From a first home to a commercial building to a ground-up duplex, laneway or multiplex — I arrange financing across the full range of lenders. Below: how each track works, a construction draw-mortgage calculator, and exactly what you need to start a small build under BC’s new housing rules.
Purchases, renewals, refinances, first-time buyers, self-employed and newcomers — including duplexes and fourplexes, which still finance as residential.
Owner-occupied premises, retail/office/industrial, mixed-use, and 5+ unit apartment buildings, including CMHC MLI Select insured options.
Draw mortgages for ground-up builds, major renovations, and small-scale development — laneway homes, duplexes and multiplexes.
The bread and butter: financing for owner-occupied homes and small rental properties of one to four units. Because a fourplex is still “residential,” many small multi-unit projects qualify for residential rates and amortizations rather than commercial terms — a meaningful cost difference. If you’re buying, renewing or refinancing, start with the calculators or the specialty pages for self-employed and newcomer buyers.
Commercial financing is underwritten on the property’s cash flow, not just your personal income. Lenders look at net operating income, debt-service coverage (DSCR), and the cap rate, then typically lend to about 65–75% of value with shorter amortizations than a home loan. Common types I arrange:
Commercial deals need a fuller document set (leases, rent roll, financials, environmental) and more lead time — worth a conversation early.
A construction (or “draw”) mortgage funds a build in stages rather than all at once. Money is released as work is completed and verified — a typical schedule advances at foundation, lock-up, drywall/finishing, and completion. You pay interest only on what’s been drawn, so your carrying cost ramps up as the project progresses, then the loan converts to a normal mortgage when the home is finished and occupied.
Key things lenders look at, and costs to budget for:
Estimate your maximum construction financing, the equity you’ll need, and your interest carry during the build. Every input is editable — these are your numbers, not a rate offer.
Construction and small-development rates are typically higher than standard residential rates and vary widely by lender, project and experience. The rate is an editable assumption, not a quote. Interest is estimated interest-only on roughly half the loan over the term, since funds are advanced in stages. Estimate only — not an approval or an offer of credit.
BC’s small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) rules have changed the math for ordinary homeowners and small investors. Most municipalities must now permit three to four units on lots that were single-family, and up to six on larger lots near frequent transit — alongside long-standing allowances for laneway and garden suites. That has opened three common paths:
The single most important financing distinction: 1–4 units is residential; 5+ units is multi-residential / commercial. It changes your rate, amortization, equity requirement and document set — so it’s worth confirming your unit count and lender path before you finalize a design.
Zoning, unit limits, setbacks and permit requirements vary by municipality and lot, and SSMUH implementation differs city to city. Always confirm what your specific property allows with your municipality and your design professional — the above is general information, not zoning or legal advice.
Gathering these early is the difference between a smooth approval and a stalled one. You won’t need every item for every project, but this is the full picture:
Tell me where you are in that list — even step one — and I’ll tell you what financing looks like from here.
Generally yes — 1 to 4 units finances as residential. Five or more units moves to multi-residential / commercial underwriting based on the property’s cash flow.
Funds are advanced in stages as work is completed and verified. You pay interest only on the funds drawn, and the loan converts to a regular mortgage on completion.
Lenders advance the lesser of a loan-to-cost and an as-complete loan-to-value limit, so you typically bring 20–35%+ of total project cost depending on the lender, your experience and the project. The calculator estimates it.
Provincial rules require most municipalities to allow three to four units on many single-family lots, and up to six near frequent transit — but exact limits depend on your municipality and lot. Confirm with your city.
Residential, commercial or ground-up — tell me the project and I’ll map the financing, the equity, and the next step. No pressure, no obligation.
A real broker reviews every request — no call centre, no shared leads.