Winter - CMBA-ACHC – Canadian Mortgage Brokers Association
Transcription
Winter - CMBA-ACHC – Canadian Mortgage Brokers Association
IMBA 2009 Winter 2009 A YEAR IN REVIEW Making sense of MICs Meet the IMBA Board! Honorary Doctor of Law for Gary Katz PM40787580 Vol 2 Issue 4 Biz The Voice of the Mortgage Brokers and Agents of Ontario ® National Mortgage Brokerage of the Year. * Join the Elite. Branded Mortgage Products Branded Insurance Products CRM Program Agent Training Program Coaching Program Advanced Intranet Leasing Program Training Webinars Consumer Newsletters Lender Partnership Programs Elite Business Building Systems Winner National Mortgage Brokerage of the year for your confidential information package membership@verico.ca | 1.866.983.7426 x227 Vol 2 Issue 4 BrokerBiz The Voice of the Mortgage Brokers and Agents of Ontario Departments 6 President’s Message 9 Test Your Skill! 9 Your Morning Chuckle 10 Calendar of Events Winter 2009 IN THIS ISSUE 12 Calendar of Courses 14 N ew IMBA Members 38 Advertisers Index Features 16 IMBA 2009: A year in review 19 M eet the IMBA Board: Learn more about this important group of professionals By Liz Katynski 24 Committee update! What IMBA’s committees have been up to in the last quarter By Liz Katynski 29 M aking sense of MICs: What brokers need to know about securities law issues for mortgage investment corporations By Martin Aquilina 32 It’s a celebration: BrokerBiz looks at what some IMBA members will be doing over the holidays By Nestor Gula 34 Legal action: An E&O policy will save the day if you’re served with a statement of claim By Derrick Leue 36 A prestigious honour: Gary Katz is conferred the title of Honorary Doctor of Law for his volunteer work By Roma Ihnatowycz Publisher Robert Thompson Independent Mortgage Brokers Association of Ontario 120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 500 Toronto, Ontario M4P 1E2 Tel: 416.252.4622 Fax: 416.252.4623 Province-wide Tel: 1.877.564.4622 Province-wide Fax: 1.866.232.8385 Editor Jeanne Fronda Associate Editor Roma Ihnatowycz Executive Editor Leslie Fallaise Sales Manager Sharon Komoski Sales Executives Steve Beauchamp, Pat Johnston, Mic Paterson, David Tetlock Production Team Leader Adrienne N. Wilson Senior Graphic Design Specialist James T. Mitchell Published by: www.mediaedgepublishing.com 5255 Yonge Street, Suite 1000 Toronto, Ontario M2N 6P4 Toll Free: 1.866.216.0860 ext. 229 robertt@mediaedge.ca 1 Wesley Avenue, Suite 301 Winnipeg, MB Canada R3C 4C6 President Kevin Brown Published December 2009. Senior Vice-President Publication Mail Robert Thompson Agreement #40787580 Branch Manager Please return Nancie Privé undeliverable copies to: All rights reserved. Independent Mortgage The contents of this Brokers Association publication may not of Ontario be reproduced by any 120 Eglinton Avenue East, means, in whole or in Suite 500 part, without the prior Toronto, Ontario written consent of the association. M4P 1E2 Articles and information in this magazine represent the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Independent Mortgage Brokers Association of Ontario (IMBA), its board of directors or its staff. The information used within the magazine was, to the best of our knowledge, accurate at the time of writing. Certain names, scenarios or identifying information may have been changed to protect confidentiality. Users of any information contained in BrokerBiz are encouraged to validate that information by independent means. President’s Message Jeff Atlin, CPMB President, IMBA A nother year has run its course. While 2009 started with fear, concern, uncertainty and doom and gloom, it has fortunately turned into a successful year for most of us. In much of the province, what was predicted to be a yearlong strong buyers’ market turned into a steady spring and summer sellers’ market. Prices not only held their own in many regions, but actually increased. However, there are still areas that have yet to show recovery. This is not the time to be complacent. A number of new regulations have now been in place for a full year, including the entire MBLAA, 2006. Many mortgage brokerages, brokers and agents were slow to adopt the changes, as reflected in the compliance audits conducted by FSCO over the past 18 months. Over 300 brokerages and administrators failed to have the errors and omissions insurance in place three months after it was made mandatory. As a result, almost 100 licensees were issued notice of proposals to have their licences revoked, and were assessed a $1,000 fine. Approximately 150 brokerages and administrators didn’t file their annual information return on time. These non-compliance rates are extremely high and should be considered unacceptable to everyone in the industry. Licence renewals for brokerages, brokers, agents and administrators will be due by March 31. Because of the expense of increased compliance activity, the industry can expect higher fees, which may already be in place by 6 • brokerbiz the time you read this. We can make sure that these increases do not continue if we remain vigilant in all areas of compliance. Also due by March 31 is the annual information return that must be filed electronically by all brokerages and administrators. Ensure that yours is on time. The MBLAA, 2006 is not the only new legislation impacting the brokerage and lending community. The movement to a national securities regulator is also underway, and leading up to this was National Instrument 31-103, which came into effect in September. In Ontario we’ve managed to keep the syndication of mortgages under the MBLAA; however, other provinces, such as Alberta and British Columbia, have lost this exemption that existed under their respective Securities Acts. Also, the way vehicles such as mortgage investment corporations (MICs) raise money and are managed could be radically affected (See the article on MICs in this issue of BrokerBiz). As an organization, it is extremely important that we take a leadership role in ensuring these vital mortgage vehicles remain reasonably accessible to all mortgage borrowers and investors. IMBA had another successful mini-trade show and symposium in Ottawa in September, and in Belleville in November. Watch for these events to become a regular part of the IMBA calendar in the coming years. There are also several premier events coming up. The 8th Annual WinterFest Conference NG I RIC TP A E in exotic Runaway Bay, Jamaica, is being held from January 30 to February 6. Every year it offers our members a great opportunity to network, learn and relax with colleagues. Also remember to set aside February 15 for another great Family Ski Day in the Collingwood area. Family members are encouraged to join us on the slopes. GR Ruby Mortgage Sparkles Brighter Our AGM and Lunch with the Legends will be held on March 24. Leading up to this will be our call for nominations for election to the board of directors. IMBA relies on the participation of its membership. Get involved and run for one of the available board seats! Watch for nomination information and forms in your email and on our website in early January. Reserve April 21 to 22 for the IMBA Gala, Conference and Trade Show, which will once more take place at the Toronto Congress Centre. Plan on attending the Mardi Gras Gala Awards Night and dinner on Wednesday to honour your fellow brokers and agents. As always, there will be a great lineup of speakers and seminars to inform and entertain you, and more than 70 exhibitors on the trade floor. 1-2 YEARS UP TO 35 YEAR AMORTIZATION 3 & 5 YEARS UP TO 40 YEAR AMORTIZATION NO LENDER FEE ON 2, 3 & 5 YEAR TERMS 0.5% NET LENDER FEE ON 1 YEAR TERM I look forward to seeing you at all these great events. On behalf of all your IMBA board members, I wish you all a happy and safe holiday season, and a healthy and prosperous 2010! Offering up to 80% LTV on purchases Up to 75% LTV on refinances RUBY MORTGAGE Minimum 600 Beacon Score • GDS/TDS 35/42 CONTACT YOUR RBM FOR MORE DETAILS Jeff Atlin, CPMB President Independent Mortgage Brokers Association Of Ontario “Working for You” Self declared income acceptable. No gifted down payment. Available for owner occupied and owner occupied rental properties. Second mortgages allowed up to 90% LTV. All other Equitable policies and guidelines apply. No private transactions. Rates subject to change without notice. Vol 2 Issue 4 • 7 IMBA_Winter2009.indd 1 9/8/09 3:49:52 PM 9 ‘0 P M AA ! C NTO AT O S R U TO T SI IN VI From BDM to underwriter and everyone in between, the Bridgewater Bank team is extremely responsive. I love that I can send a file in at 3 p.m. Eastern time and usually have a commitment back by early evening. The underwriting team is that good. And being that Bridgewater Bank is located in Calgary, Alberta and my office located in Ontario, the time difference works in my favour. Clients love it when you can give them good news at 6 p.m. on a Friday night. Amanda Farris, MBA, AMP CENTUM City Mortgages, Ottawa, Ontario It’s no secret…that our brokers are extremely happy with our fast turnaround times, generous broker compensation, and competitive residential mortgage financing specializing in prime (A) and near prime (A-). It’s because of you we were awarded bronze in the 2009 CMP Brokers on Lenders Survey in the BDM Support and Satisfaction Index on Overall Credit Policy categories. Call your local BDM today. 1-888-837-2326 Personal. Efficient. Committed. ■ bridgewaterbank.ca IndustryNews New office for Owenmanco The Ontario Wealth Management Corporation (Owenmanco) has moved its offices to a historic building located at 2950 Keele Street in Toronto. The new premises are in the George Jackson House, which was first constructed in 1896 and recently fully renovated to bring it to modern office standards. Located on the second floor, the new 3,200-square-foot Owenmanco office is a much larger space than the one the company had at its previous location at Yorkdale Road. Owenmanco’s new offices in Toronto’s historic George Jackson House on Keele Street Your Morning Chuckle After years of scrimping and saving, a husband tells his wife the good news: “Honey, we’ve finally got enough money to buy what we started saving for in 1979!” “You mean a brand-new BMW?” she asks eagerly. “No,” says the husband, “a 1979 BMW.” “The new office space provides the sales team, management and administrative staff with a bright and modern work environment that is complemented by two boardrooms and an expansive private parking lot,” said Jonah Bonn, mortgage agent at Owenmanco. “Although we have a new address, we have retained our casual atmosphere. We invite the brokerage community to drop by the new space.” Test your Skill! A search of title shows a number of items registered against the property. Which item has priority? A) A mortgage in the amount of $20,000.00 registered January 5, 2002, at 11:15 a.m. B) A mortgage in the amount of $100,000.00 registered January 5, 2002, at 11:20 a.m. C) A condominium lien in the amount of $479.00 registered July 12, 2004, at 9:30 a.m. D) A property tax lien in the amount of $7,000.00 registered September 15, 2005, at 3:15 p.m. For the answer, please turn to page 31. THE BEST APPRAISERS IN CANADA LOOK FOR THE PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS DAR & DAC ARE CERTIFIED AND REGULATED BY THE CANADIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS CALL 888-399-3366 or FIND AN APPRAISER at WWW.CNAREA.CA Vol 2 Issue 4 • 9 2010 IMBA Calendar of Events JANUARY 2010 Mortgage Agent Course Visit www.IMBA.ca WinterFest January 30 to February 3 Breezes Runaway Bay Resort and Golf Club FEBRUARY 2010 Mortgage Agent Course Visit www.IMBA.ca IMBA Mortgage Seminar (GTA East) February 10 Ontario Science Centre IMBA Family Ski Day