Commercial Mortgages, Ottawa
Financing for multi-residential, retail, office, industrial, and mixed-use properties, arranged with lenders who actually specialize in commercial underwriting, not a residential rate sheet stretched to fit.
Financing Built Around the Property, Not Just Your Income
Commercial financing covers properties that don't fit standard residential lending: apartment buildings of five units or more, retail plazas, office space, industrial buildings, and mixed-use properties with retail on the ground floor and residential above. Lenders underwrite these deals primarily around the property's own income and expenses, not just your personal income, using metrics like net operating income (NOI) and debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) rather than a standard debt-to-income calculation.
As an Ottawa mortgage agent, we coordinate commercial financing through the lenders and specialized commercial lending divisions built for these deals, and bring in the right partner for the property type and size you're financing.
How Commercial Financing Differs From Residential
- Down payments typically run 25-35%, higher than residential minimums
- Qualifying is based mainly on the property's net operating income and debt service coverage ratio (DSCR), not just personal income
- Amortizations often run shorter, commonly 20-25 years, with terms of 5-10 years requiring renewal
- Rates are often priced with a spread over bond yields, and vary more by property type and tenant quality than residential rates do
- Lender due diligence is heavier: income-approach appraisals, environmental assessments on some property types, and tenant lease review
Every property type is different
A five-unit apartment building, a retail plaza, and an industrial warehouse are each underwritten differently. We match your property to the lender built for it.
Commercial Property Financing We Coordinate
Multi-Residential (5+ Units)
Apartment buildings and larger rental properties, financed against the building's income rather than personal income alone.
Retail & Mixed-Use
Retail plazas and mixed-use buildings with ground-floor commercial and residential above, underwritten around lease income.
Office & Industrial
Office space and industrial or warehouse properties, with financing structured around tenant quality and lease terms.
Smaller Property or Building New?
If your property doesn't need full commercial underwriting, one of these may fit better.
Investment Property (1-4 Units)
Residential investment financing for single-family rentals, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes.
Learn moreConstruction Financing
Building a new commercial or multi-residential property from the ground up.
Learn morePrivate Mortgages
Fast, flexible financing for time-sensitive or non-conforming commercial deals.
Learn moreReal Estate Investment Guide
New to income property investing? Start with the fundamentals.
Learn moreCommercial Mortgage Questions
Generally, residential rental properties of one to four units are financed as residential investment mortgages. Apartment buildings of five units or more, along with retail, office, industrial, and mixed-use properties, fall under commercial financing and are underwritten around the property's own income rather than primarily your personal income.
Typically 25-35% of the purchase price, though the exact amount depends on the property type, tenant quality, and the strength of its income relative to its expenses. Stronger-income properties with reliable tenants can sometimes qualify for financing at the lower end of that range.
Debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) compares a property's net operating income to its total debt payments. Most commercial lenders want to see a DSCR of at least 1.2, meaning the property generates at least 20% more income than it costs to service the debt, though minimums vary by lender and property type.
Yes. Mixed-use properties are financed under commercial guidelines, with the lender reviewing both the retail lease income and the residential rental income as part of the property's overall cash flow.
Have a Commercial Property to Finance?
Tell us about the property, we'll match it with the right commercial lender.