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2008, he brought along his 35-person team at National Mortgage Loans, many of whom are still with the company. Allen also founded PropertyXchange Realty to create a de facto one-stop shop for clients, who can first be prequalified by Matrix Mortgage Global. “The original reason I got the real estate licence was when I worked at the real estate brokerage, I was giving Realtors prequalified mortgage leads, and they were often too busy to use them,” Allen explains. “I realized that if they’re too busy to follow up with them, then I should. That’s also the reason I opened a realty brokerage – I already had full control of clients from the mortgage side, but whether they later
By building its business through alternative lending from the beginning, however, Matrix was way ahead of the curve. Allen says that, as much as B-20 has hampered the broker channel, it has been a blessing in disguise for Matrix. “It’s been good for us because a lot of these institutions cannot finance the same people they would have a couple of years ago – good people with great credit and great incomes, but because of the dynamics of how they’re qualified and approved for mortgages, it makes them non-bankable,” he says. “It’s been a game-changer, especially for us, because it’s provided an influx of people into a space we’ve
“The sooner [brokers] realize they’re in the marketing business, the more effective they’ll be in generating leads and retaining them long-term” sold their property or refinanced, I wanted full control of that, too. I always found it was better to lead with the mortgage because I’d be in control of the financing – and if you’re buying, you need some sort of financing.”
Private eye Today, Matrix Mortgage Global is the Canadian mortgage industry’s undisputed leader in the private mortgage space – Allen was named Private Lending Broker of the Year back-toback at the 2018 and 2019 Canadian Mortgage Awards, and the Matrix Mortgage Global empire includes Private Lending Hub, where brokers can submit deals for private funding. Matrix is an unremitting force in the B space as well. In the years before B-20, brokers typically flocked to A lenders in search of the best rates for their clients; since that well has begun to dry up, they have immersed themselves in the worlds of alternative and private lending.
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consistently mined since 2008. Now it’s hard for other brokerages to catch up to what we’re doing because we’ve concentrated on it for so long through advertising – not to mention our product knowledge and the central underwriting team we have and our relationships with BDMs across Canada.” Between 2013 and 2018, Matrix Mortgage Global grew 610% and funded more than $1.1 billion in volume. The brokerage currently boasts more than 100 agents and has – as its name suggests – global aspirations. Allen has begun working with brokerages in Australia and the United States to export the company’s unique brand of marketing. While it’s early days yet, it will hardly be surprising if Allen’s latest vision comes to fruition like all the others. “Our marketing is very solution-based; people call us because they have a problem, and we provide the solutions,” he says. “Information is the new currency.”
SHAWN ALLEN’S INDUSTRY ACCOLADES
2016 Verico’s Veris Award for being number one in units sold and finalist for Alternative Lending Mortgage Broker of the Year at the Canadian Mortgage Awards
2017 Finalist for Mortgage Broker of the Year (25 Employees or More) at the CMAs
2018 Finalist for Alternative Lending Mortgage Broker of the Year and winner of Private Lending Broker of the Year at the CMAs
2019 Winner of Private Lending Broker of the Year at the CMAs
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10/09/2019 4:38:11 AM