What I Wish I Knew Before Getting a Mortgage (and What No One Talks About)
The Truth About Mortgages: Why Structure Matters More Than Rate
When I became a mortgage broker, I expected to spend most of my time talking about interest rates — fixed versus variable, bank specials, posted rates versus discounted. But here’s the biggest surprise I’ve uncovered since starting this journey:
Not all mortgages are created equal — and the difference has nothing to do with rates.
It has everything to do with structure.
Most Canadians believe that a mortgage is a one-way street: make your monthly payments, keep chipping away, and hope to be mortgage-free by retirement. But what if I told you there's a strategy that can help you become mortgage-free decades earlier — while also building a portfolio of income-generating investments for your future?
Let me walk you through what I wish I’d known sooner.
The Wealth-Building Secret Hiding in Plain Sight
When I was trying to balance buying a home with saving for retirement, I often felt stuck. Should I pay off the house faster? Or invest more for the future? The idea that you could do both felt out of reach.
That changed when I came across a strategy that’s been quietly used by financially savvy Canadians since the 1980s. It’s CRA-approved, completely above board, and designed to accelerate your mortgage paydown and grow your investment portfolio at the same time.
Here's how it works in a nutshell:
If you have more than 20% down, you may qualify for a readvanceable mortgage, which allows you to access the equity in your home as you pay down your principal.
You can then reinvest that equity into income-generating assets (like dividend-paying stocks, REITs, or rental real estate).
Because the funds are being used to generate income, the interest becomes tax deductible.
You can then apply your tax refunds back to the non-deductible mortgage, speeding up your repayment.
Rinse and repeat. The benefits compound over time.
What you’re doing here is converting bad debt (your non-deductible mortgage) into good debt (tax-deductible investment debt) — without spending more each month. You're just structuring it differently.
Why Most People Miss This
This isn't something the big banks explain in a 15-minute meeting. It's not a product — it's a strategy. And that’s the catch: financial institutions often focus on selling mortgages, not teaching people how to use them as a tool for wealth.
But when you understand debt differently — when you see that your mortgage doesn’t have to be a financial anchor — you realize you’re sitting on a powerful asset that can help you retire sooner and stronger.
Let’s Talk Numbers
On average, a homeowner using this strategy can pay off their mortgage 10 years earlier and accumulate significantly more in investable assets over time. That’s a game-changer for retirement planning, for helping your kids, and for building generational wealth.
You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone
If you’re ready to stop playing defence with your mortgage and start using it as an offensive wealth-building tool, I’d love to walk you through the options.
There’s no pressure, no jargon, just real strategies to help you build the future you deserve.
📩 Book a call with me
💡 Ask me about tax-deductible mortgage strategies
🏠 Let’s make your home work harder for you
