How do private mortgages really work? Plain answers from Asim Ali
Why, when and how private mortgages work in BC, Alberta and Ontario, written by the broker who places them.
Written and reviewed by Asim Ali, Mortgage BrokerUpdated 5 November 2026
Licensed: BCFSA (BC) · RECA (Alberta) · FSRA (Ontario) · check our licences
How does a private mortgage work in Canada?
What happens to your file after you call: who lends, how they decide, what it costs, and how the money moves.
Read the post →When does a private mortgage make sense, and when is it the wrong tool?
The situations where it is the right tool, the ones where it isn't, and a quick checklist to tell the difference.
Read the post →Why do private lenders say yes when the bank says no?
The rules banks must follow, why private lenders don't, and what that means for your rate, fees and risk.
Read the post →What really goes wrong with reverse mortgages, and how do you avoid it?
The five problems behind the horror stories, the real 2026 costs, and the cheaper options most people never hear about.
Read the post →Private mortgage or bank mortgage: which costs more, and when is each worth it?
The same $500,000 mortgage priced at a bank, a B-lender and a private lender, side by side.
Read the post →Tell us three things. A licensed broker calls you today.
No credit check. No ID. No date of birth. We ask what a lender decides on: the property, the equity and the deadline.
- 1Same-day call from Asim Ali or a licensed colleague
- 2A range for rate, fees and APR on the call
- 3Written commitment in 1-2 business days if you go ahead
- 4Nothing to pay until the mortgage funds
Asim Ali, Mortgage Broker
Licensed in BC, Alberta and Ontario · (604) 591-3590