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The Best Mortgage Rates in Nunavut

Compare fixed and variable mortgage rates from Nunavut's best big bank and alternative lenders.

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Rates updated:

Showing 6 of 6 results

Term

Lender

Rate

Monthly Payment

 

3 Year Fixed Rate


Scotiabank

4.44%

$2,475.64

5 Year Fixed Rate


Scotiabank

4.54%

$2,500.64

4 Year Fixed Rate


Scotiabank

4.54%

$2,500.64

2 Year Fixed Rate


Scotiabank

5.44%

$2,731.07

1 Year Fixed Rate


Scotiabank

6.09%

$2,903.25

5 Year Variable Rate


Scotiabank

5.15%

$2,655.78

Disclaimer: The rates displayed do not include any taxes, fees, insurance, or other additional charges. These rates are estimates and are not guaranteed. The actual rate and loan terms you receive will depend on our partner’s assessment of your creditworthiness, loan amounts, and other relevant factors. Please note that any potential savings figures provided are estimates based on the information you and our advertising partners have provided. Terms and conditions apply.
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Nunavut mortgage rate update: October 2024

October’s shaping up to be a fairly decent month for Nunavut mortgage shoppers.

Both three- and five-year fixed mortgage rates have drifted close to 4.5% at some lenders. That’s not cheap by historical standards, but 4% is a lot easier to qualify for than 5%, which is where fixed rates were earlier this year. 

Based on recent government bond activity, fixed rates might be as low as they’re going to get for the foreseeable future. Thankfully, the Bank of Canada is helping make variable rates more attractive.

The Bank announced an aggressive reduction to its overnight rate on October 23. The 50 basis point cut brought the country’s lowest variable mortgage rates down to around 4.75%.

With further rate cuts expected, it might be worth paying a little more for a variable-rate mortgage today rather than locking into a lower fixed rate.

The average mortgage rate in Nunavut

There’s not much value in calculating the average mortgage rate in Nunavut since it would include every mortgage type and term length from every lender, including the above-average rates associated with open mortgages and private mortgages. 

The only rates that matter are the ones attached to the mortgage you hope to be approved for. If you’re interested in a variable-rate mortgage, for example, compare variable mortgage rates. If you’re looking for more stability, compare fixed rates according to term length. Specific comparisons like these will give you more relevant information to work with. 

Your mortgage rate will ultimately be determined by your finances, so it doesn’t really matter what other people are paying. 

2024 Nunavut mortgage rate forecast

Variable mortgage rates

After the Bank of Canada’s decision to lower its overnight rate on July 24, variable mortgage rates continue shrinking. A reduction in the overnight rate typically leads to an identical decline in lenders’ variable rates. 

How many times variables dip in the last half of 2024 remains to be seen. The Bank of Canada will be cautious about cutting the overnight rate too quickly, which could trigger another rise in inflation. Another two modest cuts by year end is a reasonable expectation.

Fixed mortgage rates

Because they’re determined by the government bond market, which is driven by investors’ decisions, fixed mortgage rates can be difficult to project over the long-term.

Prior to August 2024’s stock market turbulence, analysts weren’t expecting fixed mortgage rates to fall drastically before the end of 2024. But three-year bond yields quickly sank to their lowest point since April 2022, five-year yields dipped lower than they’ve been in over a year, and fixed mortgage rates edged below 4.3% in some cases. None of this was predicted.

Barring any more investor panic attacks, fixed rates should stay comfortably above 4% for the rest of the year.

Calculators to inform your home buying decisions

Nunavut first-time home buyer programs

The Nunavut Downpayment Assistance Program provides forgivable loans to help finance 10% down payments for new Nunavut homeowners. If approved, the home buyer provides 2.5% of the home purchase price for the down payment, up to $400,000, while the program provides 7.5%. The amount provided by the program accrues interest, but no payments are due. If the homeowner still lives there and is not in default after 10 years, the loan is forgiven in full. 

