Lisa Belanger Mortgage Broker

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Canada
Ottawa, ON
Lisa Belanger Mortgage Broker

Ontario mortgage broker in Ottawa helping buyers and homeowners with purchases, fixed and variable mortgages, renewals, refinancing and debt consolidation.

Smart, plain-language advice to avoid penalties and costly mistakes. Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759 Let us adopt your mortgage! My team and I specialize in mortgage planning and refinance solutions to help you achieve your financial goals. Need a private or 2nd mortgage? We do that too, with access to various lenders on all sorts of properties. Commercial leasing, cash infusion, and commercial mortgages also available.

09/03/2026

This is a big one for Ottawa buyers — and honestly, it doesn't get talked about nearly enough! 🏡

Back in December 2024, the federal government raised the insured mortgage cap from $1 million to $1.5 million. That means you can now qualify for mortgage insurance with less than 20% down on homes up to $1.5M. The down payment structure? Just 5% on the first $500,000, then 10% on the portion up to $1.5M.

With the average Ottawa single-family home selling around $868,968 as of May 2026, most buyers here fall well within that new threshold. Pair that with 30-year amortizations now available for first-time buyers and new builds, and things are looking a lot more manageable than they did even a couple of years ago.

Have you heard about these changes? If you've been holding off on buying, I'd love to chat about what this could mean for your situation — drop a comment or send me a message!

Lisa Belanger, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759

09/02/2026

The Bank of Canada just released its rate announcement and the rate is holding steady! 🏦

No surprise here — the Bank has kept things stable since October 2025, and with inflation still sitting elevated and U.S. trade uncertainty in the mix, there wasn't a lot of room to move in either direction. For Ottawa homeowners with variable rate mortgages, this means your payments stay the same for now. And if you're shopping for a home or coming up on renewal, this kind of stability is actually a good window to plan ahead with confidence.

If you're wondering what this means for your specific situation, let's talk. Whether you're a first-time buyer trying to figure out your next move or a homeowner eyeing your renewal date, I'd love to walk you through your options. Send me a message or book a call and let's make sure your mortgage is working for you!

Lisa Belanger, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759

08/27/2026

Renewal season is in full swing right now, and I'm getting SO many questions from Ottawa homeowners who aren't sure whether they should renew their mortgage or refinance it. They sound similar, but they're actually pretty different — and choosing the wrong one could cost you.

Here's the quick version: renewing just means carrying your mortgage forward with the same or a new lender. The big news is that since November 2024, the stress test was removed for uninsured mortgage holders switching lenders at renewal. That means you have more freedom to shop around for a better rate without the extra hurdle. Refinancing, on the other hand, lets you tap into your home equity and borrow more, but the stress test still applies.

With about 60% of Canadian mortgages coming up for renewal in 2025 or 2026, a lot of Ottawa homeowners are facing this decision right now. And yes, payment increases at renewal are real, averaging around 15-20% for those with five-year fixed terms. The good news? You don't have to just accept whatever your bank sends you. There are options, and I'm here to help you figure out which path actually makes sense for YOUR situation.

Drop your questions in the comments or send me a DM and let's chat!

Lisa Belanger, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759

08/25/2026

If you bought or are thinking about buying a new build in Ontario, this is worth knowing about.

Earlier this year, the Ontario government announced a rebate of the full HST for eligible buyers of new homes priced up to $1 million, with a maximum rebate of $130,000. And here's the big shift: it's not just for first-time buyers anymore. It's open to all qualifying buyers. To take advantage of it, your agreement of purchase and sale needs to be signed between April 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027, so there's still time, but it's not unlimited time.

There are also tiers for homes priced between $1 million and $1.85 million, so even if you're looking above that $1M mark, there may still be some relief available to you. If you're a first-time buyer, there could be an additional layer on top of this through a separate provincial and federal rebate, depending on your situation. One thing I do want to flag: the federal legislation hasn't fully passed yet, so some builders are building in protective language to their agreements until there's more clarity. That's something to be aware of going in.

If you're in the middle of a new build purchase or just starting to explore your options, let's talk. I can help you understand how this might affect your financing and what questions to ask your builder.

Lisa Belanger, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759

08/20/2026

Breaking your mortgage early can cost you way more than you'd expect — and I mean that literally. We're talking $10,000 to $30,000 or more in penalties, depending on your lender and your rate.

Here's the part most people don't realize: if you have a fixed-rate mortgage with a big bank, your penalty is usually calculated using what's called the Interest Rate Differential (IRD). With the Bank of Canada's rate dropping from 5.0% all the way down to 2.25% over the past couple of years, that gap between your locked-in rate and today's rates is exactly what makes IRD penalties so painful right now. Big bank IRD penalties can be three to ten times higher than what a monoline lender would charge for the same situation. Same mortgage. Wildly different numbers.

