelf-Employed Mortgage in Ontario: Qualify for More Than Your Tax Return Shows
Your write-offs shrink the income a bank sees, but they don't have to shrink your mortgage. Add-backs, stated income programs, and the two-year plan self-employed Ontarians actually use to qualify for more.
Jeff MudrickWhat the Bank of Canada Did This Spring and What It Means for Your Mortgage
The BoC has been on hold for most of 2026 after a heavy 2024-2025 cutting cycle. Here's what that means for variable, fixed, and renewing borrowers right now.
Jeff MudrickMortgage Stress Test 2026: How Much Buying Power It Costs You in Ontario
On a typical Ontario income, the stress test quietly cuts your maximum purchase by $130,000-$150,000. Here's exactly how the math works and the legitimate ways to claw that room back.
Jeff Mudrick5 Things Your Bank Won't Tell You When Your Mortgage Comes Up for Renewal
Your bank is not on your side at renewal time. Here's what they're counting on you not knowing.
Jeff MudrickHELOC vs. Second Mortgage in Canada: Which One When You Need to Tap Equity
Both let you tap your home equity, but they work very differently. Here is when each one makes sense, what they actually cost, and the trap most people don't see.
Jeff MudrickPhysician Mortgages in Ontario: What the Programs Actually Do (and Don't)
Physician mortgage programs in Canada are real and genuinely useful, but they are not the American version you read about online. Here's what they actually do and what they don't, straight from how the programs are written.
Jeff MudrickIncorporated and Buying a Home: How Your Corporation Shapes Your Mortgage
You incorporated to keep more of what you earn. Then you apply for a mortgage and discover the income you left in the company might not count. Here's how lenders actually read incorporated owners, and how to plan around it.
Jeff MudrickVariable vs. Fixed Rate in Canada: Our Honest Take for 2026
We get asked this constantly. The honest answer isn't what most people expect - and it depends a lot on your specific situation.
Jeff MudrickBuying Your First Home in Toronto or Newmarket: A No-BS Guide for 2026
Between stress tests, land transfer taxes, CMHC insurance and closing costs - first-time buying is confusing. This guide cuts through the noise.
Jeff MudrickHow to Break Your Mortgage Early Without Getting Crushed by Penalties
Penalties can cost $10,000-$30,000+ if you're not careful. Here's exactly how they're calculated and what your options actually are.
Jeff MudrickGifted Down Payments in Canada: The Rules Nobody Explains Until Closing Week
A huge share of first-time buyers get down payment help from family. Done right, a gift is clean and welcome. Done casually, it can stall an approval days before closing. Here are the actual rules, with real numbers.
Jeff MudrickHave a question we haven't covered?
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