Federal assistance programs include the Home Buyers’ Plan and the First Home Savings Account. These tools can be combined, so it might be worth investigating both to see how they fit your goals and finances.

Land transfer taxes in Nunavut

When buying a home in Nunavut, you’ll pay a registration fee equal to $1.50 for each $1,000 of the home’s value, with a minimum of $60. If your home is worth more than $1 million, the rate changes to $1 for every $1,000 of value above $1 million.

Guide to Nunavut mortgage rates

Types of lenders in Nunavut

Mortgage lenders in Nunavut tend to fall into three categories, which include:

Types of mortgages in Nunavut

Fixed-rate mortgages

With a fixed-rate mortgage, the rate stays the same for the duration of the mortgage term, even if rates fluctuate.

Fixed rates provide certainty, which can make them easier to budget around than variable mortgage rates. That certainty comes at a price, though: Outside a few exceptions, fixed rates have historically been higher than variable rates.

Variable-rate mortgages

Variable mortgage rates rise or fall depending on which direction your lender’s prime rate moves. Depending on the state of the economy, a variable rate can increase or decrease multiple times during a mortgage term. 

Variable rates are risky, which is why they’re typically lower than fixed rates. In a high-inflation environment, when lenders’ prime rates are driven upward by increases to the Bank of Canada’s overnight rate, variable mortgage rates can skyrocket. 

» MORE: The difference between fixed- and variable-rate mortgages

Hybrid-rate mortgages

If you take out a hybrid-rate mortgage, a portion of your mortgage is subject to a variable rate and another portion is at a fixed rate of interest. Hybrid mortgages can dampen the impact of fluctuating interest rates in a particularly turbulent economy, but they tend to be more difficult to transfer between lenders.

Insured and uninsured mortgages

If you buy a home for under $1 million, and your down payment is less than 20% of the purchase price, you must purchase mortgage default insurance, which adds to the cost of your loan. In these cases, you’ll be getting an insured mortgage.

If your down payment is greater than 20%, or you’re buying a home where a 20% down payment is required, like an investment property or a home worth $1 million or more, insurance is not required. In this scenario, you’re getting an uninsured mortgage. 

Insured mortgage rates tend to be lower than uninsured mortgage rates. 

Short-term and long-term mortgages 

Short-term mortgages typically last five years or less. Long-term mortgages last over five years. With a shorter term, you’ll need to renew your mortgage sooner, which can provide flexibility, but it can also increase risk if rates are trending upward as your renewal date approaches. 

Closed and open mortgages 

The primary difference between closed and open mortgages is that you can pay off an open mortgage whenever you like and not pay a penalty. If you have a closed mortgage and make additional payments that go beyond your pre-payment allowances, you’ll be penalized for breaking your mortgage.

Closed mortgages often offer better rates than open mortgages. But an open rate mortgage may be a good option if you think you may be able to pay off your mortgage early.

» MORE: Understanding open and closed mortgages

How Nunavut lenders determine mortgage rates

The mortgage rate you’re offered by a lender in Nunavut will be based on two primary factors; one based on the state of the economy and one based on your financial situation.

Economic factors

Variable mortgage rates are influenced by the Bank of Canada’s overnight rate. When the overnight rate increases or decreases, a lender’s prime rate follows suit. Variable mortgage rates are based on a lender’s prime rate, so as the prime rate rises or falls, so do variable rates

Fixed mortgage rates are determined by activity in the government bond market, particularly the yields on one-, three- and five-year bonds. Fixed mortgage rates follow the movement of those yields. 

Your financial situation

Factors specific to you also affect the rates you’re offered. These include:

Lenders look for signs of risk when assessing these aspects of your finances. The riskier they perceive you to be as a borrower, the higher the rate they’re likely to offer you.

