What is the difference between pre-qualification and Get a Mortgage in Canada?

Pre-qualification is the verified financial profile your file is built from — income, down payment, credit snapshot, debt obligations — packaged for lender review. Pre-approval is the document a specific lender then issues based on that profile, confirming the maximum amount they will lend, at what rate, and for how long the rate is held. Both matter, but they are not the same: pre-qualification is the work, Get a Mortgage is the certificate.

Does HOMEH pre-qualification affect my credit score?

No. The pre-qualification intake handled by our partner mortgage broker is a soft check — your credit score is not touched in any way. Only when you authorize a specific lender to issue a binding Get a Mortgage does a hard credit check happen, and that authorization is entirely your decision. Many buyers complete pre-qualification six to twelve months before they actually apply for a mortgage, with zero credit-score consequence.

How long does HOMEH pre-qualification take from start to certificate?

The 10-question online intake takes about five minutes. An independent licensed mortgage broker we work with reviews and packages your file the same business day, shops it across 30+ A-lenders, B-lenders, and fintechs, and delivers either a pre-qualification confirmation or a lender-issued Get a Mortgage certificate within 24 business hours. The 120-day rate hold begins on certificate issuance.

Who actually handles the mortgage work — is HOMEH a licensed mortgage broker?

No. HOMEH Inc., Brokerage is a real estate brokerage, not a mortgage broker. All mortgage services — pre-qualification, lender shopping, Get a Mortgage certificates, and rate holds — are arranged through independent third-party mortgage professionals who are licensed by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) and/or approved by CMHC. These independent brokers hold their own provincial mortgage licence, follow their own FSRA disclosure obligations, and you can verify them on the FSRA public registry before signing anything. HOMEH simply makes the introduction so you have one coordinated experience for real estate and financing.

Can I still use my own bank or broker after going through HOMEH pre-qualification?

Yes. Our partner mortgage broker presents the strongest options across 30+ lenders, but you are never obligated to choose any of them. If your existing bank gives you a competitive rate, the broker coordinates with them rather than around them — and the HOMEH real-estate rebate is unaffected by which lender funds the deal.

What does the pre-qualification service cost the borrower?

Zero. There is no fee, no retainer, no application charge for the HOMEH intake. Independent licensed mortgage brokers are compensated by the lender that ultimately funds the file — the same compensation model every Canadian mortgage broker uses. HOMEH may receive a referral fee from the broker. The borrower never writes HOMEH a cheque for the intake, the rate hold, or the certificate.

Which documents will I need to move from pre-qualification to formal Get a Mortgage?

For the 5-minute intake, none. Once you are ready to move to formal lender Get a Mortgage, your specialist requests the standard package: two recent pay stubs, the last two CRA Notices of Assessment, 90-day bank statements showing the down-payment source, an employment letter on company letterhead, and government photo ID. Self-employed applicants add T1 Generals and business statements. Everything uploads digitally to your secure HOMEH file.

How to get a mortgage in Canada.

What actually happens after you hit submit. How a 5-minute intake becomes a lender-issued certificate — without touching your credit.

7 min read Fully licensed

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our partner mortgage broker specialist reviewing a pre-qualification intake with a Canadian client at a warm wooden desk

Rate hold period

120 days

Re-shopped if rates drop · no charge

5min

Online intake

24h

Specialist callback

30+

Lenders shopped

120

Day rate hold

Cost to you

Pre-Qualification vs. Get a Mortgage.

Both matter. They are not the same thing — and knowing which is which saves you weeks.

Step one

Pre-Qualification

The 5-minute HOMEH intake. You share your income, down payment, and target price. An independent licensed mortgage broker we work with packages the file, shops 30+ lenders, and calls you back with rate options — inside 24 business hours.

No credit pull, no documents required
Done entirely online in about 5 minutes
Starts the 120-day rate hold conversation

Step two

Pre-approval certificate

The lender-issued document that says exactly how much you can borrow and at what rate. Your specialist obtains it from the winning lender on your behalf, using the profile we already packaged.

Formal, lender-signed, ready to show sellers
Locks the rate for up to 120 days
Typically issued within 24 hours of intake

Get A Free Mortgage Quote See Today's Mortgage Rates

What the Mortgage
Desk does.

Five invisible steps that happen the moment you hit submit.

Step 1

Receives your intake

The 10-question intake lands on a real specialist's desk within minutes — never an algorithm that ghosts you.

Step 2

Packages your profile

We structure your income, down payment, credit snapshot, and goals into a lender-ready file — the way underwriters want it.

Step 3

Shops 30+ lenders

A-lenders, specialist B-lenders, and the newest fintechs all quote your file. Your specialist picks the strongest match.

Step 4

Delivers the certificate

A lender-issued Get a Mortgage certificate, emailed to you. You can show it to any HOMEH agent or seller the same day.

Step 5

Locks your rate 120 days

The best available rate is held for you. If rates drop during the hold, your specialist re-shops the file at no charge.

Get A Free Mortgage Quote

A Canadian buyer shaking hands with A licensed mortgage broker after signing Get a Mortgage paperwork

"I filled out the HOMEH intake on a Sunday night. Monday afternoon an independent licensed mortgage broker called me with rate options and the lender's pre-approval certificate was in my inbox by the end of the week. Zero stress."

— Elena R., Ottawa

Documents you'll need later.

You do not need any of these for the intake. Once you are ready for a formal lender pre-approval, the independent licensed mortgage broker we work with will request them — uploaded digitally, once.

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