Mortgage Renewal

Mortgage Porting & Blending:
Keep Your Low Rate

Don't lose your great mortgage rate when buying a new home or renewing early. Learn how porting and blending can save you thousands in penalties.

April 21, 2026
9 min read

What is Mortgage Porting?

Mortgage porting is the ability to transfer your existing mortgage from one property to another without paying breakage penalties. If you have a great rate and don't want to lose it, porting allows you to take that rate with you when you move.

For example, if you locked in at 3.79% three years ago and current rates are 5.49%, porting could save you tens of thousands of dollars over your remaining amortization.

Porting Requirements

To port your mortgage, you typically need to:

  • • Purchase a new property within 30-120 days of selling
  • • Meet the lender's qualification criteria
  • • Keep approximately the same mortgage amount
  • • Complete the port within the original mortgage term

What is Mortgage Blending?

Mortgage blending combines your existing mortgage rate with the current rate to create a weighted average. This is typically used when renewing early or adding to your mortgage.

Blending is ideal when you want to add funds to your mortgage without paying a breakage penalty, and you want to take advantage of your existing rate while getting some benefit from current rates.

Blending Example

Your Current Rate
3.79%
New Rate
5.49%
Blended Rate
4.49%

Porting vs Blending: Which is Right?

Choose Porting When:

  • • Your current rate is significantly lower than market
  • • You're buying a similar priced home
  • • You want to keep your exact rate
  • • You can qualify again with the lender

Choose Blending When:

  • • You need to add funds to your mortgage
  • • You don't want to change lenders
  • • Current rates are similar to yours
  • • You want to avoid breakage penalties

The Cost of Breaking Your Mortgage

If you don't port or blend, breaking your mortgage early can be expensive:

  • Interest Rate Differential (IRD) - Most common penalty, calculated as the difference between your rate and the lender's reinvestment rate, multiplied by your remaining term
  • Three months interest - Some lenders charge this instead of IRD (usually for variable-rate mortgages)
  • Legal fees - Additional administrative costs may apply

Pro Tip

Porting doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. Some lenders allow partial ports where you keep part of your old mortgage at the old rate and blend the rest at current rates.

When You Can't Port

Porting isn't always an option. You may need to break your mortgage if:

  • You're buying a more expensive property requiring significantly more mortgage
  • You can't qualify financially for the new mortgage
  • The timeline is too long between selling and buying
  • Your current lender doesn't offer porting

Maximize Your Mortgage Flexibility

Our mortgage experts can help you understand your porting and blending options, so you never pay unnecessary breakage fees.

Explore Your Options