The questions that keep coming up
The short answers. For the details of a project, each service page has its own list of questions.
When should a mortgage process start?
As soon as you know your project and the date that matters. That gives you time to gather your documents and compare, instead of scrambling the day before an offer or a maturity date.
Which documents should be prepared?
Start with your income records, your debts, your down-payment statements, and the property information. The exact list depends on your project: I’ll narrow it down when we talk.
Does prequalification guarantee financing?
No. It’s an estimate based on what we know at that point. The lender still has to review your current documents, your credit, and the property before committing.
Do I pay for your services?
In most residential files, no: the lender that grants the financing pays me at funding. The cases where fees can apply, mainly private and commercial financing, are announced in writing before we start. The details are on the What it costs page.
Do you work across Quebec?
Yes. I have no walk-in office: we talk by phone or video, documents move online, and the signing takes place at your notary. Lender access is the same in Montreal, Rimouski, or Rouyn-Noranda.
Does an application lower my credit file?
A credit inquiry is made for the pre-approval or the application. Several inquiries grouped in a short period for the same mortgage project are normally treated as one by the agencies. What hurts is opening unrelated credit during the same period.
When should a renewal be reviewed?
Read the offer the moment it arrives. That keeps you enough time to compare the rate, term, privileges, penalty, and switching costs before the date catches up with you.
What is refinancing used for?
To fund renovations, free up cash, or consolidate debts. Before replacing your mortgage, look at the new balance, the payment, the fees, and above all the total interest.
Should only the rate be compared?
No. The payment, the fees, the penalty, the prepayment privileges, and the flexibility of the contract matter just as much. That’s often where it costs you when life changes.
Can a self-employed borrower prepare a file?
Yes, and it’s worth doing. Gather your notices of assessment, your returns, your financial statements, and an explanation for the variations before setting your budget or your application date.
Does a rental property need a different review?
Yes. The leases, income, expenses, taxes, and reserves get read against the lender’s criteria, and a lender doesn’t always accept the rents on paper.
What matters for a newcomer?
Your status, your income, the credit history you have here, and where your funds come from. We look at those four before settling on a program.
Is a private mortgage a permanent solution?
No. A private mortgage usually solves a short-term need. Work out the rate, the fees, the maturity date, and above all your exit, before signing.
Can I email you my documents?
Not complete financial documents. For statements, returns, and identification, I give you a secure transmission method once the file is open. The public form on the site is only for the first contact.
What are the calculators for?
To give you a ballpark: a payment, a borrowing amount, a cost, based on the figures you enter. The rate you’re offered, your eligibility, and the terms still need confirming.
What should be prepared before contacting Mathieu?
Your project, the date that matters, and the amounts you already know. That’s enough to start. I’ll tell you afterwards which documents I need.