With roughly 60% of Canadian mortgages expected to renew in 2025 or 2026, a lot of Ottawa homeowners are asking themselves whether it makes sense to break early and lock in something new. That's a conversation worth having before you make any moves. There are strategies like using your prepayment privileges (most lenders allow 10-20% annually penalty-free) that can help reduce what you owe before breaking. But every situation is different, and the math matters.

If you're sitting on a mortgage and wondering whether breaking it is worth it, reach out before you do anything. I can help you run the numbers and figure out what actually makes sense for you.

Lisa Belanger, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759

08/18/2026

Moving to Ottawa is exciting — and honestly, a little overwhelming. If you're a newcomer wondering whether you can even qualify for a mortgage here, the answer is yes. You don't need to have years of Canadian credit history to get into the market. Many lenders have programs built specifically for newcomers, and as a permanent resident, the foreign buyer ban doesn't apply to you.

Here's what a lot of people don't realize: you can now get an insured mortgage (less than 20% down) on homes up to $1.5 million, and first-time buyers can stretch that to a 30-year amortization to keep monthly payments more manageable. Ottawa's average home price sits around $733,648 right now, and apartments are averaging closer to $432,000 — so there are real options depending on where you're starting from.

If you're new to Ottawa and curious about what homeownership could look like for you, I'd love to chat. Every situation is different and I'll give you a straight answer about where you stand.

Lisa Belanger, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759

08/13/2026

Your bank sent you a renewal letter. You signed it. Done, right?

Not quite.

Here's something a lot of people don't realize: your bank's renewal offer is their opening move, not their best one. Right now, about 980,000 mortgages are up for renewal in 2026 alone, and most of those borrowers locked in back when rates were at or below 1%. That gap between then and now is real, and it can mean something like $622 more per month if you just roll over without looking around. That's over $7,400 a year staying in your bank's pocket instead of yours.

The good news? You don't have to accept the first number they put in front of you. More than half of all mortgage inquiries this year are from people renewing, not buying for the first time. People are waking up to the fact that shopping around actually matters. And with the Bank of Canada holding steady at 2.25% since July and the next announcement not until September 2nd, now is a really solid time to understand your options before that decision gets made for you.

If your mortgage is coming up in the next 6 to 12 months, let's talk. I'll show you what's actually available and make sure you're not leaving money on the table.

DM me or drop your renewal date in the comments and I'll reach out.

Lisa Belanger, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759

08/11/2026

Okay, real talk — do you actually know the difference between a pre-qualification and a pre-approval? Because in Ottawa's market right now, it matters more than most people realize.

A pre-qualification is basically just an estimate based on numbers you tell someone over the phone or online. No documents, no credit check, nothing verified. It feels like a step forward but it doesn't carry much weight, especially with sellers. A pre-approval is the real thing. It's based on verified income, credit, and assets, and it locks in a rate for up to 90-120 days while you shop. In a balanced market like Ottawa where the average home sale price is sitting around $733,648, having a firm maximum purchase price in hand can be the difference between getting an offer accepted or losing out.

There's also the stress test to think about. Every buyer in Canada right now has to qualify at their contract rate plus 2%, which means your approval needs to account for more than just today's numbers. I help my clients understand exactly what they're qualifying for and why, so there are no surprises when it counts.

If you're thinking about buying in Ottawa and you're not sure where you stand, let's have a conversation. I'll walk you through the full pre-approval process and make sure you go into your search with confidence.

📩 Drop me a DM or hit the link in my bio to get started.

Lisa Belanger, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759

08/07/2026

Ready to make your next move? 🏡

Whether you're buying your first home, coming up on a renewal, or just trying to figure out what you can actually afford, I'm here to help make the process feel a lot less overwhelming.

No pressure. No confusing jargon. Just real answers from someone who does this every day in Ottawa.

Drop a comment, send me a DM, or click the link in my bio to get started. I'd love to chat. 👇

Lisa Belanger, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759

08/05/2026

Most first-time buyers in Ottawa leave $1,500 on the table without even knowing it. I'm talking about the Home Buyers' Tax Credit — and if you bought your first home in 2025, this is something you really don't want to miss when you file your taxes.

Here's the short version: as a first-time home buyer, you can claim $10,000 on Line 31270 of your federal tax return. The CRA calculates that at the lowest tax rate (15%), which works out to a $1,500 reduction in what you owe. It won't put money back in your pocket if you don't owe taxes, but if you do, it chips away at that bill. You can even split the claim with a spouse or common-law partner — just make sure the total doesn't go over $10,000 combined.

One thing people miss: you can only claim it for the year you actually bought the home. So if you purchased in 2025, it goes on your 2025 return. That's it, that's the window. If you're not sure whether you qualify or have questions about the other programs available to buyers in Ottawa, send me a message — I'm happy to walk you through it.

Lisa Belanger, Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Brokers Ottawa #11759

Address

300/1701 Woodward Drive
Ottawa, ON
K2C0R4

Telephone

+16132190414

Website

https://linktr.ee/LisaBelangerMortgages

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