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Dan Caird is a mortgage agent with Northwood Mortgage Ltd. in Markham, Ont. An experienced real estate investor, Dan currently helps fellow investors get the financing they need for their property purchases.
Where were you when you finished university? Did you think you’d be where you are now?
I wasn’t too sure what I was going to do. I always had an interest in real estate. I’ve been interested in that for quite some time, and it just naturally progressed to where I am now.
What makes you different?
I understand that mortgage professionals can forget that the people they’re dealing with don’t have the mortgage background or the mortgage knowledge they need to do simple things. I take the time to educate my clients and make sure they know what they’re signing or committing to, which is very important.
Are you a morning person or a night person?
I used to be more of a night person, but lately, I find that I can get a lot of things done in the morning. I’ve kind of transitioned into more of a morning person as of late to make my day a bit more productive.
What is some of the criticism you’ve received?
I have had some clients who have perhaps been surprised or unhappy with the amount of financing they qualify for, as they were hoping for more. This is precisely why I encourage everyone to speak to a mortgage professional months or even years before they require the financing so they can put together a game plan to ensure they are in a good position to get the funding they want when the time comes. This eliminates the chance of any unfortunate surprises on the client’s end.
What is your favourite part of your job?
It would be arranging financing for people who have been told by others that it couldn’t be done, or finding creative solutions to problems that others weren’t able to find. I make it my goal to find a solution for every client I deal with. Not all cases are as straightforward as others, but I find ways to satisfy my clients. At the end of the day, that’s why we do this.
What is your most memorable client encounter?
It was with a personal friend of mine who I was able to help buy his dream cottage. I spent a lot of time on the file to try and make it work for him, and at the end of the day, it worked out better than expected. It took a lot of hours and hard work on my end to get it to go through, but it was really satisfying when it worked out the way he wanted it to.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Negative people, in general. I think that can apply to all kinds of different environments. I find that there is sometimes a lot of negativity, and not enough positive outlooks, especially in this day and age. A lot of people focus on the challenges and the hurdles, and I think they could afford to be a bit more positive.
What are you most proud of?
I would say that I’m non-complacent. I give every client 100 per cent of my effort, time and focus, and I’ve never strayed from that. Even a straightforward application deserves as much time as the next, and I’m proud that I do that.
What is the last book you read?
A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking. It’s completely unrelated to mortgages, but I just find the universe fascinating, and that Stephen Hawking is a good read.