February 15 Osler Bluffs MARCH 2010 Annual General Meeting March 24 Mississauga Convention Centre Lunch with the Legends March 24 Mississauga Convention Centre APRIL 2010 Annual Conference, Trade Show and Awards Gala Broker licence # 11127 10 • brokerbiz April 21 and 22 Toronto Congress Centre Kim Currie of Mortgage Intelligence believes that success is a journey, not a destination. And his journey has taken him to the top of the mortgage broker business. We are committed to keeping him there, with dedicated relationship managers who have full decision-making authority, our suite of innovative mortgage products and consistent adjudication. scotiamortgageauthority.com ® Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. Mortgage Agent Course Fall 2009 and Winter 2010 Course Calendar Correspondence Start time: January 08, 2010, 00:00 Duration: 10 weeks beginning January 8, 2010 Accelerated Correspondence Start time: January 08, 2010, 00:00 Duration: 2 weeks beginning January 8, 2010 Please note that this is a TWOWEEK intensive training course Mississauga Start time: January 16, 2010 09:00 Duration: 7 weeks beginning January 16, 2010 Saturdays (no class February 13) 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Location: Monte Carlo Inn 5 Derry Road East, Mississauga Toronto East Start time: January 16, 2010 09:00 Duration: 7 weeks beginning January 16, 2010 Saturdays (no classes February 13) 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Location: University of Toronto – Scarborough Campus 1265 Military Trail, Scarborough Accelerated Correspondence Start time: February 19, 2010, 00:00 Duration: 2 weeks beginning February 19, 2010 For more details please contact Meghan Delany, education coordinator, at 416-252-4622, Ext. 2 or Meghan.Delany@IMBA.ca. Online Training Courses Module I – Taking a Mortgage Application: How to confidently gather all the information you need on a mortgage application Online portion: 40 minutes Practical applications: 90 minutes Module II – Reading Credit Reports: Uncover what credit reports are Online portion: 40 minutes really telling you Practical applications: 30 minutes Module III – Supporting Documentation: Learn all about the documentation required to get your deals done Online portion: 40 minutes Practical applications: 50 minutes Module IV – Basic Mortgage Types: The mortgage basics you MUST know before talking to your first customer Online portion: 40 minutes Practical applications: 30 minutes Module V – Specific Mortgage Types: Knowledge you need to call yourself a mortgage expert Online portion: 40 minutes Practical applications: 40 minutes Module VI – Categorizing Lenders: Different types of mortgage lending in the Canadian market today Online portion: 40 minutes Practical applications: 60 minutes Module VII – Processing Files: How to determine if your client qualifies for a mortgage loan, summarize the deal and assemble an application package Online portion: 40 minutes Practical applications: 60 minutes Module VIII – Agreements and Appraisals: Essential details in appraisals Online portion: 40 minutes and contracts so you can read them the way lenders do Practical applications: 60 minutes Module IX – The Closing Process: Understanding the closing process Online portion: 40 minutes and costs involved to avoid surprises Practical applications: 30 minutes Module X – Alternative Lending: Tap into the most profitable lending opportunity there is Online portion: 40 minutes Practical applications: 30 minutes Module XI – Rental and Recreation Properties: Rev up your revenue by financing rental and recreation propertie Online portion: 40 minutes Practical applications: 30 minutes Module XII – Self-Employed Borrowers: How to tap into the 20 per cent of Canadians who are self-employed Online portion: 40 minutes Practical applications: 30 minutes For more details please visit the IMBA website at www.IMBA.ca 12 • brokerbiz New IMBA Members Mohamed Abdulkader Verico Capital Mortgages Inc. Dylan Furlong Champion Mortgage Inc. Yogarajan Ramakrishnan Centum Metrocap Mortgage Corporation Vincent Abel Mortgage Edge Miki Furman Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Crystal Ross Verico Capital Mortgages Inc. Alexander Alexander Centum Metrocap Mortgage Corporation John Gabriel Mortgage Alliance Company of Canada Wayne Rowsell Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Lorna Anderson Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Rajinder Ghotra Centum Instant Mortgage Loans Inc. Jonathon Araujo Mortgage Brokers of Canada Inc. James Green Verico Annteam Mortgage Services Inc. Tejinder Singh Saini Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Charles Attard Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Marco Gregoris Mortgage Edge Charles Aziegbemhin Lepton Financial Corp. Steve Harman Affiliated Appraisers of Ottawa Dominic Azzopardi Centum One Financial Group Inc. Medine Baran Zenar Financial Corporation “The Mortgage Firm” Gina Barber Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Charles Barrett Epireon Mortgage Capital Corporation Tracey Brock Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Raymond Byrne Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Nathalie Clarke Centum Metrocap Mortgage Corporation Sandra Cooke Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Robert D’Abate Macquarie Financial Ltd. Iraj Dastmalchi Mortgage Brokers of Canada Inc. David Honey Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Kelvin Honeyghan Verico The Mortgage Store Kaukab Javed DLC Perfect Mortgages Jivan Sanghera TMG The Mortgage Group (Ontario) Inc. Lorn Scanlon Renowned Realty Inc. John Scholz Homeguard Funding Ltd. Quinn Scott Sentry Mortgage Corporate Adrienne Seah Lee & Lee Financial Services Ryan Jimenez Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Visnukumar Sellathurai Greater Toronto Mortgages & Financial Services Peggy Kelly Capital Mortgages Inc. Julieta Sevilla Mortgage Edge Cheryl Kirkus Centum Metrocap Mortgage Corporation Hanzla Sheika Greater Toronto Mortgages & Financial Services Stefan Kolody Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Edward Lafetiare Kaydon Cre Doug Lee Macquarie Financial Ltd. Morgan Livingstone Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Daniel Mandel Sure Mortgage Don Smith Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Darryl Stibler Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Paul Teahen Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Surinder Toor First Metropolitan Realty Corp. Ella Udroiu Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Anthony Diji MR Finance Inc. Diane Marcaccio Mortgage Network London Inc. Kevin Dowdall Homeguard Funding Ltd. Roger Marin Affonso Mortgage Brokers of Canada Inc. Jonathan Doyle Verico Annteam Mortgage Services Inc. Mehdi Nouraei Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Yongqin Wang Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Brenda Ethier Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Sean O’Donnell Verico Capital Mortgages Inc. Clifton Wright Northwood Mortgage Ltd. David Foston Champion Mortgage Inc. Gurvinder Pannu Verico Total Mortgage Solutions Inc. Ann Wright ResMor Trust Company Roy Frederick Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Eva Ragona Northwood Mortgage Ltd. Andrea Zingaro DLC Perfect Mortgages 14 • brokerbiz Victor Vukicevic Mortgage Edge More choices. No hurdles. Our dedicated underwriters have the experience to find the solution to even your most complex deals. Every deal is reviewed as a unique story, and we’ll work from every angle to make it fit. With the launch of our new Accelerator Program of insured ‘A’ products, we now have even more options. If the deal doesn’t fit with the guidelines from either AIG or CMHC, we will always try to make it work with one of our alternative products without you needing to re-submit the application. Take the path of least resistance. Find out how to close more deals at www.hometrust.ca or call 1.877.903.2133 Your ONE-STOP mortgage lender Cover Story IMBA 2009: A YEAR IN REVIEW JANUARY MARCH The year started off with a bang for the 52 agents and brokers who spent the last week of January on the Mayan Riviera for WinterFest. Born from the idea that mortgage professionals should have an opportunity to meet and strengthen relationships in a relaxing environment, WinterFest is now in its sixth year and going strong. This was the sixth year we celebrated together while sharing a few days of sun, sand and surf at the fabulous Paradisus Mayan Riviera resort. March was an eventful month for IMBA members. For the second consecutive year, IMBA was consulted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). IMBA directors David Mandel, Jeff Atlin, Ed Kathaus and Leslie Fallaise met with John Kiff, senior financial sector expert at the IMF. As a result of this meeting, Kiff published an article on Canadian safe lending practices. FEBRUARY We will always remember and hold sacred February 10, 2009, as the day that our valuable contributor, longtime IMBA director, and dear friend, Shayam Kaushal, lost his courageous battle with cancer. Many IMBA members attended his funeral on February 13, 2009, to mourn his passing. Sheldon Esbin headlined the popular “Lunch with the Legends” program. Esbin founded the Romspen Investment Corporation. He continues to oversee and manage all operations of the fund, as well as maintaining his interest in Toronto archival material and supporting the preservation of Toronto’s historical past. IMBA’s annual general meeting took place on March 4 with 125 members participating in the event. We welcomed Keynote speaker at the annual Conference, Trade Show and Awards Gala was award-winning journalist and news anchor Kevin Newman newly elected directors John Bargis, Elizabeth Doyle, Lou Perotta and Martin Marshall, and said a reluctant farewell to retiring directors Bob Andrew, Shane Suepaul and Ed Karthaus. The new Executive Committee members for 2009-2010 are Jeff Atlin, president; Margo Wynhofen, vice-president; Robert A. Gascon, treasurer; Malcolm Eccles, secretary; and David Mandel, past president. We owe a debt of thanks to all directors for their dedicated service to the organization. APRIL IMBA’s annual Conference, Trade Show and Awards Gala was held April 2 to 3 in Toronto. This event combined instruction on a wide range of topics with an amazing Gala and Awards evening to offer something for everyone. Four timely, hands-on seminars and panel discussions were held on topics such as the mortgage industry and technology, competing to be unique, packaging small commercial deals and construction financing. The keynote address featured award-winning journalist Kevin Newman who spoke on effective leadership, and the trade show featured more than 70 lenders and service providers. IMBA members Bob Andrew, Ted Batcher and Ed Karthaus were inducted into the IMBA Hall of Fame. IMBA members tee off at the annual SummerFest golf tournament 16 • brokerbiz Cover Story The President’s Award was given posthumously to Shayam Kaushal and will hereafter be known as the Shayam Kaushal Memorial Award. Other awards given during the Gala went to Wayne Sudsbury for Professionalism, Glenn May-Anderson for Entrepreneurship, Raj Babber for Marketing and Shane Suepaul for Community Service. Yan Gurevich was given the David P. Nichols Award for Technology. IMBA congratulates all those honoured and encourages all IMBA members to attend the 2010 event. MAY For the third year in a row, IMBA had a booth at RealtorQuest, held May 6 and 7. As a result of the new Mortgage Brokers, Lenders and Associates Act coming into effect in January 2009, IMBA was able to realize a significant increase in members from the real estate community. RealtorQuest