What brokers can do to streamline the lending process

By Grant Armstrong, Head of Distribution at Community Trust

Together, we help everyday Canadians make what is typically the largest transaction of their lives, enabling them to go from finding their dream home to getting the keys in a matter of 45 to 90 days.

In this industry, efficiency is everything. Operating at the pace customers expect is a shared responsibility. Inefficiency can mean missed opportunities and lost business, while greater efficiency reduces wasted resources for lenders, which can translate into lower client costs, higher broker commissions and even new product innovations.

This applies to all lenders, but particularly to those in the alternative space, like ourselves at Community Trust, where underwriting is less standardized. Brokers who put in a little extra effort to understand not just what we ask for, but why we ask for it — and how best to prepare and package deals — ultimately help us work faster and more effectively for them and their clients.

Here are a few ways brokers can help create a smoother borrowing experience.

Learn your lenders’ processes

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 that brokers remain open to learning. Knowing what we need to process a file helps us move deals forward more quickly, even when some information isn’t available.

For example, when a lender asks for 12 or 24 months of bank statements, there’s usually something specific we’re looking for. If a client is unable to provide that documentation, understanding why we requested it can help brokers meet that expectation in other ways, avoiding lengthy back-and-forth exchanges.

Provide a road map for incomplete files

We know clients can’t always supply every document at once.

Underwriters juggle dozens of files at a time, and each time they reopen a file, they need to reacquaint themselves with what’s there and what isn’t.

The best support brokers can give is to submit complete files. When that’s not possible, provide a brief guide or notes explaining what’s included, what’s missing, what’s been substituted and when the remaining documents will follow. That clarity prevents assumptions and misinterpretations and helps us process deals much faster.

The more organized the documents are received, the easier it is to manage. Offering that explanation makes a big difference in turnaround time.

Don’t wait until the last minute

We’ll always do our best to accommodate clients, but we don’t have much room to compress timelines. Files submitted late can’t always be rushed.

A file requires a set number of days from the time documents are received, regardless of how close you are to closing. A lender will always need a few days to review documents and complete their internal processes — that timeline doesn’t get compressed when documents are received later.

Ask how you can support efficiency

Part of our job is to ask brokers how we can do better. But some of our best partnerships are with brokers who ask us the same question.

Ask your lending partners what they need to be more efficient, what challenges they face, and how you can work better together. Learn their underwriting process, preferred communication channels and their best tips. I can assure you that most lenders are more than happy to share.

Our partnership helps Canadians complete the largest transaction of their lives on time, but there’s always room to improve. Just as brokers rely on us to get deals across the finish line, we rely on brokers to help us work more efficiently.

When we work as a truly unified team, it ultimately creates a better experience for lenders, brokers and clients, leading to more deal volume, stronger margins, more innovative products, and more repeat business.

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Last modified: October 8, 2025