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Documents you need to have before approaching a mortgage agent to obtain a mortgage in Canada.

 

It is always better to be prepared as sometimes you would be required to obtain a mortgage approval within a certain timeframe as part of the conditions when you purchase a property.

If you are employed, obtain the following documents from your employer:

• T4 - when you are employed with salary or hourly wage income, have the most recent T4 document ready. T4 documents are usually issued in January or February of each year.
• T4A - If you are receiving commission income, you will need to have your most recent T4A document.
• Paystub - Have the most recent 3 paystubs ready from your employer. This is used as the proof of your income.
• Job Letter - Obtain a proof of employment or job letter from your employer. The letter itself should clearly identify your full name, job title (position), start date, as well as salary.

If you are self-employed, or if you are running a business on the side, you may be asked to provide the following from your business:

• Recent financial statements
• Business identification / license
• Business cheque

If you are buying a new property, have the following documents ready:

• Agreement of Purchase and Sale - When you are buying a new property, you'd have had to sign this document between you and the Seller.

If you are refinancing an existing mortgage, have the following documents ready:

• Mortgage Statement - This is usually required when borrowers are refinancing an existing property (renewing a mortgage)

Other documents to obtain from various sources:

• Two pieces of government issued IDs
• Notice of Assessment (NOA) - Whether you are employed or self-employed, mortgage lenders will most likely ask for your most recent Notice of Assessment for the previous year. This is used to verify your income, as well as to make sure that you have no outstanding taxes owed.
• Property Assessment - Lenders need to verify the value of the property you are purchasing. Some lenders will accept the most recent property assessment document on the property if you are able to obtain it for the property of interest. However, most lenders work with appraisers and require you to pay to conduct a property appraisal on the property of interest. Some lenders may waive the appraisal fee but it's not common. Therefore, expect to have this type of expense in order to obtain mortgage approval. The cost varies between lenders/appraisers.
• Property Tax Bill - Lenders will require the most recent property tax bill on the property of interest. This is used to confirm the amount of taxes on the property, as well as to verify if any property taxes are outstanding/overdue.
• Status Certificate - If you are purchasing a new or refinancing an existing condo unit, you need to obtain the most recent Status Certificate from the condo corporation. This usually costs somewhere around $150 CAD
• Gift Letters - If you are receiving money from friends or family members to be used as payment on the property (e.g. down payment), you need gift letters from them indicating that you are receiving money as gift and do not need to pay back the amount.
• Divorce Agreement - If you are divorced, the lenders may require to see your divorce agreement to verify if you have any financial obligations.
• Child Support Agreement - If you are currently obligated to provide child support, the lenders may require to see your child support agreement to verify your financial obligations.

Your mortgage agent or lender may require you to provide other documents. However, the documents described above are the most common needed documents to apply for a new or renew an existing mortgage. Your lender may ask you questions regarding your current financial status (savings, debts).