was a very successful outreach for those IMBA members whose alternate focus is real estate. We thank Jeff Atlin, Satindar Gill and Lorne Collis for staffing the two-day event. AUGUST Hawk Ridge Golf & Country Club, nestled in the picturesque countryside near Orillia, was the site of IMBA’s SummerFest. Some members chose to spend the day at this premiere 45-hole public golf course, while others took a walk in Scout Valley, a 93-hectare nature park and former Scout camp. Both groups met up at the end of the day for an excellent dinner and networking event. SEPTEMBER The Ottawa Mortgage Symposium was held at the Canadian Aviation Museum on September 15. More than 80 participants were on hand to experience the seminars and the mini-trade show. Seminar topics included an excellent panel discussion on packaging commercial deals effectively. OCTOBER More than 50 participants took the IMBA Challenge at Dave and Buster’s in Concord on October 7. The staff of Dave and Buster’s provided a very IMBA members enjoy the sun and sand on the Mayan Riviera at the annual WinterFest Toronto Toronto Phone:Toronto 416-924-4680 Phone: 416-924-4680 416-924-4680 Fax: Phone: 416-924-4685 Fax: 416-924-4685 Fax: 416-924-4685 Toronto Hamilton Hamilton Hamilton Phone: 416-924-4680 Phone: 905-528-8956 Phone: 905-528-8956 Phone: 905-528-8956 Fax: 905-528-8182 416-924-4685 Fax: Fax: Fax: 905-528-8182 905-528-8182 www.efforttrust.com Hamilton www.efforttrust.com www.efforttrust.com Phone: 905-528-8956 Fax: 905-528-8182 When you need dependable results... www.efforttrust.com When you need dependable results... When you need dependable results... Effort Trust Trust is is your your choice choice Effort When you need dependable results... forTrust Alternative Lending: Effort is your choice for Alternative Lending: for Alternative Effort TrustLending: is yourin choice • Specializing • Specializing in Residential First for Alternative Lending: Residential First Mortgages including Mortgages • Specializing in including Construction Construction Residential First Financing • Specializing in Financing Mortgages including Residential • Broker focusedFirst Construction Mortgages • Broker focusedincluding Financing Construction • Customized to • Customized Financing your clients’ to needs your clients’ needs • Broker focused • Brokercustomer focused • Excellent • Excellent customer service with fast • Customized to fast service with time • Customized to turnaround your clients’ needs turnaround timeneeds your clients’ • Excellent customer • Excellent customer service with fast service with fast turnaround turnaround time time Vol 2 Issue 4 • 17 Cover Story February 10 was a sad day for IMBA as its longtime director Shayam Kaushal loses his courageous battle with cancer circa. 1910 circa. 1910 Times have changed. So has mortgage insurance. Times have changed So has mortgage insura We’ve entered a new age of mortgage insurance, in which innovative and flexible options are available to lenders and borrowers. We’ve entered a new age of mortg Shayam Kaushal’s wife, sister and brother accept the President’s Award on his behalf. The award has now been renamed the insurance, in which innovative and fl Shayam Kaushal Memorial Award With common sense underwriting, customer service excellence and a team of dedicated professionals, we’re helping mortgage professionals close more deals. common exercise sense underwritin exciting new twist on the challenge —With a team-building customer and a t with members competing on different activitiesservice throughexcellence the of dedicated professionals, D&B facility. Carol McKenzie provided another interesting and we’re he informative component of the day with her “Energy through close more d mortgage professionals Synergy” workshop. options are available to lenders and bo NOVEMBER IMBA’s Annual Partners’ Appreciation event was held at the St. Andrew’s Club and Conference Centre on November 5. This is our way of thanking IMBA’s many business partners, volunteers, education instructors and other friends of IMBA. Although it is a private, invitation-only event, more than 175 people attend annually, with many others looking for invitations. AIG is the brand name for American International Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All mortgage insurance products in Canada are underwritten by AIG United Guaranty Mortgage Insurance Company Canada. 18 • brokerbiz No Crops – Circa ad #5 The Belleville Mortgage Symposium was so well received last year that IMBA decided to return to the city for another mortgage symposium and mini-trade show. Held in the historic Empire AIG is the brand name for American International Group, Theatre, the symposium featured an economic update, sessions on subsidiaries. All mortgage insurance products in Canada are marketing for mortgage professionals, avoiding fraud, and tips on by AIG United Guaranty Mortgage Insurance Company packaging successful commercial deals. BB Crops and Bleed IMBA Board Meet the IMBA Board! By Liz Katynski The IMBA Board of Directors includes 12 elected directors, all independent mortgage brokers, and five appointed directors who are industry experts appointed by the board. Read on to learn more about this group of professionals First row, seated: Robert A. Gascon, Treasurer; David Mandel, Past President; Jeff Atlin, President; Margo Wynhofen, Vice President; Malcolm Eccles, Secretary; Second row: Satindar Gill, John Bargis, David Walker, Leslie Fallaise, Martin Marshall, Donna Parissi, Stewart Eadie, Jim Hill, Lou Perrotta, Albert Collu, Dr. Gary Katz (Inset): Jonah Bonn, Appointed Director, IMBA Elected directors PRESIDENT - Jeff Atlin - Abacus Mortgages Ltd., Toronto on the Mortgage Brokerages Lenders and Administrators Act (MBLAA) 2006. After a decade as a banker/lender, Jeff became a mortgage broker. Over 22 years later, Jeff has his CPMB and SCMF designations and is also a certified IMBA instructor. He now focuses on placement of private funds into mortgage investments and providing co-brokering services to firms throughout Canada. From 1988 to 2004, Jeff was a member of OMBA. He served on their board, was involved in various committees and taught the Mortgage Brokers Course from 1987 to 1994. Jeff joined IMBA in 2002 and has chaired the Government Relations Committee since 2004. In that role, he represented members in consultations Favourite saying: “Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity” — Hanlon’s Razor Jeff is happily re-married. He has three children, two step children and a grandson. Vol 2 Issue 4 • 19 IMBA Board VICE PRESIDENT - Margo Wynhofen - Verico One Mortgage Corp., Grimsby Margo obtained her mortgage broker’s registration and formed her own company in 2003. Three years later, she formed Verico One Mortgage Corp, a member of the Verico Mortgage Brokers Network. Margo commits a percentage of sales to charity including the Terry Fox Foundation. She holds an Honours Degree in Economics from the University of Toronto, an Honours Post-Diploma in Financial Services Underwriting from Seneca College and her CPMB. She’s an IMBA instructor, Finance Committee chair, and has been an IMBA director since 2006. Margo rowed with the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in 1998, participates in international long-distance sculling tours and enjoys hiking with her dog, Hairy. Favourite saying: “Be the change you want to see in the world” — Mahatma Gandhi industry standards. With IMBA, he currently serves in the roles of chair of the Education Committee and Family Ski Day Committee. Over the years, Mal has taught OMBA, AMBA and IMBA courses. He holds his CPMB. SECRETARY - Mal Eccles - CIR Mortgage Corp., London Mal has been a mortgage broker since 1973. He is now the owner and broker for CIR Mortgage Corp. in London with branches in Brantford, Chatham and Sarnia. CIR Mortgage Corp. was founded in the mid-1980s. A co-founder of IMBA in 2000, Mal remains dedicated to the development of mandatory continuing education for mortgage brokers and agents. He continues to work on behalf of IMBA members in order to improve their Favourite saying: “Criticism is easy; achievement is difficult. — Winston Churchill TREASURER - Robert (Bob) Gascon - Redwood Mortgage Corporation, Mississauga A mortgage broker since 1987, Bob Gascon is the broker and owner of Redwood Mortgage Corp. based in Mississauga. Throughout his career, Bob has continued to volunteer in various We’re at home with Canadian housing Our commitment to our clients is to provide high quality service on the following: Commercial / Industrial / Residential Mortgages First & Second Mortgage Quick Closing As we have extensive access to private funds, we are able to help with hard to place mortgages with competitive rates and fees to satisfy every mortgage need. Types of properties we specialize in: At CMHC, we’ve been a leader in the Canadian housing industry for more than half a century. For industry tools and videos you’ve never seen before and helpful information you can share with your clients, visit EverythingYouNeed.ca. Mixed Use Single Purpose Strip Plaza Place of Worship Gas Station Industrial/Office Condo Vacant Land Construction Loan Multi-Unit Residential And many more… CMHC. Everything you need to open new doors. With Royal Commercial Mortgage, you can expect a high level of expertise to assist you in funding your deals. Phone: (416) 928-5119/ 628-1520 Fax: (416) 907-4151 Web: www.royalcommercialmortgage.com Email: info@royalcommercialmortgage.com 20 • brokerbiz IMBA Board capacities within his industry. With his wealth of experience, he is focused on helping to promote independent mortgage brokers and mortgage agents in order to help them increase their visibility and increase their share of the market in Ontario. Bob is the chair of the Partner Relations Committee. In 2003, John and his wife Tina started their own company, Mortgage Edge. At that time, they felt the need to support IMBA, an organization they saw as the true voice of their industry, so they joined. Albert Collu - Argentum Mortgage and Finance Corp, Toronto Favourite saying: “Dedication, persistence and hard work leads to being in the right place at the right time” Albert loves hockey. For the last 15 years, he has coached minor hockey at the AA, AAA and Junior A level. He As president of Argentum Mortgage and Finance Corporation, Albert is a diversified senior manager with a wealth of business development and operations experience. Favourite saying: “Treading trodden trails for a long, long time” PAST PRESIDENT - David Mandel - First Equity Financial Corporation, Toronto David earned a BA from York University, and Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Windsor. He built a successful national direct sales company in the 1980s, and started as a mortgage agent with CYR Mortgages in 1989. Construction Financing made In 1993, David became a mortgage broker, principal and shareholder in CYR. In 1998, he started First Equity Financial Corporation, now a successful firm with 14 agents. A member of IMBA since 2003, David is chair of the Planning Committee. He has his CPMB and also served on the board of OMBA in its final year. Favourite saying: “Live the life you love and love the life you live” — Colin James Other elected directors John Bargis - Mortgage Edge, Richmond Hill After more than eight years as a lender with three major financial institutions, in 1989 John became a mortgage broker. He enjoyed working as an independent and grew very passionate about his industry. His career progressed, and he was very successful. From 1999 to 2000, John served as the chairman of the board of CIMBL (now CAAMP), and he was one of the principal founders of Invis Financial. A leading mortgage lender since 