Ontario mortgage brokering · Licence #11000073
Ontario mortgage broker for bruised credit, self-employed, and bank declines
Approval Path Mortgages helps Ontario homeowners and buyers with complicated income, credit, or debt situations understand what is genuinely available — and what is not. Straight answers, no judgment, and no promises anyone cannot keep.
Takes about two minutes. No obligation. No judgment.
What the assessment does
- Asks about your situation in ranges, not exact figures
- Never asks for your SIN, date of birth, or documents
- Runs no credit check and produces no automated decision
- Sends your details straight to a licensed agent for review
No approval, rate, or outcome is guaranteed. Every situation is reviewed individually.
Licensed in Ontario
Phil Cragg, Mortgage Agent, Licence #11000073 · Mortgage Outlet Inc., Brokerage #12628
Confidential by design
No credit check to start, and no documents requested through this website.
15 years, across Ontario
Office in Toronto. Clients across the province served by phone, video, and secure document handling.
Who we help
Mortgage help for complex Ontario situations
Most people who reach out have already been told no somewhere, or expect to be. These are the situations that come up most often.
The bank said no
You applied, waited, and were declined — often without a clear explanation of what actually went wrong.
See the optionsYour credit history is imperfect
Missed payments, collections, a consumer proposal, or a discharged bankruptcy are part of your record.
See the optionsYou work for yourself
Your business does well, but your tax return does not reflect what you actually earn.
See the optionsDebt payments are consuming your income
Balances are not going down despite consistent payments, and there is equity in your home.
See the optionsYour renewal is coming and things have changed
The mortgage matures soon and your income, credit, or household is not what it was.
See the optionsThere is a deadline attached
Arrears, a closing date, or a notice from your lender means this cannot wait.
See the optionsLending pathways
Traditional, alternative, and private mortgage lenders in Ontario
Understanding which category a file belongs in is most of the work. Each has different requirements, different costs, and different trade-offs.
Traditional lenders
Banks and credit unions. Lowest cost, strictest qualification, least tolerance for irregular income or recent credit events.
Trade-off: Best rates, narrowest guidelines.
Alternative lenders
Regulated lenders that assess income and credit with more flexibility and place more weight on equity and property.
Trade-off: Higher rates and lender fees, usually shorter terms.
Private lenders
Equity-focused, short-term financing used to solve a specific problem with a defined exit strategy.
Trade-off: Highest cost. Only appropriate with a clear plan to move on.
An honest note about cost
How it works
How the Ontario mortgage review process works
01
Share your situation
A short, confidential assessment covering what you are trying to do and the broad shape of your finances. About two minutes, no documents, no credit check.
02
A licensed agent reviews it
Phil personally reviews what you have submitted and identifies what is missing, what is workable, and what the realistic obstacles are.
03
An honest conversation
A call at the time and method you chose, covering which lender categories may fit, what each would likely cost, and what the trade-offs are.
04
A clear next step
That may be a secure application, a specific list of documents, or a mortgage readiness plan with a reassessment date. Whichever it is, you will know why.
Mortgage options assessment
Free Ontario mortgage options assessment in about two minutes
The assessment gathers only what is needed to understand your situation properly. No documents, no credit check, and no automated approval or decline at the end of it.
Takes about two minutes. No obligation. No judgment.
What you will be asked
- 1.What you are trying to do
- 2.Roughly where the property is
- 3.Approximate value and mortgage balance
- 4.How you earn your income
- 5.A general credit range
- 6.Anything unusual about your situation
- 7.Your timing, and how to reach you
Mortgage solutions
Ontario mortgage solutions for specific borrower situations
Each page explains who it fits, which lender categories may apply, what documents are typically involved, and the honest trade-offs.
After a decline
Declined Mortgage Applications
Understand why an application was declined and which other lender categories may still consider your situation.
Credit history
Bruised Credit Mortgages
Understand how past credit events affect mortgage options and what can realistically be done about them.
Business-for-self
Self-Employed Mortgages
For business owners, contractors, and commissioned earners whose declared income understates their capacity.
Using home equity
Debt Consolidation and Equity Take-Out
Review whether consolidating high-interest debt into your mortgage genuinely improves your position.
Beyond the banks
Alternative Mortgage Solutions
How alternative lenders assess files differently from banks, and what that flexibility actually costs.
Short-term, equity-based
Private Mortgage Solutions
Short-term, equity-based financing for specific situations — reviewed honestly, including the exit.
Restructuring
Mortgage Refinancing
Restructure an existing mortgage to access equity, consolidate obligations, or change terms.
