How to Prepare for Your Mortgage Appointment

So, you’re ready to take on a mortgage and invest in your dream home. First of all, congratulations! This is a huge step to take that often requires plenty of research and effort in advance. However, the question of that initial mortgage appointment remains, whether with an experienced broker such as myself or through your bank directly. There are a few things you need to be aware of before we start discussing the specifics, but no worries – I’m here to help make the process easy and stress-free!

Here’s how to prepare for your mortgage appointment.

The Right Mindset

Plenty of folks are excited about securing finances for their first home, and I can’t say I blame them! That being said, going into the meeting with the right mindset and understanding of what it entails is important. As much as I love to prioritize getting to know the people who reach out to me and treat every visit as, well, a treat, there’s business to attend to. The first meeting needs to do more than enable you to get to know the person on the other side of the table (proverbial or literal, depending on whether you opt for virtual consultations). It needs to accurately identify your financial needs, budget limitations, and overall eligibility for a specific mortgage amount in the first place. 

Prepare Some Questions!

The more details we can dig into in the first meeting, the smoother and easier the experience will be for everyone involved. In that sense, I love to answer any questions clients have – the more, the better! Show up ready with the ones that are most important to you, and I’ll gladly address them while getting to know you at the same time – it’s a win-win scenario. If you’re stuck and unsure which questions are worth asking, don’t worry – there are no bad ones. That said, perhaps some or all of the following might apply to your mortgage needs:

• “Can you explain what a fixed-rate mortgage is, and how it differs from a variable rate one?”
• “Are there any penalties for prepaying, and what if I miss a payment deadline?”
• “What makes X mortgage the ideal choice for me versus Y, Z, and so forth…?”
• “What can you do to help me reduce the rate and get a good price?”
• “What if I change my mind and decide to sell later on?”
• “For how long will my interest rate remain as-is?”
• “How long will it take to obtain the mortgage funds?”
• “Do we have enough time before the closing date, or should we find a ‘Plan B’ home as a backup option?”

What to Bring

Whether virtually or in person, there are several crucial pieces of documentation we need in order to better assist you, but always know that we take your data privacy and security extremely seriously. To me, nothing is more important than assuring your peace of mind. The following documents are usually what is required for an initial mortgage appointment:

• Your passport and/or driver’s license/other government-issued photo ID
• Proof of the address you currently live at
• An up-to-date credit score rating
• Three months of bank statements as well as one of each for other lines of credit, loans, etc.
• Income statements such as a paystub and/or an employment letter stating your annual and/or hourly salary 
• Your previous two years’ income tax notices of assessment and T1 general documents
• If you’re self-employed, we’ll need proof of business registration in addition to incorporation articles, audit documentation, and bank statements for the last two years

Even if this isn’t your first mortgage, there’s always something new you can learn or ask me regarding the process. With several years’ professional experience and connections with some of Canada’s most respected lenders, your mortgage and my expertise are an ideal combination! I’m happy to help you make informed choices regarding your home ownership journey. To get started, reach out today – let’s chat! Alternatively, click here to set up your first appointment.