Traditional lenders often work from strict guidelines. They want predictable income, clean credit, and easy-to-verify documents. That works well for some people, but it does not work for everyone.
Many good borrowers get turned away because their situation takes more time, strategy, and explanation.
That is where Alternative lending can help.
Alternative lending is not about forcing a deal through. It is about finding the right lender, presenting your file properly, and building a plan that makes sense now and in the future.
Alternate lenders offer a bit more flexibility in their underwriting policies for self-employed. Alternate lenders allow for extended ratios and will use stated income for qualifying.
This may be a fit if you are:
You do not need to have everything perfectly figured out before reaching out. Part of my job is helping you understand where you stand and what solutions are available for you.
Alternate Lenders will allow mortgage proceeds to be used to pay off CRA arrears, Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposals, Writs, Judgements, and written-off credit debt.
Getting approved is important, but it is not the only goal. The right mortgage should help you move forward without creating unnecessary pressure later.
I take time to understand your income, credit, property, debt, and long-term goals before recommending a path.
My goal is to help you answer the questions that matter most:
I help by reviewing your full financial picture, identifying the most suitable lending options, and presenting your application in a way lenders can understand.
That may include organizing your documents, explaining your income clearly, helping you understand lender requirements, and showing you what needs to happen next.
Kristi excels in navigating high-complexity scenarios involving credit restructuring, private lending, and equity-based solutions. My expertise is specifically tailored to borrowers facing the toughest financial hurdles, including those dealing with CRA arrears, consumer proposals, bankruptcies, judgments, and writs.
You will not be left guessing. I will walk you through your options in plain language so you can make a confident decision.
If you find that you don't quite fit in the standard “A financing box” (anymore), that's just fine! A lot of us have mortgage applications that aren't conforming for various reasons. Alternate lenders are a great solution if you are self-employed and do not claim your income, or if you have bruised credit, want to pay off CRA arrears, bankruptcy or consumer proposal, judgements, writs or written off accounts, or you want to qualify for a higher mortgage amount with extended qualifying ratios.
Alternate lending may be an option when a traditional bank is not the right fit. These lenders consider more flexible approval criteria, especially when there is strong equity, a reasonable repayment plan, or a clear path forward. Alternate lenders allow for bruised credit; they offer extended qualifying ratios, allowing the borrower to qualify for a higher mortgage amount than with traditional lenders. Alternate lenders think outside the box and offer solutions to meet your needs.
Alternate lending is becoming more prevalent with clients as time goes by and lending policies are updated. Employment with borrowers has been shifting, with a lot more clients going self-employed.
Alternate lenders offer stated-income programs that provide solutions for borrowers who are looking to purchase or refinance but may not otherwise qualify for mortgage financing. Alternate lenders offer extended qualifying ratios, using stated income and 12 months of business bank statements to qualify.
Alternative lending isn't just for those people who have had credit setbacks (although they do a great job of servicing this group as well); it's for people who do things differently. Don't let the stigma of alternative lending keep you from considering what could be a great mortgage product for you!
Self-employed mortgages are designed for business owners and contract workers whose income may not be simple to prove using traditional documents.
Alternate lenders offer a bit more flexibility in their underwriting policies for self-employed. Alternate lenders allow for extended ratios and will use stated income for qualifying. Depending on your situation, the lenders will look at your business revenue by using 12 months of bank statements, tax filings, contracts, industry history, or other forms of income support.
Alternate lenders can view income for self-employed clients in several ways, depending on how the client reports it on their annual tax returns. If a client is self-employed and has a down payment or equity in their property of 20% or more, they can consider purchasing or refinancing without using a 2-year average of their claimed income. Clients can qualify with an Alternate lender using 12 months of business bank statements with 2 years of self-employed history.
One of the biggest hurdles in my experience working with self-employed borrowers is not being prepared for how lending guidelines have shifted since they last applied for a mortgage. If you are a borrower who purchased pre-October 2016, before the stress test came into effect, qualifying then and now are two different landscapes. Based on current qualifying criteria and how a borrower claims income, or if the borrower made changes to how they claim their income, they may no longer align with A lender's policies.
Alternate lenders are a great lending solution for clients who are self-employed and whose income no longer fits within A lending policies. Alternate lenders allow clients to use stated income for qualifying, will consider bruised credit and allow for extended ratios to help you qualify for a higher mortgage amount.
Credit rebuilding often involves borrowers in high-stress situations. Kristi’s impact is defined by my unique "no-nonsense" approach—efficiency without the "fuss"—balanced with genuine empathy. I remove the stigma often associated with credit rebuilding solutions, providing straightforward, actionable advice that empowers borrowers to take back control of their finances with dignity and transparency.
Over-extended credit card and consumer debt are the number one problem Canadians face today. Kristi understands the seriousness of this problem. A mortgage solution using the equity in your home can shrink your credit card debt and consumer loans. Imagine shrinking your monthly payments by up to 50-60%.
Kristi specializes in debt consolidation through mortgage refinance. You can lower your total monthly payments by unlocking the equity in your home to pay off debts and repair your credit.
Kristi has helped her clients who are in debt collections, bankruptcy, consumer proposal, by refinancing their mortgage and paying off CRA arrears, bankruptcy, consumer proposal, writs, judgements, collections and written off accounts.
If you have damaged credit, a Consumer Proposal, Bankruptcy or other related credit issues, there are mortgage solutions available to you.
Mortgage funds can be used to pay out the following:
Alternate lenders offer programs that allow self-employed borrowers to use a broader picture of their income instead of relying only on standard employment documents.
These programs still require careful review, but they can be helpful when your tax returns do not show the full strength of your earning ability.
Alternate Lenders will work with 12 months of business bank statements for qualifying income. If you are self-employed, you can qualify for a mortgage with a 20% down payment for purchases and refinances up to 80% of the value of your home.
If you are self-employed and your earned income is seasonal, and a 12-month past statement history would not fully capture your busy season, Alternate lenders will work with you and allow the borrower to provide 18 or 24 months of business bank statements to help the lender fully understand your income flow.
Being self-employed or facing financial challenges does not automatically mean homeownership, refinancing, or mortgage approval is out of reach.
You may simply need a better strategy and the right lending partner.
Book a conversation today, and let’s look at what may be possible.
Yes, many self-employed borrowers can qualify for a mortgage, but the process may require different documentation and a more strategic approach. I can help you understand what lenders may look for based on your business, income, and financial history.
This is common for business owners. Some lenders may consider additional documents such as bank statements, business revenue, contracts, or other supporting information. The right approach depends on your full situation.
Possibly. Credit challenges do not always mean the answer is no. The available options will depend on your credit history, income, equity, debt, and overall lending profile. I would need to understand more about your situation to provide a solution. During a discovery call, I will manually run numbers, ask questions to understand your situation, and let you know before you apply whether there is a solution. If the information you share during our discovery call matches the information on the application, I will close your mortgage solution.
CRA arrears, collections, judgments, and other financial issues can make mortgage approval more complex, but there may still be options. I can help you review the situation and explore possible paths forward. Alternate lenders allow mortgage proceeds to be used to pay off CRA arrears and collections.
Sometimes it is, but often it is used as part of a bigger strategy. The goal may be to solve an immediate financing need while creating a path toward stronger lending options in the future.
INDI Head Office:
223 14 Street NW, Calgary AB T2N 1Z6
Compliance Officer: Gord Appel
(403) 714-4663 | gord.appel@indimortgage.ca
Broker of Record: Gord Ross
800-517-8670 ext 301 | gord@indimortgage.ca
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