About us
About Mortgage Niagara
A Niagara Region mortgage advisory serving all 12 municipalities by appointment, phone or video, built on local underwriting knowledge, access to every lender tier, and plain disclosure of how we are paid.
Reviewed November 13, 2026 · Indicative figures, OAC
Who we are
Mortgage Niagara is a Niagara Region mortgage advisory serving St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Grimsby, Fort Erie, Lincoln, Thorold, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Pelham, Port Colborne, West Lincoln and Wainfleet. We are anchored in downtown St. Catharines and meet by appointment, phone or video. The site exists to give Niagara borrowers the numbers that national rate sites leave out, and a licensed person to act on them.
- Municipalities served
- 12
- Fee to you on prime lender files
- $0
- Typical lender finder's fee
- 80–110 bps
- Disclosure
- in writing, before you sign
Regional underwriting standards
A mortgage is approved on two things: you and the property. In Niagara the property side is where files go wrong, so we check these before a lender ever sees the application:
- Property tax inside your ratios. Approximate effective rates run from about 1.08% in Niagara-on-the-Lake to about 1.68% in Fort Erie. On a $485,000 home that is the difference between $464.79 and $679 a month in your gross debt service ratio.
- Rural water and septic. Cisterns are common in Wainfleet, West Lincoln and parts of Pelham, Lincoln and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Lenders want a potable water test, sometimes a flow test, and a septic inspection, and many cap acreage. See rural property mortgages.
- Legal rental units. Student houses near Brock and Niagara College need legal bedrooms and the right licensing; lenders will not finance an illegal rooming house.
- Short-term rental income. A-lenders generally will not count it; some B-lenders and credit unions will with a 12–24 month history.
- Renewal timing. We start 120 to 150 days before maturity, because a straight switch needs no stress test and a rate can be held for up to 120 days, lender-dependent.
How we work
- Listen first. Your goal, timeline, income type and the property, by phone or video.
- Run the numbers. Payment, closing costs, stress-test ratios, penalties or rental coverage, using the same formulas as our calculators.
- Disclose in writing. The brokerage's licence number, compensation and any conflicts, before you sign anything.
- Match the lender. We compare tiers and products, not only the rate: penalty method, prepayment privileges, portability, and the lender's appetite for your property.
- Stay to closing. Conditions, appraisal, insurer approval and your lawyer's instructions, through to funding.
Lender access by tier
Lender names below are examples of each tier, not partners or endorsements; the right lender depends on your file on the day.
| Tier | Examples | Typically suits | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big 6 banks | RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC, National Bank | Clients wanting a bundled banking relationship | No broker fee |
| Monolines | First National, MCAP, RMG, CMLS | Sharp rates and contract-rate penalty methods | No broker fee |
| Ontario credit unions | Meridian, PenFinancial | Rural properties, some ratio and qualifying flexibility | No broker fee |
| Alternative "B" | Equitable Bank, Home Trust, Haventree Bank | Self-employed, bruised credit, higher ratios | Broker fee about 1%, often a lender fee |
| Private and MICs | Private lenders, mortgage investment corporations | Short-term equity-based needs, 65%–75% LTV | Broker fee about 1.5%–3% plus lender fee |
How we are paid
On prime files, meaning A-lender and credit-union mortgages, the lender pays the brokerage a finder's fee, typically 80 to 110 basis points of the loan, so there is no fee to you. Alternative and private files usually carry a disclosed broker fee and often a lender fee too. Every fee is disclosed in writing before you commit.
Worked example: compensation on a $450,000 mortgage
On a $450,000 prime mortgage, 80 to 110 basis points is $450,000 × 0.80% = $3,600 to $450,000 × 1.10% = $4,950, paid by the lender to the brokerage, not by you. If the same file needed a B-lender, a 1% broker fee would be $4,500, paid by you and shown in writing before you commit. On a $100,000 private second mortgage, a 1.5%–3% broker fee would be $1,500 to $3,000, plus the private lender's own fee.
What we will not do
- Promise an approval or a rate before a lender has reviewed your file. Rates are indicative and on approved credit.
- Give legal or tax advice. Title, land transfer tax rebates and HST questions go to your real estate lawyer or accountant.
- Recommend a lender because it pays more. If a product pays the brokerage differently, you will see it in the written disclosure.
Your privacy
We collect only what is needed to answer your enquiry and arrange your mortgage. Your information is seen by the licensed professionals handling your file and shared with lenders or insurers only with your consent when you apply. We do not use advertising cookies or third-party trackers. The details are in our privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mortgage Niagara licensed?
Mortgage dealing in Ontario is regulated by FSRA under the MBLAA. Your file is handled by an FSRA-licensed mortgage agent or broker, and the brokerage's licence number is disclosed to you in writing, with compensation and any conflicts, before you sign anything.
Do I pay a fee to use a mortgage broker?
Not on prime lender files: banks, monolines and credit unions pay the brokerage a finder's fee, typically 80 to 110 basis points of the loan. Alternative and private mortgages usually carry a broker fee, about 1% for B-lenders and about 1.5%–3% for private, disclosed in writing before you commit.
Which lenders can you work with?
Files can be placed with big banks, monoline lenders, Ontario credit unions, alternative lenders and private lenders. Names such as First National, Meridian or Equitable Bank are examples of each tier; the best fit depends on your income, credit and property.
Which areas do you serve?
All 12 Niagara municipalities, from Grimsby and Lincoln to Fort Erie, Port Colborne and Wainfleet, by appointment, phone or video, with a regional anchor in downtown St. Catharines.
Why use a local advisor instead of a national rate site?
National sites quote rates but rarely account for Niagara details that decide files: municipal tax differences in your ratios, cistern and septic requirements, student rental licensing and short-term rental rules. Those are checked before your application goes to a lender.
Pre-approval & rate review
Get your Niagara mortgage numbers checked
Tell us where you are buying or what you owe. We reply by email, usually within one business day, with options from across the lender tiers.
- A licensed advisor reviews your numbers against A-lenders, Ontario credit unions and alternative lenders.
- Rate holds of up to 120 days on purchases and renewals (lender-dependent).
- On prime files the lender pays the brokerage, so there is no fee to you; any fee on alternative or private files is disclosed in writing first.
- Nothing goes to a lender or credit bureau until you say so.
Prefer email? Write to hello@mortgageniagara.com.