Our process
How working with Jayden Backs Mortgage Solutions actually goes
Seven clear steps from first call to funding day — and beyond.
Every mortgage follows the same basic path: a conversation, your documents, the whole market compared, and a clear recommendation. My team handles the paperwork through to funding, and a concierge stays with you after. Here is that path step by step, and how it changes depending on what you need.
The seven steps, start to finish
- Book a call. A quick 20-minute conversation — by phone, video, or in person — about your situation, your goals, and what you're trying to accomplish. You don't need a single document ready for this one, and there's no cost and no obligation.
- Application and documents. We send you a simple online application, and once it's in you get access to a secure document portal that shows exactly what your file needs — no guessing, no scattered email chains. Most clients wrap this step up in a few days, at their own pace. Getting income, credit, and down-payment documents right at this stage is exactly what prevents surprises later.
- Your custom budget proposal and strategy video. With a complete application, we build a budget proposal made for your file — and record a short personalized video, usually 5 to 10 minutes, walking through every option and trade-off. Watch it with your family on your own schedule, as many times as you like. And you'll always get an honest read from me, including when your own bank has the best offer.
- Full approval and signing package. Once you've picked the option that fits, we get you fully approved at your chosen lender — one of our 50+ lending partners. Your signing documents arrive with another video that goes deep on your specific approval, so you understand every line before you sign it.
- Broker complete. The lender finishes reviewing every condition of your approval. "Broker complete" means your file is ready for the lawyer's office — we coordinate with your realtor and your lawyer so the handoff to closing is smooth.
- Funding day. Your mortgage is officially funded. Time to celebrate.
- Concierge and rate tracking, for the life of your mortgage. Funding isn't the end. You get a dedicated point of contact for any question about managing your mortgage, and complimentary access to our Ownwell platform, which tracks your rate, your home's value, and your equity position. It's how we talk between renewals — about early renewal opportunities, refinances, and life changes — not just when there's a deal to do.
How the process changes by mortgage type
Buying a home
The pre-approval comes first — always. Once your documents are in, a true pre-approval can often be done in a day or two, and then you can shop with a firm budget. House-hunting takes as long as it takes. Once your offer is accepted, the financing condition is typically satisfied within the first week or two, and most Alberta purchases close in roughly 30 to 60 days. First-time buyers get extra time from me on the front end, because the first one comes with the most questions.
Renewing your mortgage
Start about four months before your renewal date. That window lets us hold a rate, put your bank's offer up against the whole market, and — if switching wins — move you penalty-free because the term is ending anyway. A straightforward switch usually wraps up in a few weeks. It is also the moment to restructure: add a HELOC or fold in a refinance while everything is already open. More on the renewal process here.
Refinancing
A refinance usually runs two to four weeks: application, an appraisal on your home, the new lender's approval, and legal work to register the new mortgage. If you are consolidating debt, we map out exactly which balances get paid off at funding so the cash-flow change lands on day one.
Private and second mortgages
When timing is the whole point — a deal closing fast, a short-term gap — private lending and second mortgages can move in days rather than weeks. The process adds one step the others don't have: we agree on the exit strategy before we start, so short-term money stays short-term.
Reverse mortgages
A reverse mortgage runs on conversation time, not paperwork time. The approval itself is straightforward because there is no income qualification — the timeline usually depends on the family conversation, and I encourage taking whatever time that needs. Plan on a few weeks from decision to funding.
One honest caveat on all of the above: these are typical timelines, not promises. Every file is different, and when something about yours will take longer, you will hear it from me early — that is the whole point of the process.
Process questions, answered
How long does a mortgage pre-approval take?
Once your documents are in, a pre-approval can often be turned around in a day or two. Gathering the documents — income, credit, and down-payment history — is usually the longest part, which is why we start there.
How early should I start before my renewal date?
About four months before your renewal date is the sweet spot. That is early enough to hold a rate, compare your bank’s offer against the rest of the market, and switch lenders if it makes sense — without any penalty, because your term is ending anyway.
How long does it take to buy a home once my offer is accepted?
In Alberta, most purchases close within about 30 to 60 days of an accepted offer. The financing condition is usually satisfied in the first week or two; the rest is legal work and preparing for possession day.
What does working with you cost?
For most standard mortgages — purchases, renewals, refinances — my services are free to you, because the lender pays the broker. In private-lending situations there can be fees, and those are always disclosed clearly before you commit to anything.
Step one is a free conversation
Tell me what you're trying to do, and I'll tell you exactly what the path looks like from where you're standing.