By Grant Armstrong, Head of Distribution, Community Trust
Together, we help Canadians complete the biggest transactions of their lives, taking them from finding their dream home to having the keys in 45 to 90 days.
In this industry, efficiency is everything. Operating at the speed our customers expect is a shared responsibility. Inefficiencies can mean missed opportunities and lost business, while greater efficiency can reduce wasted resources for lenders, which can translate into lower client costs, higher broker commissions, and even new product innovation.
This applies to all lenders, but especially to lenders in the alternative space, such as us at Community Trust, where underwriting is less standardized. Brokers who go the extra mile to not only understand what we ask for, but why we ask for it and how to best prepare and package the deal, ultimately help us work faster and more efficiently for them and their clients.
Here are a few ways a broker can help create a smoother lending experience.
Understand the lender’s process
One of the best ways to increase efficiency is for brokers and lenders to spend more time understanding each other’s processes.
This is a two-way street. Lenders need to do a better job of educating brokers, but we also ask brokers to be open to learning. Knowing what is needed to process the documents can help us move the deal forward faster, even if some information is not available.
For example, when a lender asks for 12 or 24 months of bank statements, we usually look for a few specific things. If a client is unable to provide that documentation, understanding why we are asking for it can help the broker meet that expectation in other ways and avoid a lengthy back-and-forth exchange.
Provide a roadmap for incomplete documents
We understand that clients cannot always provide all documents at the same time.
Underwriters are working with dozens of files at a time, and every time they reopen a file they need to reacquaint themselves with what’s in it and what’s not there.
The best support a broker can provide is to submit complete documentation. If this is not possible, provide a brief guide or note explaining what is included, what is missing, what has been replaced, and when the remaining documentation will be available. This clarity prevents assumptions and misunderstandings and helps us process transactions faster.
The more organized the documentation you receive is easier to manage. Providing this explanation can have a big impact on turnaround time.
Don’t wait until the last minute
We will always try to accommodate our customers’ needs, but we don’t have a lot of room to compress time. Late submissions are not always rushed.
Files need to pass a certain number of days from the date they are received, regardless of how close you are to closing. Lenders always take a few days to review documents and complete their internal processes – time is not compressed when documents are received later.
Ask how to improve efficiency
Part of our job is to ask agents how they can do better. But one of our best partners is with brokers who ask us the same questions.
Ask your lending partners what they need to be more efficient, what challenges they face, and how they can work better together. Learn about their underwriting process, preferred communication channels, and best recommendations. I can assure you that most lenders are more than happy to share.
Our partnerships help Canadians close the biggest deals of their lives on time, but there’s always room for improvement. Just as brokers rely on us to close deals, we also rely on brokers to help us work more efficiently.
When we work as a truly unified team, we ultimately create a better experience for lenders, brokers and clients, which leads to more transaction volume, higher profits, more innovative products and more repeat business.
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Last modified: October 8, 2025