1987, specializing in construction financing, development loans and commercial / industrial term loans. Paul Rayment at 416-488-5300, ext. 288 paul.rayment@foremost-financial.com Ivan Stone at 416-488-5300, ext. 222 istone@foremost-financial.com Visit our website at www.foremost-financial.com for complete details and lending matrix. Vol 2 Issue 4 • 21 IMBA Board continues to help local hockey organizations and clubs raise money to help with the cost of tournaments, travel and extra ice time for their players. Becoming a Successful Mortgage Agent course at George Brown College. He enjoys working with IMBA to educate new agents starting out in the industry. He also got members of the Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni, the Ottawa Senators and the Brampton Battalion involved in a high-profile bankers and lenders event he organized in Toronto. He also enjoys running outdoors, science fiction movies, and playing on the Wii game system. Favourite saying: “If you think you can, you’re right. If you think you can’t, you’re still right” Elizabeth (Liz) Doyle - Centum Mortgage Options Inc, Whitby Liz is the broker and owner of CENTUM Mortgage Options Inc. Before becoming a mortgage professional, she worked for two major financial institutions and raised two daughters. Liz joined the industry in 2003 after completing the Financial Services Underwriting Program with Honours at Seneca College. She earned her AMP designation in 2004, joined CAAMP in 2004 and IMBA in 2005. More recently, she also earned her CPMB designation. Over the past few years, Liz has enjoyed teaching the IMBA Mortgage Agent Course. Favourite saying: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently — Warren Buffet Satindar Gill - Mortgage Brokers of Canada Inc, Mississauga Favourite saying: “Making up for the past may jeopardize the future” Gary Katz - Unimor Capital Corporation, Windsor Gary joined the mortgage industry in 1972. Throughout his career as a mortgage broker, he has dedicated himself to both his profession and his community. He has served as a director of IMBA since May 2001 and has his CPMB. Gary served as president for the Windsor Jewish National Fund, and as past-president of the Windsor Jewish Federation. Windsor’s city council appointed him to the City Centre Revitalization Task Force for two consecutive three-year terms. As a director of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Gary has chaired a committee that oversees United Way programs providing services in Windsor. An active volunteer, he has also served with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada for over 20 years and is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor. Favourite saying: “It is not our responsibility to complete the work of G-D but to pass the world to future generations leaving it a better world than the one into which we came” vice president for Ontario. That year, he wrote IMBA’s 10 Steps program and was licensed as an agent. Today Martin is responsible for marketing, business development and recruiting new agents in his job as Ontario sales manager for Homeguard Funding. He is married, enjoys golfing, travelling and watching his daughter play competitive fastball. Favourite saying: “Winners never cheat and cheaters never win” Lou Perrotta - Domus Financial Corporation, Oakville In 1977, Lou started his career with a consumer credit company. Through the 1970s and 1980s, he worked for a mortgage company and a real estate developer. From 1981 to 1988, Lou ran his own general contracting and real estate development business. In 1988, he made the transition to the mortgage financing business. Lou started Domus Financial Corporation in 1992. He earned his CPMB designation in 2007, and joined the IMBA Board in 2001. He has served as president, treasurer and on several committees. Favourite saying: “I’ll either find a way, or make one” — Hannibal Barca, Carthaginian general Appointed directors: Martin Marshall - Homeguard Funding, Toronto Jonah Bonn - Ontario Wealth Management Corporation, Ottawa With IMBA, he has been involved with the Education Committee and the Gala Committee. Martin started his career in 1980 with Household International. In 1998, he joined SunLife Trust to manage their mortgage broker operations for Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. In 2000, he joined the Laurentian Bank group with their acquisition of SunLife Trust. He joined IMBA’s board of directors in 2004. Earlier in his career, Jonah was an auditor at KPMG Chartered Accountants LLP in Toronto. Next, he spent three years working for a land development company based in Ottawa. There, he managed finances and planning functions for a portfolio of urban development parcels. Satindar is a certified IMBA instructor and currently teaches the 10 Steps to In 2007, Martin joined Mortgage Intelligence as regional Now, as a mortgage agent for Ontario Wealth Management Corporation, Satindar has held a real estate agent’s licence for over 20 years and has been a mortgage broker for over 14 years. He is currently the broker-owner of Mortgage Brokers of Canada, a growing company with more than 45 agents. Satindar specializes in residential mortgages. 22 • brokerbiz IMBA Board Jonah is responsible for sourcing and underwriting mortgage transactions including commercial, residential and construction financing. Jonah has both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Ottawa and a Masters degree in Management and Professional Accounting from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Stewart got his start in the financial services industry as a teller with a major trust company. He worked his way up to branch management, and he enjoyed increased responsibility in jobs that took him to various locations including Kapuskasing, North Bay, Sudbury, Toronto and Ottawa. — John Maynard Keynes Jim Hill - Home Trust Company, Toronto Jim started out in the industry with Associates in 1976. He went on to work for the Bank of Nova Scotia for five years and then joined The Permanent (now Canada Trust) as a regional credit manager for Southwestern Ontario. Jim joined Home Trust Company in 1988. At that time, it was a $100million company with only eight staff in Toronto. Home Trust has grown into a $5-billion company with 250 staff. Leaders in Real Estate Lending Stewart was appointed as an IMBA director in September, 2007 and chairs the Association Relations Committee. Favourite saying: “Being Irish, I have an abiding sense of tragedy which sustains me through brief episodes of joy” — with apologies to W.B. Yeats C M Y CM She enjoys volunteer work, most recently taking part in a Director emeritus Favourite saying: “I would rather be vaguely correct than precisely wrong” Today, David is vice-president, originations & non-conforming operations, for CIBC FirstLine Mortgages Inc. In Jim is married and has two daughters; this position, he is responsible for 250 he enjoys golf, travelling, and is a big carevest_tombstone2009ad.pdf 2/5/2009 5:04:31 PM employees in five branches. Hamilton Tiger Cats fan. BB Since 1995, Stewart has been marketing technology to the mortgage broker and lending communities as vice president, business development, with inContact Inc. Donna was appointed to the IMBA board in 2008 and is chair of the Annual Conference Committee. Favourite quote: “The best things in life are not things” David started his career in 1974 as a manager trainee with BMO. He moved up to senior credit management positions with Canada Trust, Cabot Trust, The Associates, CitiFinancial, N-Brook Mortgage Corp. and Merix Financial. His education includes a Bachelor of Science degree and an MBA. Stewart Eadie - inContact Inc., Stoney Creek Donna worked in the real estate sales and mortgage brokerage sectors before she became the first account executive to join AIG United Guaranty in 2006. Her knowledge and experience help her to understand and appreciate the unique needs of mortgage brokers and mortgage agents. David is a longtime member of IMBA. David Walker - FirstLine Mortgages, Toronto Favourite saying: “Always tell the truth; it’s easier to remember” Donna Parissi - AIG United Guaranty, Toronto three-week build project with Habitat for Humanity in Vanuatu in the South Pacific in 2003. She was the only Canadian on the hands-on team, which got to know the locals and learn about their language, traditions and culture. Land Acquisition Loan Ottawa, ON $9,000,000 First mortgage in land development site Land Acquisition Loan Port Glasgow, ON $1,155,000 First mortgage in land development site Construction Loan Thornbury, ON $6,678,000 First mortgage in residential subdivision MY CY CMY K Construction Loan Grande Prairie, AB $6,485,000 First mortgage in 63,360 sq ft industrial building Construction Loan Surrey, BC $14,017,000 First mortgage in residential subdivision Land Acquisition Loan Victoria, BC $16,000,000 First mortgage in land development site Tom Reece Broker 905-884-9245 tomr@carevest.com Mortgage Broker License #M08000131 www.carevest.com CareVest Mortgage Broker License #10293 Vol 2 Issue 4 • 23 Committee Update Progress Report 24 • brokerbiz By Liz Katynski A look at what IMBA’s committees have been up to in the last quarter Professional Standards Committee Association Relations Committee After a number of years of hard work and consultations, the Professional Standards Committee has succeeded in setting an academic requirement for mortgage broker accreditation. Members will hear more about this shortly. The Association Relations Committee is the committee that meets with the two other provincial mortgage broker associations: Mortgage Brokers Association of British Columbia (MBABC) and the Alberta Mortgage brokers Association (AMBA), as well as the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (CAAMP). In the past, mortgage brokers could obtain their CPMA and CPMB designations with minimal credentials, earning points and taking an IMBA exam. People with the absolute minimal requirement, a three-hour mortgage broker course, and little professional experience, were being designated mortgage professionals. Many seasoned professionals found this situation unacceptable and wanted to incorporate an academic requirement to raise professional designation standards and better reflect a professional image in the industry. The committee meets with the presidents of the other associations at each of their annual conferences. At each meeting, each association updates the others on matters affecting their membership. Over the past two years, the major focus was on the new Ontario mortgage broker legislation and rules affecting mortgage syndication in Alberta. From now on, earning the CPMA and CPMB accreditations will entail completing 10 required courses offered by IMBA through Seneca College. Courses can be completed either online or in class. There is an exam following each course. At the MBABC meeting in Vancouver in April, IMBA reminded members how they all depend on the financial support of the same sponsors, including lenders, insurers, industry vendors and suppliers. For that reason, it is important that they do not book their events at the same time or too closely together. The new requirements will apply to those seeking their designations for the first time. All those with CPMA and CPMB designation will not have to take the courses to qualify again for accreditation. But the continuing education requirements to keep CPMA and CPMB designations current will continue to apply to all. To this end, everyone agreed to respect the traditional dates for each association’s events, and to create a two-year industry calendar in which associations will note their booked dates well in advance and check for potential conflicts with other events. This new initiative has been well received. Committee chair: Albert Collu, acollu@argentummortgages.ca Committee chair: Stewart Eadie, stewart@incontact.ca Committee Update Events Committee On August 21, IMBA hosted another very successful SummerFest golf tournament at the beautiful Hawk Ridge Golf Course in Orillia. Over 250 mortgage professionals and industry partners enjoyed a beautiful day on the links followed by a delicious dinner. As always, a portion of net proceeds were donated to charity. This year, the money went to Parkinson Society Canada. The third annual Family Ski Day is set for February 15 at Osler Bluffs in Collingwood, just 90 minutes north of Toronto. Details will be released shortly. It’s almost time again for ‘Networking While Notworking.’ That’s the theme for the annual WinterFest International Conference. This year, the 8th annual conference will be held at the exotic Breezes Runaway Bay Resort in Jamaica from January 30 to February 6. It is the place to be for mortgage brokers who want to get together with their colleagues for business sessions and networking opportunities, and to escape another harsh Canadian winter. Allinclusive, four-day and seven-day packages are available. Committee chair: Martin Marshall, martin@homeguardfunding.com Communications Committee The Communications Committee continues to work for members to produce four informative issues of the IMBA quarterly magazine BrokerBiz every year and IMBA’s monthly electronic newsletter The Voice. In the past, the electronic newsletter was distributed every two weeks, but members requested a less frequent distribution. So now The Voice will provide a monthly update to members. Ideas for future editions of BrokerBiz and The Voice, and for future association events, are welcome. Please contact BrokerBiz executive editor Leslie Fallaise at 416-231-2422 or lfallaise@redwoodmortgage.ca. Committee chair: Martin Marshall, martin@homeguardfunding.com IMBA_Half-PageAd_0909.pdf 1 09/04/2009 9:42:28 AM Service never goes out of style. It just appreciates. C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Thank you for voting First National, Best Lender In Canada, it’s truly an honour to be recognized again by the broker community. We’re committed to maintaining the best-in-class service standards that you have come to expect from us, and the entire First National team thanks you. Contact an Account Manager today and we’ll show you what Service First can mean for you. Fast Turnaround We respond to 90% of broker mortgage submissions in under 4 hours. Access Merlin and Merlin mobile - Canada’s leading mortgage approval & tracking system ensures you stay connected to the status of your deals 24/7. Solutions Rate plans and flexible mortgage features to suit almost any lifestyle. Earn Higher commissions through the Wizard Rewards Program. Toronto Office: 800.465.0039 firstnational.ca Delivering Service. Creating Solutions. Building Success. Vol 2 Issue 4 • 25 Committee Update Government Relations Committee The Government Relations Committee has been busy in discussions with provincial and federal government, especially the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) and Federal Finance. They have been consulting with FSCO on updates to the private mortgage investor disclosure form to match the requirements of the Mortgage Brokerages Lenders and Administrators (MBIAA) Act 2006. As the new Act has now been completely implemented, they are also looking at concerns including fee renewals and communication. They sit on the Provincial Advisory Group on Marijuana Grow Ops and Illicit Drug Labs. The group is trying to develop a way to make borrowers and lenders aware of the condition of such properties without stigmatizing them permanently. If it was a former grow op or drug lab, was it fixed up properly? How could people know? The idea is to make it harder to use homes as grow ops and drug labs. The discussion continues. The new National Securities Legislation (NI 31-103) will have an impact on mortgage brokerages and administrators but exactly how remains to be determined. For example, it may affect how corporations raise money and administer themselves. Also, it removes the Mortgage Syndication Exemption although the committee fought for this exemption to be put back in the Ontario Mortgage Brokers Act about five years ago. The committee expresses concern about the loss of the mortgage syndication exemption in some provinces. They don’t want it to set a precedent for Ontario to remove the provincial exemption they fought so hard for a few years ago, and it can be confusing in multijurisdictional situations. It looks like a harmonized tax is coming in Ontario, so the committee is looking at how the HST might affect the mortgage industry. Where GST is applied, they assume PST will also be added. So that means an additional eight per cent tax on real estate agent commissions, new homes over $400,000, and more. There seems to be some potential conflict in terms of when the Mortgages Act or Tarion’s Legislation might apply, so the committee is looking at how mortgagees can ensure they are protected. For example, the Tarion new home warranty is not required by individuals but is by third parties. If an individual starts building a home, defaults on the mortgage and a third party takes it over, it can be costly to qualify for Tarion. It can also be confusing to determine which act should take precedence in any given situation. Committee chair: Jeff Atlin, jeff@abacusmortgages.net Governance Committee The Governance Committee is working on some significant changes to IMBA’s bylaws. Their proposed changes, the first in a few years, will be presented to members for their consideration in the next few months. Members will vote on them. Speaking of voting, IMBA’s bylaws allow for electronic voting but none has been done to date. That may soon change. The Governance Committee is working out the details, and if all goes well, electronic voting may be an alternative to the mail-in vote option in the next board election that will be held before this year’s AGM. The opportunity to vote electronically will allow for greater participation of members in future IMBA elections and on other occasions. Committee chair: Jeff Atlin, jeff@abacusmortgages.net COMMERCIAL LENDING DONE RIGHT... ...FOR OVER 30 YEARS - Specializing in Commercial Mortgage Lending: $500,000 to $5,000,000+ - Construction - Bridge Financing - Equity Take Down - Quick Turn-around Financing for projects in southern Ontario - Competitive Rates Contact Mickey Baratz 416-483-8018 ext 233 - Brokers Protected Brokerage # 10160 Vector Financial Services Limited 26 • brokerbiz Committee Update Treasury Report The Independent Mortgage Brokers Association of Ontario has worked hard in 2009 to be fiscally sound and continue to offer services and value to its members. After reporting a modest deficit for 2008, the IMBA Board implemented a number of spending reforms, a purchase order system, a contract signing policy and a plan to build a reserve fund for that rainy day in the future. Partner Relations Committee It’s an Olympic year and in that spirit, IMBA has developed compelling new sponsorship packaging for 2010. In the past, IMBA sold a number of jewelled sponsorship packages with names including diamond and ruby. In 2010, IMBA will sell Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze packages as well as some à la carte items to sponsors with smaller budgets. Sponsorship has also gone green in 2010. For the first time this year, packages were sent out electronically instead of in print. ship campaign is expected to be highly successful, raising even more money than last year. Sponsorship money that is raised helps support IMBA’s SummerFest, gala, annual conference, and other events. It also supports symposiums and professional development sessions that bring relevant speakers on industry topics to mortgage brokers across the province. To thank all business partners, instructors and volunteers, IMBA will host its second annual Partners’ Appreciation Event on November 5 at the St. Andrew’s Club in Toronto. Last year’s event was a great success and the appreciation reception will now become an annual tradition. By vigorously tightening its belt, IMBA The sponsorship campaign began on will be reporting a modest surplus for Committee co-chairs: Jim Hill, October 5 and, within a week, well 2009. While in some cases revenues are jim.hill@hometrust.ca, and Robert over $60,000 in sponsorship commitlower than originally projected, expenses Gascon, rgascon@redwoodmortgage.ca ments were made. The 2010 sponsorProject7 6/5/08 1:07 PM Page 1 have been held to an all-time minimum, thus enabling the delivery of a surplus in Project7 6/5/08 1:07 PM Page 1 an otherwise financially fraught economy. A conservative, fiscally conscientious budget has been developed and approved for 2010. IMBA had its firstProject7 increase in 6/5/08 annual membership dues in 2009 since its inception in 2001. This was a modest $15.00 annual hike to meet the rising tide of inflation. IMBA has no short- or medium-term plans to increase its annual membership fee in the future. 1:07 PM Page 1 IMBA has been busy renovating and upgrading its website, www.IMBA.ca. A new database and customer service software have been purchased and will be implemented in the new year. The website will feature a clean new look and feel. It will be very user friendly and easy to navigate, enabling IMBA members and the public to access timely information about IMBA programs, education, up-to-date legislative information and much, much more. With a firm financial footing in place for the future, IMBA will continue to deliver premium programs and educational products to the mortgage industry in Ontario. Treasurer: Robert A. Gascon, rgascon@ redwoodmortgage.ca Vol 2 Issue 4 • 27 Committee Update Planning Committee Education Committee The Planning Committee was revitalized with a roundtable discussion at SummerFest in Orillia this summer. Their mandate is to review IMBA’s mission statement and to suggest a five-year strategic plan to increase the organization’s membership numbers, promote the organization, and take it strongly into the future. The Education Committee wants to improve the quality of the mortgage broker industry through further education. The committee will look at IMBA’s existing planning documents and the current mission statement. They will consider how the organization is different from the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (CAAMP) and how it can offer specific value to its members who tend to be individual mortgage brokers who need a voice. They will analyze the organization’s strengths and weaknesses and develop a plan to move forward, including recommended initiatives with very specific tangible actions to help them get there. It is all about refining what IMBA is doing, and doing it even better. Committee co-chairs: Margo Wynhofen, margo@mymortgageadvisor.ca, and Jonah Bonn, jbonn@owemanco.com Committee chair Mal Eccles believes that continuing education should be mandatory in Ontario. Few professional associations do not have a requirement for professional development. Lawyers, financial advisors, real estate appraisers, real estate brokers and sales all do. Continuing education is an important part of any profession, but many ask if it should be mandatory. For example, in Alberta, since 2006, there have been mandatory continuing education requirements for mortgage brokers and agents. Those who do not complete them cannot renew their licences, or may be fined. both in the classrooms in Toronto and by correspondence. Correspondence students also have the support of an instructor through scheduled conference