Commercial Mortgages & Multifamily Investing: Jennifer Champion & Christine Traynor's Insights

Update: 2025-05-22

Description

In this episode of the Wisdom Lifestyle Money Show, host Scott Dillingham welcomes Jennifer Champion and Christine Traynor from the LendCity Mortgages team to discuss commercial financing options for Canadian investors. Jennifer shares her journey starting as a value-add investor in New Brunswick during the uncertain times of March 2020, focusing on duplexes and fourplexes before shifting to commercial projects and now concentrating on Alberta's opportunities. She emphasizes strategies like targeting landlord-friendly provinces and leveraging the CMHC MLI Select program for 6-10 unit buildings, highlighting the importance of building to fit financing models from the outset. Christine, with her 20-year background as a real estate appraiser on Vancouver Island before transitioning to mortgages in 2024, discusses helping investors build out-of-town portfolios, particularly in Edmonton, to create legacy wealth through structured financing.

The conversation dives into how commercial mortgages differ from residential ones, basing approvals on property performance rather than personal debt ratios, similar to U.S. financing. This opens doors for investors turned down by banks, with access to multiple lenders for better terms and rates. They explain the CMHC MLI Select program's benefits, including up to 95% loan-to-cost financing, 50-year amortizations, and a 1.1 debt service coverage ratio, especially effective in markets like Edmonton where median rents support strong returns. As of November 2025, Edmonton's average rent for one-bedroom units hovers around $1,492 for furnished and slightly lower for unfurnished, according to recent rental reports, making it a prime area for multifamily investments amid ongoing economic growth.

Scott highlights the team's expertise in pre-qualifying both investors and properties, often within 24 hours, to avoid surprises and streamline deals. Whether analyzing resales or new constructions, they collaborate with builders and realtors to ensure CMHC compliance upfront. The episode wraps with advice on assembling a strong team for success in commercial real estate, teasing a deep dive in the next episode on programs, policies, trends, and pitfalls. This discussion provides actionable insights for investors looking to scale multifamily portfolios in Canada, with potential U.S. expansion.

Key Takeaways

Commercial vs. Residential Financing: Unlike residential loans limited by personal debt ratios, commercial approvals focus on property numbers, offering options for investors denied by banks, akin to U.S. models.
Jennifer Champion's Investing Path: Started in New Brunswick with value-add duplexes/fourplexes in 2020, now focused on Alberta for landlord-friendly policies and 6-10 unit projects using CMHC MLI Select.
CMHC MLI Select Program Details: Provides 95% loan-to-cost, 50-year amortization, and 1.1 debt service ratio; build properties to fit the model upfront for optimal rents and unit sizes, especially in Edmonton with median rents around $1,492 as of November 2025.
Christine Traynor's Expertise: 20 years as a real estate appraiser before mortgages; specializes in out-of-town portfolios like Victoria to Edmonton, pre-qualifying investors and properties to build legacy wealth.
Pre-Qualification Benefits: Analyze properties in 24 hours to estimate loan amounts; pre-qualify listings for realtors to avoid due diligence delays, covering net worth, liquidity, and CMHC fit.
Team Advantages for Investors: Access multiple lenders for better rates/terms; expertise from active investors/developers ensures informed, risk-reduced decisions over single-bank approaches.
Success Key: Strong Team: Partner with experienced professionals like LendCity to boost success rates, strategize generational wealth, and navigate commercial trends.

Links to Show References