Acting on behalf of borrowers, mortgage brokers shop for the best mortgage rates available across multiple lenders, a service that costs borrowers nothing since brokers earn a commission of 0.5% to 1% from the lender. In Vancouver’s housing market, working with a broker pays off whether you are buying or renewing. Buyers benefit from softened prices and rising inventory, while the large number of Canadians coming up for renewal have the most to gain from rate shopping, since lenders rarely offer their best rate upfront.
Butler Mortgage is a leading mortgage brokerage in Canada that was founded in 1995. The brokerage is headquartered in Toronto and offers its services mainly in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. Butler Mortgage has over 350 lending partners, including banks and credit unions, and offers its clients access to various mortgage and financing options that include:
Butler mortgage offers rate guarantees to its customers in the form of an Up-Front Rate Guarantee and an After-Approval Rate Guarantee. Butler Mortgage guarantees the best up-front interest to its customers, and if a customer finds a better rate elsewhere, the brokerage compensates them with $500 at the time of closing. Subsequently, the brokerage watches for lower rates for already approved customers. If a lender advertises a rate of 0.1% lower and your lender refuses to match the rate, the brokerage allows you to switch lenders for free. In addition, Butler Mortgage offers a RateGuard Approval that helps its customers to lock in rates for up to 120 days, during which if the rate falls, the customer can get the new lower rate.
Founded in 2018, nesto is a fast-growing digital lending platform with its headquarters in Montreal. As opposed to traditional commission-based earning, nesto’s agents get paid a fixed salary, which ensures that they offer unbiased advice and the absolute best mortgage interest rates to the customers without any vested personal interest. The company prides itself in offering its customers a ‘floor rate,’ the best possible rate a bank can offer.
The application process is entirely online and can be completed anytime and anywhere. The online application can be completed within minutes, and applicants can seek help from advisors through email or phone. Because of its strict lending guidelines, nesto requires its customers to have a minimum credit score along with no missed payments.
They also offer featured rates with an extended rate lock-in period of 150 days instead of the regularly offered 120 days. nesto periodically offers a cash-back mortgage option, where borrowers may receive 1% back on the mortgage amount for a 5-year term. Borrowers can get 1% cash back on the mortgage amount, up to a maximum of $13,750, through nesto's cash-back mortgage.
There are currently three financing options available offered by nesto:
MortgagePal is an online brokerage based out of Vancouver that works with various lenders, including banks, credit unions, and mortgage-only lenders. Borrowers can directly apply online or get on a call with the brokerage. MortgagePal is focused on customer experience and has a team of over 30 mortgage agents. Being a high-volume brokerage, they have access to special rates offered by lenders.
Established in 2006, True North Mortgage offers mortgage services throughout Canada. Headquartered in Calgary, the brokerage has 12 offices across Canada, with one being in Burnaby. Borrowers can walk into the office or contact the brokerage over the phone or online. In addition, they offer a unique personal service called mobile brokers. Mobile brokers have flexible hours and meet you at your selected location and time. According to True North Mortgage, they save an average of $3,000 for their clients.
True North Mortgage offers the lowest rate guarantee to their clients. If a client finds a lower rate elsewhere, True North will beat the rate or compensate the client with $500. True North offers a product called Rate Relief through its in-house lender, THINK Financial. Rate Relief is a short-term, low fixed-rate mortgage that provides borrowers with a budget break, available in a 6-month term for new purchases and switches. At the end of the term, borrowers can renew with THINK Financial or pay a 1% non-renewal fee. True North Mortgage offers the following services:
The Canadian lender CanWise offers its mortgage rates only through its brokerage Ratehub.ca. The brokerage works with various lenders, including banks and other financial institutions. You can get a variety of mortgage solutions from them which include:
Mortgage products from CanWise lending have features such as mortgage porting, bridge financing, annual additional lump-sum payment options, and increasing regular payment. With CanWise lending, your mortgage gets registered as a standard charge, not collateral.
Led by Managing Director Dilmohan Aneja, TruWest Mortgage brings over 14 years of experience serving clients across British Columbia. A former CMP Top 75 Broker with strong 5-star client reviews, Dilmohan specializes in complex mortgage scenarios that many brokers find challenging. With experience in one of Canada's most competitive real estate markets, TruWest provides tailored solutions for a wide range of borrowers.
With access to more than 50 lenders — including major banks, credit unions, B-lenders, and private lenders — TruWest can assist clients who may have been declined by traditional banks.
In addition to new home purchases and renewals, TruWest Mortgage helps clients with:
At TruWest, clients work directly with Dilmohan. The brokerage emphasizes a personalized experience — without call centres or junior agents. TruWest has earned the trust of hundreds of BC families by securing the right mortgage solutions at the right time.
Based out of Vancouver, The Mortgage Group is a brokerage established in 1990. The brokerage has a team of over 1,900 mortgage professionals servicing all of Canada, and borrowers can find the broker closest to them through TMG’s website. Alternatively, an online application option is also available. Borrowers can also use the multitude of tools and calculators available on TMG’s website.
Clear Trust Mortgages is a Vancouver-based boutique brokerage with offices in Vancouver and Toronto. The brokerage that has been ranked as one of the top-performing firms in Canada by Mortgage Professionals of Canada has more than 100 brokers. They believe in providing personalized service and finding the best deal for their clients. Besides mortgages from banks, they offer rates from credit unions, B-lenders, and private lenders. They also provide prepayment privileges on mortgages.
Green Mortgage is a Vancouver-based brokerage established in 2011. Apart from residential mortgages, they provide access to commercial mortgages. They specialize in building real estate portfolios and real estate investing. They have access to over 60 lenders. They offer mortgages for first-time buyers, refinance, renewal, investment properties, and commercial properties.
Established in 1994, One Stop Mortgage Corp. is a brokerage offering its services in British Columbia and Alberta. It is a full-service brokerage that offers mortgage, HELOC, debt consolidation, construction loans, and mortgage investment opportunities. Borrowers can get instantly approved over a phone call and have the money available in 24 hours. They work with various lenders and offer services to borrowers with bad or no credit scores.
Dominion Lending Centres is one of Canada's largest mortgage broker networks. Together with its subsidiaries Mortgage Centre Canada and Mortgage Architects, the DLC Mortgage Group has over 9,000 mortgage professionals coast-to-coast. DLC brokers work with a broad panel of lenders and have access to tools and training resources through their mobile app and online programs.
VERICO is a mortgage broker network established in 2005 and acquired by M3 Financial Group in 2017. The network operates independently under its own brand, with each member firm being an independently owned and operated brokerage. VERICO has over 3,800 mortgage advisors from coast to coast who help over 45,000 Canadians finance their homes each year. The network gives brokers access to training, CRM tools, and lender relationships through the broader M3 platform.
Mortgage brokers require to be licensed by BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) in British Columbia. Getting a mortgage broker license in the province is a two-step process. First, one must undertake the University of British Columbia's Mortgage Brokerage in British Columbia course. After completing the course and its examination, individuals can apply for the sub-mortgage broker license. After getting the license, one must complete UBC’s Broker’s Licensing Course before applying for the mortgage broker license. Read more about becoming a mortgage broker in Canada .
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