calls. Committee chair: Mal Eccles, mal@cirmortgage.com Membership Committee The Membership Committee’s mandate is to build membership. Their role is to bring in new members and increase the total number of IMBA members from year to year. The committee’s role is to determine how to accomplish this goal and help make it happen. Eccles knows that continuing education would increase credibility in the Ontario industry too, and although some may frown upon it initially, they will come to realize it will work to their advantage. He continues to carry the torch for mandatory continuing education for mortgage brokers, mortgage agents and mortgage practitioners in Ontario. Overall, as a professional association, IMBA is always working to increase membership. With more members, the organization will have an even stronger voice in relevant discussions with regulatory authorities and others. IMBA is the voice and the association for independent mortgage brokers in Ontario. Since 2000, they have encouraged professionals to join them to network and work together to better their industry. BB The Education Committee is now developing further education. As well, they continue to run the mortgage agent courses Committee co-chairs: John Bargis, jbargis@mortgageedge.ca, and Satindar Gill, sgill@mbcbrokers.com A Non-Bank Lender Providing Construction, Bridge and Short Term Real Estate Finance Recent Transactions: $3,200,000 Mortgage Investment Trust For Lending Inquiries Please Contact: Michael Carragher Tel: (416) 635-0221 Fax: (416) 635-1713 1244 Caledonia Road Toronto, ON M6A 2X5 mcarragher@FirmCapital.com Ontario License #: 10164 www.FirmCapital.com 28 • brokerbiz SECOND MORTGAGE $9,600,000 FIRST MORTGAGE $2,150,000 FIRST MORTGAGE $2,500,000 FIRST MORTGAGE Construction loan on 14 townhouse units & 28 semi-detached units Construction loan on 19 loft condominium units Construction loan for 8 townhouse units Inventory loan on 7 townhouse units MacVean Drive Brampton, Ontario Brunswick Avenue Toronto, Ontario Bathurst Street Toronto, Ontario Bloor Street West Toronto, Ontario Construction Multi-Residential Investment Properties Industry Feature Making sense of MICs What brokers need to know about securities law issues for mortgage investment corporations By Martin Aquilina W ith the coming into force of National Instrument 31-103 – Registration Requirements and Exemptions (NI 31-103) on September 28, 2009, operators of mortgage investment corporations (MICs) now have additional reasons to worry about enforcement actions by securities regulators. Although we are not aware of any such action being taken to date, this may be due more to a lack of resources on the regulators’ part than to the strength of their legal position. Also, the rather good returns enjoyed by MICs, and the ensuing lack of complaints by investors, as well as their relatively small size and numbers, have probably helped to keep them off the regulators’ radar. Although this may come as a surprise to many MIC promoters, mortgages are, by law, securities. The relevance of this characterization lies in the fact that securities legislation imposes a registration (licensing) requirement upon individuals and entities that sell securities as well as an obligation to provide purchasers of securities with a prospectus explaining the attributes of the investment and the business of the issuer. The prospectus must be approved by local regulators and provided to investors by the issuer’s dealer no later than 48 hours after the purchase of the investment. As a general rule, mortgage brokers need not worry about the impact of securities laws on their daily activities as adherence to mortgage brokerage legislation is all that is required to stay Vol 2 Issue 4 • 29 Industry Feature on the right side of regulatory laws. This fortunate result is due to the fact that mortgages are “exempt” securities, meaning, firstly, that those who trade in mortgages do not require registration under local securities laws and secondly, that a prospectus is not necessary for a person to present a deal to a lender or borrower, as long as the mortgage is on real property located in Canada and the person is licensed (or exempt from licensing) under the mortgage broker/ dealer legislation of the jurisdiction in which the property is located. Shares are the most obvious form of securities and, while the underlying The MIC angle mortgages are exempt, the shares themselves are clearly not Syndicated mortgages are an exception to the rule as those transacting them in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec and Saskatchewan must be registered as a securities dealer unless another exemption is available. Syndicated mortgages must also be qualified by prospectus unless an exemption is available. Where do MICs fit into all this? MICs of course are pools of mortgages held under a corporate structure through which lenders make their capital available to borrowers in return for shares in the corporation. The corporation is set up by the mortgage broker to hold the mortgages, and the 4 Nights (Jan 30 - Feb 3, 2010) Double Occupancy $ 1625.00 pp Single Occupancy $ 1839.00 pp 7 Nights (Jan 30 - Feb 6, 2010) Double Occupancy $ 1975.00 pp Single Occupancy $ 2379.00 pp (Taxes included) For any questions, changes, or upgrades please contact Laurie Bertrand, Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Laurie Bertrand Toll Free: 1 (800) 561-4275 email: lbertrand@carlsonwagonlit.net 232 Brock St., Peterborough, ON K9H 2P4 30 • brokerbiz shares held by the lenders represent their proportionate interest in the mortgage pool. Lenders mitigate their risk by spreading their capital across many mortgages, and borrowers are able to access large ready-made pools of money for loans they might not otherwise be able to get. Everyone’s happy, right? Well… everyone except the regulators! Shares are the most obvious form of securities, and while the underlying mortgages are exempt, the shares themselves are clearly not. This means that they must be sold under prospectus by registered securities dealers unless an exemption from both of these requirements is available. Exemptions that are available to MICs vary from one province to another and include the accredited investor exemption, the $150,000 minimum purchase amount exemption, the offering memorandum exemption and the family, friends and business associates exemption. Prior to the adoption of NI 31-103, a “limited market dealer” (LMD) registration was required in Ontario and Newfoundland to sell an exempt security notwithstanding the existence of a registration exemption. Under NI 31-103, the LMD category has been replaced with that of “exempt market dealer” (EMD), which will be required by the provinces east of Manitoba in order to sell or market securities that are not qualified by prospectus. In the rest of Canada, with the possible exception of Saskatchewan, an EMD registration may not be required in connection with the sale of MIC shares under any of the four exemptions above, subject to a number of conditions. Registration requirements for EMDs are more stringent than those for LMDs. Generally speaking, EMDs are subject to the same rules as full-service dealers. This means that they must comply with proficiency, solvency, insurance and reporting requirements, as well as know-your-client, conflict of interest and client disclosure rules. Industry Feature Investment fund manager Moreover, NI 31-103 now requires that administrators of investment funds, meaning those that direct the business, operations or affairs of an investment fund, obtain registration as an investment fund manager (IFM). Since all MICs, whether they restrict the right to redeem shares or process redemptions on demand, fall within the definition of “investment fund,” and since none of the three possible exemptions from the IFM requirement will be available to the typical MIC, it follows that an IFM registration is now needed to operate a compliant MIC. As is the case with those in the EMD category, registrants in the IFM category must meet certain insurance and capital requirements and appoint a chief compliance officer (CCO). One significant problem for MIC operators is that the proficiency requirements for CCOs are not designed to be met by those in the mortgage industry. To make matters even more difficult, additional registration as a portfolio manager (PM) is needed to allow the management of a securities portfolio (which includes a pool of mortgages). As is the case with an IFM registration, exemptions from the PM requirement will not be readily available to the typical MIC promoter. MICs were created by the feds in the early ’70s to stimulate home ownership in Canada. However, the rules that govern them have been and continue to be in large measure those enacted by provincial legislatures and authorities for the regulation of securities. This is most unfortunate as it has been our experience that MICs are packaged and promoted by people in the mortgage industry rather than by those with a securities background. This has resulted in a regulatory regime which is, if not inadequate, then at least beyond the reasonable grasp of most MIC 0 1 2B0ACK ON K C A R T operators. With the move afoot to establish a single Canadian securities regulator administering a federal Securities Act the time may be ripe for reform. BB Martin Aquilina is a partner in the Ottawa office of Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, practicing in the area of business law with a focus on corporate and securities matters. He is counsel to a number of mortgage investment corporations. Test Your Skill Answer Key The answer is ‘D’ April 22, 2010 Toronto Congress Centre 650 Dixon Rd., Toronto “Ontario’s Premier Mortgage Conference & Trade Show” Keynote Speaker: Arlene Dickinson from CBC’s Dragon’s Den Gala Awards Night April 21st Join us at Mardi Gras Vol 2 Issue 4 • 31 Holiday Special It’s a By Nestor Gula celebration! Nowhere in the world are there so many different traditions celebrated over the holiday season as there are in Canada. In this special feature, BrokerBiz looks at what some IMBA members will be doing over the holidays M any, many years ago, when most countries were monotheistic, everybody participated in religious celebrations at the same time, in the same way. Welcome to the 21st century! There are very few nations made up of one ethnic or cultural group, and Canada is arguably the most diverse of the lot. So just how are Canadians celebrating over the holidays? ® The most visible celebration is Christmas. The marketing hype starts just after Halloween and continues on till Boxing Day. There have been many controversies swirling around the “ownership” of Christmas, where traditionalists have attempted to claim it as a purely Christian event, while secularists and other religious groups have purported that Christmas belongs to everybody. The most visible non-Christian celebration occurring around the same time is the eight-day Jewish holiday Call us Multi-Family Rental Properties Senior’s Housing Projects Commercial Properties Construction Projects Phone: Fax: Email: 32 • brokerbiz 416-304-2078 416-368-3328 michaell@peoplestrust.com Roslyn Goldmintz, owner of RBG Realty Mortgage Brokerage Group Inc., says that Hanukkah is not a heavily religious time, like Passover. “It is family time. Gathering with friends and family and celebrating,” she explains. “We exchange simple gifts, chocolate coins and similar items.” Goldmintz mentions that the ubiquitous Hanukkah gift, the Dreidel, a four-sided wooden spinning top, does make an appearance. CMHC & Conventional Mortgages for: Michael Lombard Hanukkah, known as the festival of lights. This holiday celebrates the rededication of Jerusalem’s