Your First Home in Canada Starts Here
Meet Jenna Hall
Your Kindred Mortgage Professional
Buying a home in a new country can feel overwhelming — but that’s exactly why I’m here. I’m Jenna, a licensed mortgage professional with Kindred Mortgage Co. (powered by TMG The Mortgage Group). My goal is to make your journey to homeownership in Canada simple, transparent, and stress-free. I work with a wide range of lenders to find the best mortgage options for your unique story — because you deserve a home and a plan that truly fit you, not the other way around.
My clients become part of the Kindred family — and that means support long after you get the keys.
Your Path to Homeownership
Every newcomer’s journey looks a little different — but the goal is always the same: feeling confident and at home in Canada. I’ll guide you through every step, from building your credit and gathering documents to securing the right mortgage and connecting you with trusted professionals to make your move stress-free.
The Home Buying Journey — What to Expect
Buying your first home in Canada is exciting — but it’s also a big step that works best when guided by professionals who do this every day. I know it’s easy to turn to friends or family for advice, but every mortgage story is different — what worked for them might not work for you.
Here’s how I make the process simple, clear, and stress-free:
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We’ll start with a scheduled discovery call — set for a time that works best for everyone involved. During this call, we’ll talk through your goals, timeline, and what you’re hoping to achieve with your first home in Canada. From there, I’ll guide you through a secure online application so I can assess your eligibility and start mapping out the best mortgage options for your situation.
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Once your application is received, I’ll set you up on my secure online portal called Hurricane to collect all the documents needed for your pre-approval. Please note — your file won’t be reviewed until all required documents are uploaded to the portal.
Once everything is received, I typically recommend 24–48 business hours for your pre-approval to be reviewed and finalized. At that point, we’ll secure a rate hold for 120 days with a specific lender — giving you time to shop confidently.
When you find the right property, I’ll review the options again to ensure we’re still with the best lender for your situation — because my job doesn’t stop at the first approval; it’s about finding the best fit all the way through.
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Once your pre-approval is complete, you’ll have a clear budget and rate hold in place — giving you confidence as you start your home search.
At this stage, I’ll need to know who your realtor is so that we can all stay connected and work together throughout the process. If you don’t already have a realtor, I’ll happily connect you with one of my trusted partners. Working with a partner realtor helps keep communication seamless between everyone involved — ensuring no details are missed and your experience stays smooth from start to finish.
Your pre-approval gives you a 120-day rate hold, but that doesn’t mean we stop there. When you find a property you love, I’ll review all lender options again to make sure you’re still getting the best fit based on current rates and your specific situation.
💡 Buying a home is always easier when your mortgage professional and realtor work as a team — it keeps things efficient, accurate, and stress-free for you.
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Once you’ve found your home, this is where everything comes together — and timing matters. During the condition period, my goal is to have your file broker complete — meaning all required documents, lender conditions, and verifications are finalized before the condition removal date. This ensures there are no surprises and we can move smoothly to final approval.
I’ll also gather lawyer quotes on your behalf so we can compare pricing and make sure you’re getting the best possible value for your closing costs. Once your lawyer is selected, I’ll coordinate directly with them and the lender to handle all the final details — including instructions, payments, and insurance confirmations — so nothing gets missed.
By this stage, you’ll have full clarity on your next steps, your final mortgage details, and your closing timeline — making your move-in day one to look forward to, not stress over.
💡 Staying organized during the condition period keeps things moving quickly and avoids last-minute delays. My job is to make sure every detail is complete before we hit “final approval.”
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Congratulations — you’re officially a homeowner in Canada! Once your mortgage funds and the final paperwork is complete, your realtor will be the one to provide you with the keys on possession day.
We typically recommend scheduling possession for the afternoon, as this gives your lawyer time in the morning to organize the transfer of funds, finalize registration, and confirm everything with the lender. This small detail helps avoid unnecessary moving delays and ensures a smooth, stress-free transition into your new home.
Once you’ve got your keys in hand, the celebrating begins — but my support doesn’t end there. I’ll continue to check in and be your go-to mortgage professional for renewals, refinances, or future moves down the road.
💡 Pro tip: Possession day runs much smoother when your lawyer, realtor, and mortgage professional stay in close contact — teamwork is everything when it comes to a seamless closing.
Understanding What Really Matters
When it comes to mortgages, many newcomers focus only on the interest rate — but rate alone doesn’t tell the full story. The lowest rate can sometimes be the most expensive option in the long run, depending on the lender’s terms, penalty structure, or flexibility to make changes later.
As a mortgage professional, my goal isn’t to “beat the bank” — it’s to find the right mortgage for you. I work with a wide range of lenders across Canada, comparing options so you don’t need to visit multiple banks or brokers. This saves you time, protects your credit, and ensures your approval is built for the long term — not just the lowest rate today.
