Inside Bajani Mortgage's Four-Step Mortgage Process

Every mortgage we arrange follows the same four stages — conversation, documents, application, approval. Knowing what happens at each one makes the process far less stressful.

Whether you're buying your first home in London or refinancing a property in Woodstock, the path from "I'm thinking about this" to "I have a mortgage" runs through the same four checkpoints. Here's what actually happens at each one.

Step 1: Conversation

This is where we figure out what you're actually trying to do. Buying a first home is a different conversation than renewing, refinancing, or helping a family member get into the market. We talk through your timeline, your budget expectations, your down payment source, and anything unusual about your income or credit that a lender will want to understand.

For newcomers to Canada, this step also covers alternative ways to demonstrate creditworthiness when you don't yet have a long Canadian credit history. For self-employed clients, it covers how lenders will look at your income.

This conversation usually takes 20-30 minutes and can happen by phone, video, or in person.

Step 2: Documents

Once we know what we're working with, we put together the document package a lender will actually want to see. Typically this includes:

• Government-issued ID
• Proof of income (pay stubs, T4s, Notice of Assessment, or two years of financials if self-employed)
• Proof of down payment or savings
• Details on existing debts, loans, and credit cards
• Information on the property, if you already have one in mind

Having these ready ahead of time is the single biggest thing that speeds up the rest of the process.

Step 3: Application

With your documents in hand, we submit your mortgage request — not to one lender, but to the lenders best suited to your specific situation, from a network of 50+ options. This is the part of the process where being an independent brokerage actually matters: instead of one bank telling you yes or no, multiple lenders are competing to offer you the best combination of rate, terms, and flexibility.

We handle the back-and-forth with underwriters directly, so you're not the one chasing down conditions or explaining the same thing to three different people.

Step 4: Approval

Once a lender approves your file, you'll get a clear picture of what you're approved for and under what conditions. If you're pre-approved before house-hunting, this gives you a rate hold and a realistic budget to shop with. If you're already under contract on a property, this is the step that gets your financing condition satisfied.

Approval isn't always the finish line — there can be conditions to clear (like a property appraisal), but at this stage you know where you stand and what's left to do.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the whole process take?

For a pre-approval, the conversation-to-approval timeline is often just a few days once documents are in hand. For a purchase with a firm deadline, we work to your closing date.

Do I need to have a property picked out before I start?

No. Many clients start with a conversation and pre-approval before they've found a home, so they know their budget and can shop with confidence.

What if my situation is complicated (self-employed, newcomer, past credit issues)?

That's exactly what the conversation step is for. As an independent brokerage with access to 50+ lenders, we're often able to find options that a single bank wouldn't offer.