Holy Temple in the second century BC. It falls on December 12 in 2009. Ontario Branch 1801-130 Adelaide St. West Toronto ON M5H 3P5 www.peoplestrust.com For many Christians, it comes as quite a surprise that Jesus is quite prominent in the Qur’an, the main religious text of Islam. El Sala, a broker for Ottawa’s Bank Street Mortgage Company, says, “We do have Christmas – we celebrate Christmas as well. Our religion recognizes Jesus as a prophet and the same story that’s in the Bible is in the Qur’an.” “I grew up in northern Jordan where it was two-thirds Muslim and onethird Christian,” continues Sala. “We celebrate it just the same way as everybody else does. We have dinner, we have family gatherings.” Since those who follow Muhammad do not eat pork, the meal differs. “We don’t Holiday Special have ham. We have lamb or turkey,” says Sala. Although his family does exchange gifts, “there is no mythology behind the gift giving. We don’t have a Santa Claus, but we give gifts to the kids and each other. It is a good time for the family. We celebrate as most North Americans do.” Christmas at a different time Tino Brelak, an independent mortgage consultant located in the west end of Toronto, celebrates Christmas as a Christian except he does this in January. He is a Ukrainian Catholic and his wife is Serbian Orthodox and both of these churches, like many Orthodox ones, tend to follow the old Julian calendar where Christmas Eve falls on January 6 and Christmas day on the seventh. “My wife and I both celebrate on the seventh — that is Christmas day,” says Brelak. “Serbians are the same. The Serbian Orthodox Church is very similar to the Ukrainian Catholic one.” The traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of 12 meatless courses that symbolize the 12 disciples of Jesus. “We go to my parents on the sixth, for Rizdvoh, (the Ukrainian Christmas Eve) and visit my wife’s parents on the seventh.” to Christmas, “although Diwali is close.” Celebrated in 2009 on October 17, it will be held on November 5 in 2010. For Diwali, Gill says that the tradition is to go to the Temple, light candles and visit friends and family. Diwali originated as a Hindu festival and is known as the Festival of Lights (just like Hanukkah — although there is no connection). During this holiday, believers traditionally light small clay oil lamps to symbolize the victory of good over evil within the individual. says. “You can call it our version of Christmas … It is basically spending lots of time with the family and sharing. We get together with the family, the inlaws, have meals, exchange gifts.” Gill, a broker with Mortgage Broker of Canada Inc. in Mississauga, says that although his Sikh heritage is important, his family also celebrates Christmas. “I celebrate Christmas with parties, with friends and family,” he notes. “We have a Christmas tree. We have Santa Claus if we throw a party. I even dressed as Santa Claus on one occasion.” With two children seven and eight years old, Anand wants to make sure they get exposed to all cultures. “We have friends who have married outside our culture so we do get exposure from that end,” he says. “I try to share the joy of the season. Canada is such a multi-cultural society. I have a lot of friends who aren’t Indian; they share Diwali with me and I share Christmas with them. We try to immerse ourselves and not separate ourselves. Canada is our home.” BB Amit Anand, a broker with Toronto’s The Money Source, also celebrates Diwali. “We just had our Diwali,” he “The gifts are usually money,” continues Anand. “This is usually a token for them to buy something new. Instead of giving a gift you give them money. This is the custom that we follow in our family. Others may do it a different way but the basics are the same.” This is not to say that, like many Canadians, Brelak doesn’t incorporate a bit of Canada’s most prominent festivity into his family’s life. “Before we had our daughter, we had a great activity on the December 24,” he says.” We would go out to a big party. It is the biggest Serbian party of the year in the GTA. It is called ‘It is not my Christmas party!’ Everybody is there.” Growing up in Bosnia-Herzegovina, a province in the then-Yugoslavia, Brelak’s family would also exchange gifts on December 19, the Feast of St. Nicholas. “We used to do St. Nicholas day back home when we were kids,” he says, “But now we exchange Christmas gifts on December 25. Traditionally there are no gifts given or exchanged on January 6 or 7.” Celebrating good over evil As a Sikh, Satindar Gill notes that his religion has no real comparable holiday Vol 2 Issue 4 • 33 LegalCorner By Derrick Leue Legal action An E&O policy will save the day if the unimaginable happens and you’re served with a statement of claim. Read on to see what happens I magine this… You return to the office after a successful client meeting and find a very thick package addressed to you from a law firm that you do not recognize. You hope the contents are closing documents. But unfortunately, that sinking feeling in your stomach is justified. You have been served with a statement of claim. While reading through the statement of claim, you discover that it relates to a mortgage you arranged two years ago. The allegations from the plaintiff make it appear as though you had never arranged a mortgage before. Initial feelings of shock quickly turn to anger. You are about to pick up the phone to call your client, who is suing you for an outrageous amount of money. But then you remember that all licensed brokers and agents in Ontario have purchased a professional liability policy, often referred to as an errors & omissions policy, or E&O. 34 • brokerbiz What do you do now? Legal defence If you are an agent, contact your principal broker and let them know you have been served with a statement of claim. The principal broker should contact your E&O insurance broker immediately and let them know you have been served with a statement of claim. Do not retain your own legal counsel before you speak with the claims representatives from the E&O insurer. A major benefit of the E&O policy is the legal defence provided. The E&O insurer will handle the defence of the claim. You can prejudice the position of the insurer by hiring independent legal counsel, and therefore jeopardize your coverage via your E&O policy. Your broker will ask you to send them a copy of the statement of claim. It is important to secure all documents remotely related to the file. You should take the time to make any additional notes that you may recall in relation to the file in question. Documentation is critical when defending professional negligence claims. Providing extensive documentation can significantly reduce defence costs and increase the probability of a smaller claim. A representative from the E&O insurer will then contact you within two to four business days to review the claim details and obtain any additional information. Your E&O insurer will retain a law firm highly experienced in defending professional negligence claims against mortgage brokers. Approximately 40 to 45 per cent of professional liability claims (across various professional disciplines) do not result in damages/indemnity being paid out on behalf of the professional being sued. This means that a high percentage of lawsuits are likely frivolous in nature. Without an E&O policy you would be required to retain your own legal counsel. The average billable rate is more than $250 per hour and in many cities over $300 per Legal Corner hour. Another cost is the time you will have to invest to select a lawyer experienced in defending professional negligence claims (not to mention claims involving mortgage brokers). You are not going to want to base your selection process on the lawyer charging the lowest hourly rate. You are not going to want to miss the opportunity to work with new clients. FSCO mandates E&O Insurance An E&O policy is like having a lawyer on retainer. Every other week we speak with brokerages that have received their first statement of claim. In many cases these brokerages have been in business for over 10 years. Even if you operate an extremely professional brokerage and manage your risk exposures, you cannot control everything, especially the following: Aggressive plaintiff lawyers. Remember, it costs the plaintiff nothing to add your name to a statement of claim stemming from an incident that you may not be responsible for. Agents. There is a greater possibility of experiencing a claim when you have agents operating under your brokerage because you cannot oversee every action of every agent. For this reason, your E&O policy should cover the services rendered by all agents operating under your brokerage. Difficult economic conditions. Claims increase when property values are falling because mortgagees often experience a loss of capital and are looking to blame someone. Mortgagors are more likely to experience economic hardship through job losses and are looking for ways to recoup or at least minimize their losses. Having access to legal defence through your E&O insurer is important because you are required to respond to the claim by serving a Statement of Defence and filing a copy with the court. You have a limited number of days to respond, typically less than 20 days. If that is not done, the person suing will usually be entitled to judgment without further notice to the defendant, i.e., you. Will claims affect my future E&O premiums? Were you found negligent? That is, did the insurer pay damages on your behalf? If so, then you will likely experience a surcharge upon the renewal of your policy. If not, then your insurer is unlikely to surcharge your renewal rate due to the claim. Are you buying your E&O policy through an association program? If so, then the program insurer will be much more inclined to keep your rates stable if you had a claim where only legal defence was required or if the payout of damages was quite small. When you buy through a program you are part of a much larger premium pool and the risk for the insurance company is spread across hundreds of brokerages. This will typically lead to much more stable rates over the long term. Risk management E&O insurance should become an important part of your risk management strategy. You can minimize your exposure to a claim through better professional practices; however, you cannot eliminate the risk. You have worked too hard to put your company’s assets and personal assets at risk. In future editions of BrokerBiz we will provide examples of the types of claims being brought against mortgage brokers throughout Canada. Unfortunately, the frequency of claims is rising as our society becomes more litigious and the duty of care expected of professionals increases. BB IMBA insurance program: IMBA offers members an industry-leading E&O Liability insurance program. To learn more, visit www.lms.ca/imba or contact Andrew Spencer, IMBA program development manager at LMS PROLINK Ltd. He can be reached at 800-663-6828, ext. 7715 or e.andrews@lms.ca. Derrick Leue is vice president, insurance programs at LMS PROLINK Ltd. Property Appraisals Ellens & Associates provides a wide variety of valuations for purposes which include the following: n Acquisition/Sale n Assessment Appeals n Capital Gains Our Agents Come First For further information contact: Join our team or mortgage professionals and let us help you achieve your goals. Colin Mason V.P. Sales & Marketing 3231 Langstaff Rd. Suite 204 Concord, ON L4K 4L2 1-877-732-2801 x205 comason@morcan.ca Brokerage Lic.