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Gifted Funds and Mortgages

In the ever-evolving landscape of Canadian real estate, rising home prices have made it increasingly challenging for many buyers to enter the market. As a result, gifted funds for down payments have become a significant enabler for many prospective homeowners,...

Neo Financial Mortgages

Neo Financial is a Canadian technology company that has built a modern financial services platform around the idea that Canadians have been underserved by traditional finance for a long time.

Understanding Variable Mortgages

Choosing between a fixed and variable mortgage can feel a bit like deciding whether to pack an umbrella when the sky looks perfectly blue. You may save money by travelling light, or you may get caught in a downpour. The truth is that neither mortgage is automatically...

Understanding Fixed Mortgages

Understanding Fixed Mortgages: A fixed mortgage can feel like putting a fence around one of your household’s biggest expenses: for the length of your term, the interest rate—and usually the required principal-and-interest payment—stays put.

Canada’s Non-Federally Regulated Mortgage Providers

Mortgage providers in Canada are either federally or provincially regulated. Canada's chartered banks are federally regulated while many other lenders (see below) are not. Getting a mortgage from a non-federally regulated mortgage provider in Canada has both...

Ontario Land Transfer Tax Rebate Explained

Imagine you and your partner are excited to buy your first home in Ontario. You spend your weekends looking at homes, dreaming of your future, and planning your perfect space. But then, you start to worry about the extra costs, like the land transfer tax. That's when...

Struggling Under the Stress Test

Discover how the mortgage stress test in Canada impacts the ability of Canadians to afford homes and the actionable steps you can take to address this requirement.

Balancing Financial and Lifestyle Goals

In the realm of personal finance and lifestyle design, real estate often serves as a cornerstone. It represents not only a significant financial investment but also a profound lifestyle choice. As a former realtor, financial advisor, and mortgage agent, I've observed...

Condition of Home Inspection

When purchasing a property, the condition of home inspection gives the buyer the right to hire a professional home inspector to assess the property's condition. If significant issues are uncovered, the buyer can renegotiate the price, request repairs, or cancel the...

Regulating the Canadian Mortgage Industry

The structure of the regulatory framework for the mortgage industry in Canada is intricate and multi-layered, involving federal, provincial, and municipal entities along with key market participants such as the Bank of Canada and the Canada Mortgage and Housing...

Understanding Variable Mortgages

Sep 2, 2026

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Mortgage Discharge Statement

Learn why the mortgage discharge statement is an important document that ensures transparency and accuracy when calculating the total payout for a mortgage transfer.

Gifts Ineligible for Net Worth Programs

Discover why gifts are not generally eligible to be used as part of the down payment or source of income for people applying for a mortgage under the Net Worth Program

Smart Second Mortgages

Smart Second Mortgages: A smart second mortgage is more than a fallback, it’s an intelligent strategic tool.

John and Mary Canuck: Refinancing Strategy

Learn how Canadians are leveraging home ownership to generate income, reduce taxes, and build wealth.

What’s Your Best Rate?

Rate is important, but going for the lowest rate mortgage could cost you far, far more. Learn about the ‘hidden’ risks of low-rate mortgages and discover your best rate.

There’s a Mortgage for Everyone

. The current reality for many Canadians is a complex financial profile, uncertain employment, and varied income streams, all of which make qualifying for a mortgage more challenging. However, the good news is that a wide variety of mortgage programs exist to cater to different borrower needs, making homeownership an attainable goal for many.

Lenders’ View: Second Mortgages

Lenders’ View: Second Mortgages. Every lender views second mortgages through a completely different lens of risk, control and structure.

‘B’ Lenders Don’t Pre-Approve

Discover why Pre-Approval B Lenders offer a fresh start with alternative mortgage options for those with credit challenges in Canada.

Avoid Blacklisted Condos

A blacklisted condo is a condominium that certain mortgage lenders have categorized as high-risk and are unwilling to finance. Learn the reasons why a condo is blacklisted and what to do about it.

What is a Net Worth Program?

Learn what a Net Worth Program is and how it assists individuals with substantial net worth to qualify for a mortgage.

Sources of Home Down Payment

Discover reliable sources for your home down payment in Canada. Learn about savings options, grants, and assistance programs to make homeownership a reality.

Why Refinanced Mortgages Are Always Uninsured

Discover why refinanced mortgages in Canada are always uninsured and the opportunities refinancing your mortgage provide you.

Protecting Your Personal and Financial Information

Discover how Allen Ehlert protects your personal and financial information so you can be secure when applying for a mortgage knowing your information is safe and secure.

‘Consent to Second Mortgage’

Consent to Second Mortgage: Understanding the document that enables you to get a second mortgage.

Second Mortgage Hard No!

Second Mortgage Hard No! Discover when getting a second mortgage is either a bad idea or completely not allowed.

Fees: Receiving and Sending Money Internationally

When receiving or sending large amounts of money internationally from a Canadian chartered bank, several types of fees may apply. These fees can vary depending on the bank, the transfer amount, the destination country, and the method used.

Your House? Better Get Title Insurance

While most homebuyers are aware of closing costs, mortgage insurance, and property inspections, many overlook the critical role that title insurance plays in protecting their property ownership rights.

Understanding Market Rent

Understanding Market Rent: More homebuyers today rely on rental income to qualify for mortgages. If you’re one of them, you’ll often need a market rent report or rent letter to “prove” that income to the lender.

Allowances and Your Mortgage

Discover what an allowance is, the different types of allowances, and how allowances can support your mortgage application.

Understanding Exit Strategies

Understanding Exit Strategies. How getting out of a Private mortgage is more important as getting in.

Do You Need Title Insurance for a Condo?

Learn about the special risks that come with condominium ownership and while having title insurance is important.

When a Second Mortgage Makes Sense

Second Mortgage: When it Makes Sense and when and why it can be the better move.

Collateral Mortgage: How Much Collateral to Register?

Learn what a collateral mortgage is and how to determine how much collateral to register on a collateral mortgage.

Canada’s Employment Crisis

Mortgage agents are boots-on-the-ground financial professionals who know what is going on in the economy in real time. As I talk to people, I often feel like a counsellor, as people share with me what is going on in their lives and what is happening with their employment situation.

How I Structure Second Mortgages

Second Mortgage Structure: How I treat your second mortgage as a full mocrtgage file with structure, risk analysis and a clear strategy.

10 Reasons Canadians Refinance Their Mortgage

Every year, about 15% of Canadians refinance their mortgage to take advantage of better mortgage terms (reduced rate, amortization, or mortgage feature), improve their financial condition, buy out a partner, or take advantage of an investment or business opportunity.

The 5 C’s of Credit and Your Mortgage

Unlock the secrets to mortgage approval in Canada by mastering the 5 C’s of Credit, crucial for securing your dream home.

Is Title Insurance Transferrable?

Learn about the different types of title insurance available to Canadians. What their different purposes are, and whether title insurance is transferrable.

Rebuild Your Credit Using Credit Cards

Discover how to use credit cards strategically to rebuild bad or bruised credit.

Mortgage Challenges When You Are a Contractor

Many people today than ever work on contract. They usually are incorporated (especially if they want to work on government contracts), work through a recruiting firm for a client, invoice the recruiting firm for their hours, and pay themselves out of their...

What is Your Principal Residence

Everybody needs a place to live, a place to call home. Legally, a principal residence is defined as a property that you, your spouse or common-law partner, or your child ordinarily inhabit at some point during the year. The property can be a house, cottage,...