Silver and Gold Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 31

Syndicated Mortgages: Updated Rules – By Glynis Van Steen T his past April, the Ontario government announced some big changes for individuals participating in the syndicated mortgage market. What exactly is a syndicated mortgage? Quite simply, it’s an Arm’s Length mortgage created when a group of investors choose to collectively fund one mortgage instrument. Here is a bit of background history: In response to the U.S. mortgage meltdown of 2008, the Federal Government and bank regulators changed the rules for financing large commercial real estate projects. Commercial banks used to finance large building projects up to 85% of the value, covering both the soft costs of paying to transform a piece of property from its current use, and the hard costs to pay for construction. The developer had to use his own funds to cover the remaining 15% of the cost of the project. I’m dedicated to helping you, through real estate, to achieve a financially satisfying lifestyle: • Private lending • Refinances and purchases for self-employ