# 10687 n Employment Relocation n Insurance Valuations n Litigation Support n Mortgage Financing n Partial Takings n Estate Planning n Power of Sale n Expropriations n Rental Surveys n GST Valuation n Subdivision of Land 25 Main Street West, Suite 2220, Hamilton, Ontario L8P 1H1 Tel: (905) 577-0403 Fax: (905) 577-0481 E-mail: jake@ellens.on.ca www.ellens.on.ca Vol 2 Issue 4 • 35 Professional Profile A prestigious honour Gary Katz, right, about to receive his Honorary Doctorate of Law from Windsor’s Assumption University One of IMBA’s own, Gary Katz, is conferred the title of Honorary Doctor of Law for his remarkable and generous volunteer work G ary Katz is not a man to take life sitting down. The seasoned mortgage professional has led — or sat on — more boards than one can easily list, from the Windsor Jewish Federation to our very own IMBA. He has long been involved in ‘Big Brothers’ to needy children and has participated in various peace missions to the Middle East. He’s built up a successful mortgage business and is now working on a foundation. He’s trekked the Himalayas twice, travelled the world and spent a quarter century privately studying Hebrew philosophy under various rabbis. Somewhere along the way, he also managed to raise two wonderful children. Is there anything Gary Katz hasn’t done? Perhaps, but give him time. He’s a young 62 and shows no signs of slowing down, especially when it comes to an area close to his heart: giving back. “I’ve always believed in giving back,” says Katz. “That’s what it’s all about, doing things because you want to do them from your heart and soul and spirit. I’m a huge supporter of that, and that’s what motivates me in everything I do.” 36 • brokerbiz There are many multi-taskers these days, but few have dedicated as much of themselves to worthy causes as Katz has, and his efforts have not gone unnoticed. At a special ceremony in October, Katz was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law at Windsor’s Assumption University. The institution wanted to pay homage to three notable representatives of the city’s Jewish community, including one who excelled in the area of charitable and humanitarian endeavours. Katz was an obvious choice. “Gary is someone who is not defined by his financial and business success, but by the fact that he espouses volunteerism,” explains Lou Perrotta, a director on the IMBA Board. “Gary’s service to local communities and organizations, as well as international ones, not only make him a better person, but those organizations benefit greatly from his contributions of time, energy and experience.” Katz has long been involved in numerous not-for-profit groups both in Windsor and beyond. This includes sitting on the board of directors of the Windsor Rotary Club 1918 and Essex County’s Mental Health Association, and holding the position of past president of the Jewish National Fund and Windsor’s Jewish Community Federation. He is also one of the founding Professional Profile fathers of the Art Council of Windsor & Region as well as IMBA, where he continues to sit on the board. These are just some of the organizations Katz has been involved with. Personal motivation What has motivated this life of volunteering? In part, it all began with a personal tragedy and the generous hand of others. “My father died when I was nine, and I was fortunate to have a big brother from the Jewish Big Brother Association. That’s where it all started,” explains Katz. “I learned right away what it means when people contribute. I was lucky there were people there for me.” Katz is still connected to his little brother and big brother today, and he’s not scared to roll up his sleeves and get down in the trenches when the need arises, handing out food at soup kitchens for instance. He believes that what comes around, goes around, and that helping others will often do more good for the giver than the receiver. “Nature has a funny way of repaying for positive energy,” he explains. “You don’t always know where it’s going to come from — it may come with good health, prosperity — but I believe that if you put honest energy into things that there is a balance.” This has certainly rung true for Katz in his professional life. He was only in his late twenties when he started up his brokerage, Unimor Capital Corporation, which grew into one of Windsor’s most successful mortgage houses, with a staff of 30 at one point. Now semi-retired, Katz remains a minor shareholder in the company, and runs his own investment firm, Unity Holding Corporation. He is also the director of his own foundation, the Peace Foundation, which will move funds to charitable causes that he and his co-founders support. “Most of my day now is spent on managing my own portfolios in both mortgages and real estate, and volunteer work,” says Katz. “I do buy mortgages now, but I’m not brokering them, so to speak.” It’s been an illustrious career, especially considering it all began on a whim. A cousin working as a mortgage broker for Fidelity Financial Services fell ill and asked the young Katz if he would help out by following up on his prospects and appointments. “I took to it like a duck to water,” laughs Katz today. “The next thing I knew I was making a whole pile of money that I’d never dreamed of. And one thing led to another.” A couple of years later the aspiring broker got his licence and opened his own brokerage, Unimor. He spent the first few years working out of his apartment and driving around in a $500 Valiant made up of used car parts from a junkyard. But for the young Katz, the rickety old vehicle was the car of a lifetime. “I was completely broke when I got into mortgaging and was so nervous because I gave my friend at the junkyard all my money in the world,” he reminisces. “But I made what I thought was a fortune with that car. I felt so lucky with it and I had it for two years.” Advice for others For young professionals just entering the profession today, Katz advises a hard work ethic, a good plan and a similar readiness to tough it out. Don’t expect immediate success, he warns. “Develop a plan for yourself, set up goals on a yearly basis, set up personal budgets, and be prepared to starve for the first part of your career,” he says bluntly. “If you stick to it and work hard, you’re going to succeed. It’s a bumpy road for a good part of the beginning, but when you get past the bumps it can be a very smooth ride after that.” While he now calls himself ‘semi-retired,’ Katz still sits on the IMBA Board — seven years running — and his mind continues to work in overdrive when it comes to issues impacting the mortgage industry, be it advocating for a grid for homeowners showing their overhead costs, developing a better division of responsibilities between provincial associations and the national organization CAAMP, or solving the problem of ‘road warriors’ brokering mortgages outside of their lending institutions. Katz is particularly passionate about mortgage brokers being recognized for the professionals that they are, and is a firm believer in education and learning. He is equally passionate about many things he feels stand in the way, including finder’s fees. “Finders fees push a broker to go to a lender that has the highest finder’s fee instead of what is good for the client. They are a conflict of interest,” says Katz. “We need to get away from commissioned sales, because when you’re a commissioned salesperson and you need to put food on your table, you do what’s going to put food on your table.” Katz would like to see the trade in a parallel position to that of the legal and other professions, where, he says, “you get remuneration for fair service, and you’re not running around constantly working on commission. Mortgage brokering is still a commission-driven business, and it has to become much more professional. And what’s going to make it more professional is proper education.” Semi-retired or not, these and other issues are still on Katz’s radar. Given his record, you can bet he’s going to work hard to do what he can to see them through. BB DLO-IMBA Ad Spring 09 Horiz r2.qxd Residential and Commercial Purchase, Sale, Refinance 4/23/09 10:25 PM Leasing Mortgages Private, Institutional Land Development Condominium, Subdivision, Severance, Committee of Adjustment Mortgage Enforcement Power of Sale, Foreclosure Joint Venture & Other Investor Agreements De Francesca Law Office P R O F E S S I O N A L C O R P O R AT I O N Tel 416 778 4433 • Fax 416 778 4432 • www.defranlaw.com Vol 2 Issue 4 • 37 Page 1 BrokerBiz The Voice of the Mortgage Brokers and Agents of Ontario Winter 2009 ADVERTISERS INDEX AGF Trust Company........................33 Dominion Lending Centres............13 www.agf.com www.dominionlending.ca www.hometrust.ca AIG United Guaranty.......................18 Effort Trust.....................................17 KIT Services...................................38 www.aigug.ca Bridgewater Bank............................8 www.bridgewaterbank.com CareVest Capital Inc. . ...................23 www.carevest.com CMHC.............................................20 www.cmhc.ca Canadian National Association of Real Estate Appraisers.....................9 www.cnarea.ca CWT/Stewart Travel Services Ltd. ....................................................30 www.carlsonwagonlit.net www.efforttrust.com Equitable Trust.................................7 www.equitabletrust.com Filogix..............................................5 Home Trust.....................................15 www.bramguard.com Jacob Ellens & Associates Inc. .....35 www.ellens.on.ca MCAP...............................................3 www.mcap.com www.filogix.com The Money Source Ltd...................10 Firm Capital...................................28 www.mymoneysource.ca www.firmcapital.com FirstLine Mortgages .........................Outside Back Cover www.firstline.com First National Financial LP.............25 Morcan Financial ....................................................35 www.morcan.com Mortgage Intelligence Inc. ............................. Inside Back Cover www.mortgageintelligence.com www.firstnational.ca National Bank of Canada...............27 De Francesca Law Office...............37 Foremost Financial Corp................21 www.defranlaw.com www.foremost-financial.com www.nbc.ca Peoples Trust.................................32 www.peoplestrust.com Helping Mortgage Brokers Keep in Touch since 1996 Marketing and Event Management Specialists Royal Commercial Mortgage.........20 Leave a Lasting Impression on Your Clients and Prospects www.scotiabank.com Lorne Collis 905-846-5687 www.bramguard.com Scotia Bank...................................11 Vector Financial Services Limited ....................................................26 www.vectorfinancialservices.com Verico Canada.......Inside Front Cover www.verico.ca 38 • brokerbiz Get the right tools you need to help you succeed. Experienced mortgage professionals know that with the right tools and resources, they can work more effectively and succeed more easily. Since 1989, Mortgage Intelligence has been offering more for our mortgage professionals. We offer you access to unique products and services, a competitive compensation package with a full benefits program, complete payroll and compliance services and comprehensive marketing materials. Plus, you can count on our regional sales managers. They’re dedicated to helping you grow your business. Your toolbox is ready. Join our team. Contact: B.C. / Prairies Rob Anderson 866.777.0026 Ontario (South/Central) Gerald Krahn 905.984.0931 Ontario (Toronto West) Mary Gronkowski 647.299.6427 Ontario (East) Line C. D’Amour 888.697.1735, ext.101 Québec Robert Perrier 877.775.3324 Atlantic Michael Lawless 877.813.7283 Central Office: 5770 Hurontario St, Suite 600, Mississauga, ON L5R 3G5. © Copyright 2009, Mortgage Intelligence Inc., all rights reserved. ® Registered trademark of Mortgage Intelligence Inc. FSCO Lic.10428