(905) 441 0770 allen@allenehlert.com

Commercial Mortgages

Business Growth and Investment Returns
Commercial Mortgage Approval

Getting Approved for a Commercial Mortgage

So, you’re thinking about buying a commercial property — maybe it’s an apartment building, maybe it’s a warehouse, maybe it’s that strip plaza you’ve been driving past for years thinking, “One day.” Well, guess what? That “one day” could be closer than you think — if you know how to qualify for a commercial mortgage.

Commercial Fixed Variable

Fixed or Variable? Picking the Right Commercial Mortgage

When it comes to commercial mortgages, one of the first questions clients ask me — after “What’s the rate?” — is “Should I go fixed or variable?” And honestly, it’s a great question. Because unlike with your typical home mortgage, this decision isn’t just about saving a few bucks on interest.

Postponement Agreements

Understanding Commercial Postponement Agreements

Postponement Agreement. If you’ve ever been involved in a commercial deal where there’s more than one lender, you’ve probably heard someone mention a postponement agreement. And while it sounds like a bureaucratic delay tactic, it’s actually one of the most important documents in multi-lender financing.

Standstill Agreement

Why Agree to a Standstill Agreement?

Standstill Agreement: In the world of commercial real estate lending, not every disagreement needs to turn into a showdown. Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t to fight for control—it’s to take a breath, stand still, and let cooler heads (and structured agreements) prevail.

That’s exactly what a standstill agreement is about. It’s not about giving up rights; it’s about protecting everyone’s position when the financial waters get choppy.

Commercial Mortgage Mistakes

Top Commercial Mortgage Mistakes

When it comes to applying for a commercial mortgage, there’s no shortage of ways to trip yourself up — and trust me, I’ve seen plenty of smart people do it. Unlike a residential mortgage, where the process is pretty straightforward and predictable, commercial lending is its own animal.

Commercial Mixed Use

Commercial Mortgage for Mixed-Use Properties in Canada

Mixed-use properties are everywhere — think of those buildings with retail on the ground floor and apartments up top. They’re smart investments because they give you multiple streams of income under one roof. But when it comes to financing these properties, things can get a little murky.

Commercial Mortgage Application

Preparing for a Commercial Mortgage Application

If you’re gearing up to apply for a commercial mortgage, here’s something you need to know right out of the gate: this is not your average, everyday residential mortgage application. Commercial lending is a different animal altogether.

Commercial Downpayment

Down Payments & Commercial Mortgages

… How Much Cash Do You Really Need to Play the Game? If you’ve been looking at commercial real estate and wondering how much you’ll need to bring to the table, you’re asking the right question. Unlike residential mortgages where you can sometimes squeak by with 5%...
Commercial Appraisals

Understanding Commercial Appraisals

If you’ve ever been involved in a commercial real estate deal—whether as a buyer, investor, realtor, or business owner—you’ve probably heard someone groan about how long the appraisal process takes or how expensive it is. And if you’ve only dealt with residential properties before, commercial appraisals can feel like stepping into a whole new world: more complex, more detailed, more paperwork… and yes, more money.

Commercial DSCR

How DSCR Impacts Your Commercial Mortgage Approval

If you’ve spent any time poking around the world of commercial mortgages, you’ve probably heard lenders throw around this mysterious acronym: DSCR — Debt Service Coverage Ratio. It sounds like something a bank made up to make deals harder, but in reality, it’s one of the most important numbers in commercial underwriting.

