08/28/2026
Why did your neighbour get a better mortgage rate than you?
Because when it comes to mortgages, there really is no “one size fits all” anymore. The rate you qualify for can be influenced by a whole mix of factors, including:
🔸Your Mortgage Details: Purchase price, down payment, term, amortization and whether there’s a HELOC.
🔸Your Financial Picture: Credit score, income stability, debt-to-income ratios and assets.
🔸The Property: Property type, location, age and condition.
🔸The Mortgage Itself: Whether it’s insured, insurable or uninsurable, a purchase, renewal or refinance, your closing date and how long the rate needs to be held.
🔸Your Mortgage Broker’s relationship and reputation with the lender. A broker who has earned trust and credibility with a lender can often have more success getting better pricing, asking for exceptions and getting a lender to take a closer look at a file. Trust me, I know.
So when someone tells you the rate they got, remember: unless their mortgage, finances and property look exactly like yours, you may not be comparing apples to apples.