Lenders go by what your tax returns say, not by what you really make. If income never shows up on a notice of assessment, it doesn’t count. Doesn’t matter how steady it is.
Pick the lender that fits your paperwork
Self-employed, variable, commission: every lender reads these differently. Some average two years, others take the weaker one. That gap moves your approval amount a lot more than the rate does.
Don’t send a half-empty file
An incomplete file can get a decline that a full one would have dodged. Sort your documents first. Otherwise the lender fills the blanks with its own assumptions, and those seldom work in your favour.
Documents to gather
What the lender will ask for.
What the file is for
Income and paperwork
Debts and credit
Property or security
Timeline you’re aiming for
Lenders that fit
Frequently asked
What documents do I need to pull together?+
Your last two notices of assessment, recent pay stubs, an employment letter, three months of bank statements and proof of your down payment. Add two years of financial statements and your business records. Have all of it ready before you make an offer, or a short financing window turns unrealistic.
Current rates
Today’s rates, with the fine print.
These rates are indicative. Yours depends on your file, the type of mortgage (insured or not) and the lender. And look at the penalty too, it matters as much as the number.
Buying, renewing, refinancing, or something a bit out of the ordinary: tell us where you’re at, even if it’s still fuzzy. Mathieu gets back to you with next steps and the documents to pull together.