Getting Approved for a Commercial Mortgage

Getting Approved for a Commercial Mortgage

So, you’re thinking about buying a commercial property — maybe it’s an apartment building, maybe it’s a warehouse, maybe it’s that strip plaza you’ve been driving past for years thinking, “One day.” Well, guess what? That “one day” could be closer than you think — if you know how to qualify for a commercial mortgage.

read more
Fixed or Variable? Picking the Right Commercial Mortgage

Fixed or Variable? Picking the Right Commercial Mortgage

When it comes to commercial mortgages, one of the first questions clients ask me — after “What’s the rate?” — is “Should I go fixed or variable?” And honestly, it’s a great question. Because unlike with your typical home mortgage, this decision isn’t just about saving a few bucks on interest.

read more
Understanding Commercial Postponement Agreements

Understanding Commercial Postponement Agreements

Postponement Agreement. If you’ve ever been involved in a commercial deal where there’s more than one lender, you’ve probably heard someone mention a postponement agreement. And while it sounds like a bureaucratic delay tactic, it’s actually one of the most important documents in multi-lender financing.

read more
Why Agree to a Standstill Agreement?

Why Agree to a Standstill Agreement?

Standstill Agreement: In the world of commercial real estate lending, not every disagreement needs to turn into a showdown. Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t to fight for control—it’s to take a breath, stand still, and let cooler heads (and structured agreements) prevail.

That’s exactly what a standstill agreement is about. It’s not about giving up rights; it’s about protecting everyone’s position when the financial waters get choppy.

read more
Top Commercial Mortgage Mistakes

Top Commercial Mortgage Mistakes

When it comes to applying for a commercial mortgage, there’s no shortage of ways to trip yourself up — and trust me, I’ve seen plenty of smart people do it. Unlike a residential mortgage, where the process is pretty straightforward and predictable, commercial lending is its own animal.

read more
Commercial Mortgage for Mixed-Use Properties in Canada

Commercial Mortgage for Mixed-Use Properties in Canada

Mixed-use properties are everywhere — think of those buildings with retail on the ground floor and apartments up top. They’re smart investments because they give you multiple streams of income under one roof. But when it comes to financing these properties, things can get a little murky.

read more
Preparing for a Commercial Mortgage Application

Preparing for a Commercial Mortgage Application

If you’re gearing up to apply for a commercial mortgage, here’s something you need to know right out of the gate: this is not your average, everyday residential mortgage application. Commercial lending is a different animal altogether.

read more
Down Payments & Commercial Mortgages

Down Payments & Commercial Mortgages

… How Much Cash Do You Really Need to Play the Game? If you’ve been looking at commercial real estate and wondering how much you’ll need to bring to the table, you’re asking the right question. Unlike residential mortgages where you can sometimes squeak by with 5%...

read more
Understanding Commercial Appraisals

Understanding Commercial Appraisals

If you’ve ever been involved in a commercial real estate deal—whether as a buyer, investor, realtor, or business owner—you’ve probably heard someone groan about how long the appraisal process takes or how expensive it is. And if you’ve only dealt with residential properties before, commercial appraisals can feel like stepping into a whole new world: more complex, more detailed, more paperwork… and yes, more money.

read more
How DSCR Impacts Your Commercial Mortgage Approval

How DSCR Impacts Your Commercial Mortgage Approval

If you’ve spent any time poking around the world of commercial mortgages, you’ve probably heard lenders throw around this mysterious acronym: DSCR — Debt Service Coverage Ratio. It sounds like something a bank made up to make deals harder, but in reality, it’s one of the most important numbers in commercial underwriting.

read more
NOI Decoded: Commercial Mortgage Underwriting

NOI Decoded: Commercial Mortgage Underwriting

If you’ve been hanging around the commercial real estate world for even five minutes, you’ve probably heard someone say, “It’s all about the NOI.” And they’re not wrong. When it comes to getting a commercial mortgage approved, your Net Operating Income (NOI) is the golden number lenders are laser-focused on.

read more
How Much NOI Do Commercial Lenders Need to See?

How Much NOI Do Commercial Lenders Need to See?