How to qualify for a lower mortgage rate in Nunavut

Some of the mechanisms that shape rates are beyond your control, but there are steps you can take to convince lenders to offer you the best mortgage rates. For example, you can try:

Factors that affect mortgage affordability in Nunavut

A home’s price and the rate you’re offered aren’t the only factors that affect how much mortgage you can afford. You’ll also have to account for the following components, which play a role in all mortgages.

Debt service ratios

Lenders use debt service ratios to determine how much of your income goes toward paying debt. If those ratios are too high, you may not qualify for the mortgage amount you need.

Car loans, credit cards and lines of credit are all examples of debt that require regular payments. Decreasing some of these balances, or relying less heavily on credit, can help you lower your debt service ratios. 

The mortgage stress test

You will have to pass the mortgage stress test if you want a home purchase funded by a federally regulated financial institution.

The rules of the stress test say you must qualify for a mortgage at a minimum qualifying rate of either 5.25% or the rate you’re offered plus 2%, whichever is higher. If a lender offers you a rate of 5%, for example, you’ll have to demonstrate you can afford the same mortgage at 7%.

You may be able to avoid the stress test if you apply for a mortgage with a lender that is not federally regulated, like a credit union.

Your down payment

Your down payment is a critically important factor in determining mortgage affordability. The more you can put down, the less you’ll need to borrow. Your monthly mortgage payment will likely be smaller, and you’ll pay less in interest. 

Mortgage term

The term is the length of time your mortgage contract is valid. In Canada, mortgage terms can run anywhere from six months to as long as 10 years.

Chances are that your mortgage will have multiple terms during the amortization period until you pay it off in full. Once your mortgage term ends, you can pay your loan off in full, renew it or refinance it.

Amortization period

A mortgage’s amortization period is the time it will take to pay off the loan in full. In Canada, the most common amortization period is 25 years. If your down payment is less than 20%, you can’t have an amortization beyond 25 years. 

If your down payment is greater than 20%, you may find some lenders willing to offer amortization periods of up to 35 years.

Why would you want a longer amortization period? The longer your mortgage lasts, the smaller your monthly payment will be. You’ll pay more in interest, but that might be a worthwhile trade-off if it helps you keep your home.

How to compare mortgages from Nunavut lenders

Use APR for greater accuracy

The annual percentage rate (APR) includes fees and closing costs the lender may charge in addition to the interest rate. A lender offering the lowest rate may actually have a higher APR due to those additional costs. Comparing APRs is the easiest way to see the complete cost of each offer.

Compare similar mortgages

For a comparison to be useful, the mortgages should have the same term, amortization period and payment frequency. 

When looking for the best mortgage rates in Nunavut, also consider:

You can also compare mortgage rates in other provinces to get a sense of how the rate you’ve been offered in Nunavut stacks up:

Working with a mortgage calculator can help you compare different mortgages in a single place.

There’s more to mortgage shopping than the interest rate 

Scoring a low mortgage rate might be a home buyer’s prime motivation, but getting the lowest rate doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the best mortgage for your needs.

For example, you could opt for a fixed rate, which might cost more than a variable rate, if you’re more comfortable with the certainty that your rate won’t increase during the term.

Or, if you expect to come into a sizable sum of money soon (via an inheritance, for example), paying a higher rate for an open mortgage, which allows you to pay it off early without penalties, could be worth it.

Frequently asked questions about Nunavut mortgage rates

What are the current mortgage rates in Nunavut?

As of October 2024, some lenders in Nunavut were offering five-year fixed mortgage rates and three-year fixed mortgage rates for around 4.6%, while five-year variable mortgage rates were around 5.2%. 

Will Canadian mortgage rates go down in 2024?

Mortgage rates are expected to decrease further in the second half of 2024. If the Bank of Canada reduces its overnight rate another three times, as some analysts expect, variable mortgage rates will fall by a total of 1% before the end of the year. Fixed mortgage rates will likely continue hovering between 4% and 5%.

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