🏡 When you work with me, you get one application, one credit pull, and access to dozens of lenders — all with your best interest in mind.
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The time (usually 10 business days) after your offer is accepted to finalize financing and meet all lender conditions before removing conditions.
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The day you officially get your keys! Your realtor provides them — usually in the afternoon — so your lawyer has time in the morning to complete funding and avoid moving delays.
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A form used to make official changes to your purchase agreement — such as adjusting the possession date, condition removal date, or other key terms in your offer.
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Legal and administrative fees your lawyer charges to complete the purchase — including title searches, registration, and disbursements. I recommend budgeting 1.5% of the purchase price for these costs; however, in Saskatchewan, these fees often come in lower. That’s why I gather lawyer quotes for you once everything is approved and finalized — to make sure you’re getting the best pricing possible.
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Required when your down payment is less than 20%. This insurance protects the lender in case of default and allows buyers to purchase with a smaller down payment while still accessing competitive rates.
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A document authorizing me, your licensed mortgage professional, to represent you and negotiate with lenders on your behalf.
Mortgage Decisions
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Fixed-rate mortgages offer homeowners the security that comes with knowing your mortgage rate and payment will remain unchanged. There is no need to worry about interest rate changes during the term of the mortgage - simply “set it and forget it.” Variable-rate mortgages are often discussed by brokers due to their flexibility and the ability to help mitigate penalties. With a variable-rate mortgage, you can benefit from lower rates if your lender’s prime lending rate decreases, making it a great option for those comfortable with taking on more risk or uncertain about how long they plan to hold the property. However, it’s important to align the term of the mortgage with your future plans, and locking into a fixed interest rate can provide peace of mind and reduce the stress of market fluctuations. Ultimately, the best mortgage option depends on your unique needs and preferences.
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You should also think about the cost to get out of your mortgage early if you want to sell or refinance. Your life circumstances can change and you may need to break your mortgage i.e. job transfer, illness, or divorce. The penalty to break a variable mortgage is less expensive than a fixed-rate mortgage, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a fixed rate, it just means that you should be aware of the potential fees and penalties that come with your mortgage and consider what your future may hold. If you think you may move before the term of your mortgage is up, you should look at having the ability to port your mortgage to the new property. This is a way to avoid paying the penalty to break your mortgage, but not all lenders allow for it. Some ports have quirks and nuances that may make it challenging to navigate when trying to buy a new home.
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You can make your payments monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly. If you want to pay off your mortgage faster and save thousands in interest, consider an accelerated payment option – accelerated weekly and accelerated bi-weekly. This type of payment has you making roughly one extra payment a year and is a good option without putting too much pressure on your budget. In addition to accelerated payments, another way to become mortgage free sooner is to use the prepayment options available to you i.e. how much of a lump sum payment can you make and increase your payments by each year. This will be outlined in your mortgage contract but it is an important mortgage feature and may affect which mortgage you select.
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Some buyers prefer to add the costs of initial renovations into their mortgage, instead of racking up credit card bills or selling investments to pay for those renovations known as a “purchase plus improvements” mortgage, this type of mortgage covers the sale price of the home plus any renovations that would increase the value of the property, up to a certain dollar amount.
When adding improvements to your mortgage you will need to gather your quotes within your “condition removal deadline” and your down payment will be based on the total improved value. Funds are held back at the law office until the job is 100% completed and normally a appraisal is required which is an additional cost to the borrower.
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By putting 20% or more down on your mortgage, you can access the flexible 30-year amortization to make your payments smaller and free up cash flow. Whether investing in a business venture, funding higher education expenses or preparing for maternity leave costs - whatever life throws at you - this option can give you room to breathe or help you build wealth.
It’s not all about
the rate!
What is Mortgage Default Insurance?
When making a downpayment of between 5% and 20%, it’s essential to be aware of the “associated mortgage default insurance requirement”. This insurance is there to protect the lender against any potential financial loss if you default on your mortgage. The premium typically gets rolled right into your total mortgage amount, which will increase your mortgage payment.
If your mortgage is $500,000 and you have 5% down, your premium of $20,000 will take your total mortgage to $520,000. A $900,000 mortgage with a 5% down results in a premium of $36,000, which brings your total mortgage to $936,000.
By having a downpayment of 20% or more of the purchase price for your house, you can avoid paying this premium. It’s not required with a higher down payment because if something unexpected happens down the road, you have plenty of equity that can act as a buffer. Most first-time buyers though start with a 5% down payment unless they get help from a family member.
All “insured” mortgages, which means you have mortgage default insurance, must have a 25-year amortization. Thirty-year amortizations are available for “uninsured” mortgages which can help you qualify for more or reduce your payments.