At maturity
Mortgage Renewals
Review renewal options early — especially when income, credit, or the household has changed.
Time-sensitive
Mortgage Arrears and Urgent Situations
Time-sensitive situations including arrears, closing deadlines, and enforcement pressure.
New to Canada
Newcomer Mortgage Options
For newcomers with limited Canadian credit history but genuine financial capacity.
Buying
Purchase Financing
Know your realistic financing capacity before making an offer, not after.
Not ready yet?
A mortgage readiness plan when approval is not the right step yet
If financing today would be unsuitable or unnecessarily expensive, you will be told that. A readiness plan sets out specific actions and a date to reassess.
What clients say
Reviews are published only with written client consent and after brokerage compliance review.
Client reviews are not yet published on this website.
Content awaiting brokerage compliance review. Real, approved client reviews will be published here once consent is on file. Only real reviews, published with written consent and free of private financial detail, will appear here. Nothing on this page is invented, paraphrased, or representative.
Across Ontario
Mortgage broker services for homeowners and buyers across Ontario
The office is located in Toronto. Clients elsewhere in Ontario are served by phone, video, and secure electronic document handling.
Common questions
Ontario mortgage questions people ask before reaching out
Can you guarantee I will be approved?
No. No mortgage brokerage or lender can guarantee approval. Approval depends on your income, credit, the property, lender requirements, and market conditions at the time. What is offered here is an honest review and a clear next step — including telling you when the next step is to wait.
Will speaking with a broker affect my credit score?
An initial conversation does not require a credit check. A credit report is only obtained with your explicit consent, and only when there is a specific reason to obtain one.
What does the assessment actually ask for?
General information only: what you are trying to do, roughly where the property is, approximate values and balances, how you are paid, a general credit range, timing, and how to reach you. It never asks for your SIN, date of birth, banking credentials, or documents.
What happens after I submit the assessment?
You receive a confirmation with a general summary of what your situation may involve — never an automated approval or decline. A licensed mortgage agent then reviews the details and contacts you using the method you selected.
Do I have to apply if I complete the assessment?
No. The assessment is a request for a review, not an application. Many conversations end with information and a plan rather than a mortgage application.
Are alternative and private mortgages more expensive?
Generally, yes. Financing outside traditional lending typically carries higher interest and may involve lender fees, brokerage fees, legal fees, and appraisal costs, often with shorter terms. Those costs are quantified in writing before you commit to anything.
Is my information kept confidential?
Yes. Information submitted through this website is used to review your enquiry and contact you. Sensitive documents are never collected through this site — an approved secure process is used when your file reaches that stage.
What areas of Ontario do you serve?
Phil Cragg is licensed throughout Ontario. The office is located in Toronto, and clients elsewhere in the province are served remotely by phone, video, and secure electronic document handling.
Learn first
Ontario mortgage guides and educational resources
Plain-language explanations written to be useful whether or not you ever become a client.
Credit and Mortgage Readiness
What to Do After a Bank Declines Your Mortgage Application
A decline is one lender's answer to one application. Here is how to find out what actually happened and decide what to do next without damaging your file further.
Self-Employed Income
Self-Employed Mortgage Documents: A Practical Checklist
Business-for-self applications live or die on documentation. Here is what lenders commonly ask for, why they ask for it, and how to prepare it before you apply.
Understanding Alternative Mortgages
Alternative vs. Private Mortgages: What Is the Difference?
The two terms are often used interchangeably, and they should not be. They involve different lenders, different costs, different terms, and different purposes.
Refinancing and Debt Consolidation
Can Home Equity Be Used to Consolidate Debt?
Consolidation can genuinely improve a household's position, or quietly make it worse. The difference comes down to arithmetic and honesty about what changes afterward.
Credit and Mortgage Readiness
How Bruised Credit Can Affect Mortgage Options
Lenders do not simply read a score. They read a story — what happened, when, how large, whether it was resolved, and what has happened since.
Urgent Mortgage Situations
Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Private Mortgage
Private financing can solve a genuine problem. It can also be expensive in ways that are not obvious from the interest rate alone. These are the questions to ask first.
Find out where you stand with a confidential Ontario mortgage review
A confidential review, a straight answer, and a next step you can act on.
Takes about two minutes. No obligation. No judgment.
Information on this website is general in nature and is not a commitment to lend, an approval, legal advice, tax advice, or financial advice. Mortgage availability, rates, terms, fees, and approval depend on the applicant, the property, lender requirements, market conditions, and applicable law. An application and supporting documents may be required.