The Mortgage Episode - Every Type & Whats Right For You

The word "mortgage" derives from Old French meaning "dead pledge", with collateral-based lending traced back to the fifth century B.C.and formalized through Roman law

Major transformations included CMHC's creation in 1945, the 1954 Bank Act enabling bank mortgages, and the 1970s establishment of the five-year fixed-rate standard, with recent stress tests implemented in 2018.

Key terms include mortgage term (contract duration, typically 5 years), amortization (total repayment time, usually 25 years), and the distinction between fixed and variable rates, plus different mortgage types like conventional (20%+ down)and high-ratio (under 20% down).