A mortgage is one of the largest financial decisions most people make — and the agent you work with shapes the options you actually see. Here's what's worth checking before you pick one.
Every province requires mortgage agents to hold an active licence with a provincial regulator (FSRA in Ontario, BCFSA in British Columbia, RECA in Alberta, and similar bodies elsewhere). On Find Mortgage Agent, every listed agent has been checked against their stated regulator before going live — look for the verified badge on a profile.
If you're searching anywhere else, it's reasonable to ask an agent directly for their licence number and which regulator holds it, and to look that regulator up yourself before sharing financial details.
An agent who's fluent in your preferred language, or who regularly works with people in your situation — new to Canada, self-employed, renewing, refinancing — will usually ask better questions and know which lenders are actually a fit.
Filtering by these on a directory is a faster way to find that overlap than asking around.
Some agents work with the big banks; others have access to credit unions, monoline lenders, or alternative/private lending. Broader access generally means more options to compare, but it's worth asking directly rather than assuming.
Ask whether there's a broker fee, and when it applies — many agents are paid by the lender, not the borrower, but the structure varies.
A high rating from years ago says less than a handful of recent, specific reviews. Look for reviews that mention a situation close to yours.
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