Brokers prefer to get paid full commission on every deal, but it doesn't always work that way. Sometimes, even those who’d rather wrestle an alligator than offer a buydown end up shaving their pay or kissing a deal goodbye.

That brings us to a recent case where a broker lost a deal after being undercut by a TD rep. It was publicized in a private industry forum, with some swearing it proved TD’s got a vendetta against brokers.

Now, we're not trying to choose sides, but here's what that “banks have it in for brokers” line of thinking totally misses.

CIBC has quietly pulled the plug on the mortgage origination business at its digital banking arm, Simplii Financial. The guillotine dropped on June 19.

Thursday's U.S. holiday made Canada's bond market quieter than a library during a power outage. Here's what attempted to stir our 5-year yield, and in which direction:

As your devoted chronicler has reported for weeks, fewer borrowers are biting on variables.

According to the latest official numbers for chartered banks, floating-rate market share fell in April from 43% to 40%. And it should drop again in May.

Wednesday's Fed meeting was such a 'market shocker' that the U.S. 5-year yield moved exactly zero (0) basis points—out to two decimal places anyhow.

That is to say, the market foresaw almost everything the Fed threw at it.

Here's a quick look at how it all filtered through to the Canadian yields, and in which direction they moved:

If you're a successful mortgage originator, you may be considering hiring help to call clients or manage inquiries.

Or, you could skip the resumes, interviews, HR paperwork and salary, and adopt someone like Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is less hire and more wire. She's a clever, affable bot with a voice so human you’d swear she’s got a coffee mug and a desk, not a server rack.

Elizabeth works for Vince Gaetano, Principal Broker/Owner at OwlMortgage.ca, where she’s redefining client service with digital flair. Vince, who gets a ton of social media inquiries, "hired" her to help manage a flood of incoming leads, but as you're about to see, that's just the opening act. She and her silicon sisters are so powerful, they're rewriting the future of broker assistants, and here's why that future is now.

Global bond traders are clutching their pearls, waiting to see how the Fed updates its rate projections on Wednesday. Eyes are also glued to headlines for signs the Middle East powder keg could send oil prices orbital.

Here's a quick look at what direction the chaos du jour drove our 5-year yield.