Author Archive

Author Archive

The truth about Ottawa’s First Time Home Buyer Incentive (and you’re probably not going to like it)

Posted on July 18th, 2019 by Leahs Mortgages

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/personal-finance/household-finances/article-ottawas-first-time-home-buyer-incentive-who-wins-and-who-loses/ It’s an especially good tactic for short-term homeowners to save interest and premiums, on the backs of taxpayers. “That’s gaming the system,” says mortgage broker Shawn Stillman of Toronto-based Mortgage Outlet Inc. “But that’s not what the government wants. It wants people in their houses long term because it’s losing money if they’re not. […]

Meet the alternative mortgage lender who’s a last resort for desperate homebuyers bigger banks won’t touch

Posted on April 23rd, 2018 by Leahs Mortgages

https://financialpost.com/real-estate/mortgages/meet-the-alternative-mortgage-lender-whos-become-a-last-resort-for-desperate-homebuyers-bigger-banks-wont-touch ‘We tell the borrowers if you are dishonest to us, it’s like pulling a loaded gun on yourself’ When prospective borrowers sit down in the boardroom to negotiate a loan at one of Canada’s largest alternative lenders, they’re greeted by a sculpture of a gun with its barrel twisted back toward the shooter.

Shawn Stillman Quoted on Toronto Stories – Million-Dollar Mortgages in Toronto the New Norm Amid Pandemic: Report

Posted on December 5th, 2020 by Leahs Mortgages

  https://torontostoreys.com/million-dollar-mortgages-toronto-lowestrates/ Shawn Stillman, principal broker at Mortgage Outlet, told LowestRates he’s now seeing larger mortgages in the GTA than he did before the pandemic. “Up until this year, mortgages of $1 million or more have been rare,” said Stillman. In the 10 years Stillman has been a mortgage broker, he told LowestRates he’s done […]

Elan Weintraub Quoted on Mortgage Broker News – Tips for rookies from some of Canada’s top brokers

Posted on August 29th, 2020 by Leahs Mortgages

  https://www.mortgagebrokernews.ca/news/tips-for-rookies-from-some-of-canadas-top-brokers-332612.aspx “Top brokers are having record years,” said Mortgage Outlet’s Elan Weintraub. “I think newer people are not necessarily getting in on that.” Weintraub’s advice for mortgage newbies was simple: Work your asses off. “When I look at this panel, this panel of top producers, they’re literally all working eight, ten, twelve hours a […]

Elan Weintraub Quoted on Realtor.ca – Everything you need to know about reverse mortgages

Posted on July 26th, 2020 by Leahs Mortgages

  https://www.realtor.ca/blog/postpage/14024/1361/everything-you-need-to-know-about-reverse-mortgages Now more than ever, Canada’s experienced homeowners are tapping into their home equity in exchange for cash, a process known as a reverse mortgage.  Over the years, this type of mortgage loan has grown in popularity among seniors. In fact, in January 2020, reverse mortgage debt reached a new record of $4.03 billion, […]

Shawn Stillman Quoted on Mortgage Broker News – Faith and grit are a broker’s most powerful tools

Posted on June 2nd, 2020 by Leahs Mortgages

  https://www.mortgagebrokernews.ca/people/shawn-stillman-faith-and-grit-are-a-brokers-most-powerful-tools-330040.aspx The road to success in the mortgage space is a craggy, winding one – a fact that Shawn Stillman (pictured), broker and co-founder of the Toronto-based Mortgage Outlet, emphasized in his advice to industry newcomers. Another indispensable component to long-term success is a focus on the exact needs of one’s customers. “I try […]

Phil Cragg Quoted on Mortgage Broker News – What makes a mortgage professional a top contender

Posted on May 18th, 2020 by Leahs Mortgages

  https://www.mortgagebrokernews.ca/people/phil-cragg-on-what-makes-a-mortgage-professional-a-top-contender-329580.aspx With an established track record of service to first-time homebuyers, owners seeking refinancing, and individuals with bruised credit alike, Phil Cragg of Mortgage Outlet has risen through the ranks to become one of the organization’s top Ottawa-based professionals. Cragg attributed his success to an appetite for excellence that stemmed from even before his […]

Shawn Stillman Quoted on The Financial Post – Some Canadian banks freeze new financing for commercial properties on COVID-19 concerns

Posted on May 7th, 2020 by Leahs Mortgages

  https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/some-canadian-banks-freeze-new-financing-for-commercial-properties-on-covid-19-concerns Some owners who are unable to sell their properties are refinancing with alternative lenders at higher rates, adding to pressure on the struggling small to medium business sector. Mortgage Outlet broker Shawn Stillman said two clients who had letters of intent signed to refinance with Bank of Montreal were told the bank was […]

Shawn Stillman Quoted on Canadian Mortgage Trends – Why Are Mortgage Rates Rising?

Posted on March 18th, 2020 by Leahs Mortgages

  https://www.canadianmortgagetrends.com/2020/03/mortgage-rates-rising/ “I think if you’re a bank, you’re scared of losses right now,” Shawn Stillman, founder of mortgageoutlet.ca, told CMT. “The banks are in this to make money, and if they don’t think that they’re going to be able to make money because all of a sudden their default rate is going to go […]

Leah Zlatkin quoted on WealthProfessional.ca – ‘Bank of Canada drops rates again; Can it spark a housing revival?’

Posted on July 25th, 2024 by Leahs Mortgages

https://www.wealthprofessional.ca/news/industry-news/bank-of-canada-drops-rates-again-can-it-spark-a-housing-revival/386530 Leah Zlatkin of Mortgage Outlet is skeptical about significant market movement, highlighting that rates are still high, and many buyers may wait for further cuts. “We’ve seen a 50-basis point drop since June, but rates are still comparatively high and many potential buyers are waiting for further rate decreases to increase their buying power […]