by Allen Ehlert | January 21, 2026 | Commercial, Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
…How to See the Real Cost of a Mortgage Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is one of those mortgage concepts that everyone’s heard of but few people truly understand. Most borrowers focus on the interest rate because it’s simple, familiar, and easy to compare. But APR — the...
by Allen Ehlert | January 20, 2026 | Commercial, Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
…APR: The Number That Exposes the Real Cost of Your Mortgage If you’ve ever shopped for a mortgage, you’ve probably been hit with a shiny interest rate that sounds great—almost too great. And here’s the uncomfortable truth: sometimes it is. The interest rate is only...
by Allen Ehlert | December 29, 2025 | Commercial, Lender, Mortgages, Personal Finance
… it’s not by accident, and What You Deserve Instead When was the last time you called your bank’s customer service line? If you’re like most Canadians, it wasn’t exactly a warm, fuzzy experience. You were probably shuffled around, put on hold, and when you finally...
by Allen Ehlert | December 27, 2025 | Commercial, Economy, Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
Consumer-Directed Finance: Taking the Driver’s Seat in Your Mortgage Journey Let’s be real—getting a mortgage in Canada can sometimes feel like dragging a sack of bricks uphill. Between pay stubs, NOAs, bank statements, and all the back-and-forth emails, it’s no...
by Allen Ehlert | December 25, 2025 | Commercial, Mortgages
… and Here’s Why We live in a world where you can ask ChatGPT to write an essay, plan your meals, or even draft your wedding vows. So it’s no surprise some people wonder: “Why can’t I just use AI to get mortgage advice?” Here’s the truth: AI can crunch numbers, give...
by Allen Ehlert | December 11, 2025 | Commercial, Mortgages
… A Beginner’s Guide for Business Owners and Real Estate Investors If you’ve ever looked at a strip plaza, an apartment building, or even a self-storage facility and thought, “I wonder how people afford to buy those?” — the answer is almost always the same: a...
by Allen Ehlert | December 4, 2025 | Commercial, Mortgages
Everything You Need to Know Before Financing Your Next Investment Property or Business Space When you hear people talking about mortgages, they’re usually chatting about homes — houses, condos, maybe even a cute little duplex. But there’s a whole other world of...
by Allen Ehlert | December 3, 2025 | Commercial, Real Estate
… Exploring Banks, Credit Unions, Private Lenders, and MICs When it comes to commercial mortgages, most people think the only place to go is the bank. You walk in, shake a hand, sign some papers, and walk out with financing for that office building, warehouse, or...
by Allen Ehlert | December 2, 2025 | Commercial
…How Rates Are Determined, What Impacts What You’ll Pay, and How to Negotiate Better Terms When it comes to mortgages, most people are laser-focused on one thing: the rate. And fair enough — no one wants to pay more interest than they have to. But if you’re shopping...
by Allen Ehlert | November 30, 2025 | Commercial, Home Specifications, Lender, Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
…Appraisals Uncovered: What You Need to Know About Property Valuation Methods Whether you’re a realtor helping clients close deals faster, or you’re a homeowner trying to wrap your head around why some appraisals cost nothing and others come with a $700 bill attached,...
by Allen Ehlert | November 26, 2025 | Commercial, Economy, Lender, Mortgages
…And Why You Should Care Ever sit across from a lender or mortgage broker and wonder, “Where are they getting all this money they’re handing out?” It’s a fair question. Most people think banks have vaults full of cash or some magical, bottomless pit of money. Not...
by Allen Ehlert | November 21, 2025 | Commercial, Mortgages
“Beyond the White Picket Fence: Why Commercial Mortgages Are a Whole Different Ball Game” If you’ve ever gone through the process of securing a residential mortgage, you know the routine: income verification, a credit check, an appraisal, and a few legal documents....
by Allen Ehlert | November 16, 2025 | Commercial
… How Maintenance Reserves Protect You (and Your Property) in Commercial Real Estate” You’ve probably heard the term “maintenance reserve” tossed around in commercial lending conversations and wondered if it’s just another way lenders make life complicated. But the...
by Allen Ehlert | November 14, 2025 | Commercial
“Behind Every Great Deal: Reports That Make or Break Commercial Mortgages If you’ve ever gone through a commercial mortgage process, you know it’s a different beast entirely compared to residential lending. It’s not just about income and credit—it’s about the property...
by Allen Ehlert | November 13, 2025 | Commercial
… How Capitalizing Net Operating Income Reveals a Property’s True Worth When you step into the world of commercial real estate, one phrase comes up over and over again — “What’s the cap rate?” or “Let’s capitalize the NOI.” And if you’ve ever wondered what those words...