One of the most common questions I hear from clients diving into commercial real estate is, “How much NOI do I need to qualify?” And honestly, it’s a great question — but the answer isn’t as simple as hitting a magic number. In the world of commercial lending, Net Operating Income (NOI) doesn’t exist in a vacuum.

read more
Buying Your Business’s Home

Buying Your Business’s Home

… How to Finance Owner-Occupied Commercial Real Estate If you’re running a business and you’re tired of paying someone else’s mortgage through your lease payments, you’ve probably wondered, “Could I just own the building myself?” The short answer? Absolutely. The...

read more
When Do You Need a Commercial Mortgage?

When Do You Need a Commercial Mortgage?

When people think about mortgages, they usually picture themselves unlocking the front door to their new home — fresh paint, new appliances, maybe even that unmistakable new house smell. But not every mortgage is about a white picket fence. Some are about warehouses, rental apartments, and office buildings. That’s when things take a sharp turn from residential into commercial mortgage territory — and if you don’t know the difference, you might find yourself in over your head faster than you can say “amortization.”

read more
Commercial vs Residential Rates

Commercial vs Residential Rates

Commercial vs Residential Rates: So you’ve got a few rentals under your belt, things are going smoothly, and now you’re eyeing your next big play—maybe a sixplex or a mixed-use building. You reach out to your lender, expecting the same ol’ mortgage experience, and then it hits you:

“Sorry, this is a commercial deal. The rate will be higher.”

Higher? How much higher? And why?

read more
Residential vs. Commercial Mortgage Lending

Residential vs. Commercial Mortgage Lending

When people first think about getting a mortgage, they usually picture buying their dream home — the white picket fence, the cozy kitchen, maybe even the dog waiting at the door. But not everyone’s mortgage journey is that straightforward. Some folks are looking to purchase a storefront, a rental building, or an industrial warehouse. That’s where things start to get a little more complex, and understanding the difference between residential and commercial mortgage lending becomes critically important.

read more
From Residential to Commercial

From Residential to Commercial

So you’ve been picking up rental properties over the years—maybe it started with a duplex, then a triplex, and next thing you know, you’re sitting on a healthy portfolio under your holding company. You’ve figured out the tenant game, you’re cash-flowing, and the equity’s stacking up nicely.

But then one day, you’re applying for financing on property number six, and your lender says:
“Sorry, this now falls under commercial lending.”

read more
Understanding Commercial Mortgage Fees

Understanding Commercial Mortgage Fees

Commercial Mortgage Fees: You’ve been building your portfolio, collecting rent, and watching your equity grow. Then, you spot it—a six-unit apartment building with long-term tenants and stable cash flow. You’re excited. You call your mortgage agent (hopefully me), and you start running the numbers.

Then you hear it:
“Because it’s six units, this will be a commercial deal.”

read more
Using a Holding Company

Using a Holding Company

You’ve been steadily growing your real estate portfolio, collecting keys and cash flow along the way. You’ve got the landlord rhythm down, maybe even set up a joint venture or two. But then someone at a networking event leans in and asks:

“So… are you holding those properties in a company yet?”

It’s a loaded question—and one that might leave you scratching your head. What is a holding company? And should you be using one?

read more
Understanding LTV in Commercial Mortgages

Understanding LTV in Commercial Mortgages

When you’re looking to buy a commercial property — whether it’s a retail plaza, industrial unit, office building, or a mixed-use space — one of the first things lenders want to know is how much skin you’ve got in the game. That’s where Loan-to-Value (LTV) comes in.

read more
CMHC Insurance: Multi-Family Mortgages

CMHC Insurance: Multi-Family Mortgages

If you’re eyeing a multi-family building — whether it’s your first 10-plex or your next 100-unit acquisition — you’ve likely heard whispers about CMHC insurance and how it can help you lock in better financing.

read more

Featured Publications

Articles

Book: “The Program”

  • Part 1 – Building Your Down Payment
  • Part 2 – Mortgage Payoff Strategies
  • Part 3 – Building Wealth Through Real Estate

Don’t Wait Any Longer. Start Forging Your Own Path Today!