A growing number of Canadians are starting to use mortgage brokers as an alternative to the banks. Here are some good reasons why:
Choice
A mortgage broker has access to mortgages from a huge range of lenders – so their clients have the best choice of rates and mortgage options. It’s not unusual for a broker to have relationships with 40-50 different lending institutions.
Independence and Objectivity
A mortgage broker actually works for you, not for any lender. You are the focus, and they fit the mortgage to the client, not the other way around.
Negotiation
Lenders compete for the mortgage broker’s business. A good broker will use an “auction-style” effect to have the lending institutions compete with each other.
Access to Rate Promotions
You may not realize it, but there are sales and promotions in the mortgage world, too. Lenders offer special rate promotions. A mortgage broker will know about these offers, and they will advise you if they might work in your situation.
Expertise & Specialization
Today there are mortgages for every kind of situation – interest-only, 35- and 40-year amortizations, 100% financing, self-employed, credit repair, debt consolidation – and a mortgage broker is an expert in all of these.
One Inquiry
Rate-shopping on your own can be hazardous to your credit. Every time someone checks your credit, the bureaus take notice. Too many inquires can weaken your credit score. A mortgage broker does only one inquiry, regardless of how many lenders you’re looking at.
No Cost to You
As a rule, the winning lender pays compensation to the broker for the services and solution provided.
Personal Attention & Long-Term View
Mortgage brokers work primarly by referral, and they have a vested interest in your well-being for the long-term. Your positive mortgage experience is essential for their business growth.
As you can see, there are a lot of benefits. We’ve worked with all kinds of mortgage brokers over the years, and we’ve come up with a list of our “Top 5 Mortgage Brokers We’ve Ever Met“. If you’d like their names, contact information and our personal experiences, just fill in the form on this page.
It’s a list we’re constantly improving, adjusting and changing, based on the best people we know RIGHT NOW. Just because somebody has a license to help, doesn’t mean the quality of the service and products they provide are all the same.
Like in real estate, there are good, bad and ugly brokers out there. Be sure to work with someone you really and truly trust, regardless of how strongly they are recommended.
