Dont Change Your Mortgage Plan - By: gifts

Would you like to pay an extra $300 per month on your mortgage? Not likely.

That hasn't stopped a number of Canadians, with the deal of a lifetime on a variable-rate mortgage, from switching over to a more expensive fixed-rate product and paying the extra freight.

A fear of rising rates is driving the rash decision. But if you've finally managed to pin your banker to the ground, why on Earth would you let him off the mat?

More than 28. That's based on deals that at one point saw the banks giving 90 basis points off prime. Prime is now 2.25 downpayment and a 25-year amortization, your monthly payment would be $962.61 at 1.35 mortgage rate and a monthly payment of $1,289.04.

Rates are rising fast. Most major banks upped their five-year rate by 40 basis points this week, although discounters were still offering 4.

The landscape changed dramatically in October during the credit crunch. As the Bank of Canada lowered rates, the major banks reluctantly lowered prime because of the massive amount of customers with variable-rate products negotiated under the old, higher terms.

"Bonds yields are going up rapidly and people are starting to realize the rates are going to go up," Ms. Dal Bianco says . Throw in the fact the Bank of Canada used the weasel word "conditional" (on inflation rates) when it promised not to raise rates until June, and you can understand why some people think today's record-low prime rate might not hold.

But if you're someplace between 60 to 90 basis points below prime, the rate is going to have to go up pretty fast to justify locking in today at 4 on a fixed rate again, but double-digit rates seem unlikely. "The only logic to locking in would be for someone very sensitive to any rate change and they just want to be secure," Mr. Lawby says.

But at what price? If you're using the "feeling secure" logic, why not go for the 10-year fixed-rate product? Rates on that product can be locked at 5.25 of Canadians consider a 10-year product.

There are some compromises you can make. For starters, there is nothing to prevent consumers from having a blended mortgage at most Canadian banks. Some banks will let you take half your outstanding debt and lock it in. Diversity is preached for stock portfolios, but few people seem to adhere to the same philosophy when managing their debt.

Consumers might want to take their cue from business. Few companies would want all of their debt coming due at the same time - it presents too much risk. The other option is knocking down principal: Make payments based on a 4% rate and have that extra $300 go straight to your principal every month.

The bottom line is if you've got a deal on your mortgage, why would you give it back?

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