BEHIND THE LENDER with Vault Mortgage's Colin Johnston | #75 | Mortgage Broker Podcast

In this episode, Dean & Deryk are joined by Colin Johnston. Colin has been the Managing Director of Western Canada at Vault Mortgage since March of 2026, having been at the company since June of 2022 where he started as the SVP of Sales and Operations. A seasoned sales executive with deep experience in Canada's financial services sector, Colin has built and led high-performing teams for HSBC, HomEquity Bank, Manulife, and Sequence Capital since 2002. Throughout his career, he's set himself apart by combining strategic insights with a people-first leadership style. Vault Mortgage is a Canadian non-bank alternative mortgage lender offering first and second residential and commercial mortgages that are competitive, flexible, and customizable financing for purchasers, homeowners, and builders. Colin is here to discuss: → HIs history in the mortgage industry, how he got into alternative lending, and his day-to-day. → Why he spends so much time investing in relationships with brokers and how he can make a decision on a file in under a minute. → Why brokers need to learn alt lending and the importance of finding creative solutions for clients. → Alt renewals - what to expect, the current broker pitfalls, & why your client always needs an exit plan. → What makes Vault unique from other lenders, how institutionalized capital means consistent rates and rate sheets, and their future plans for a business loan division. → The Vault "Near B" product - it's benefits, tangible ways to position it with clients, & why it's great for the self-employed. → The uniqueness of Vault's industry events and how they support brokers beyond just product knowledge. → The untapped market of accountants as broker referral partners, which ones to go after, and where they are. → Common mistakes brokers make including not understanding rate sheets and why you must stop emailing file submission and credit bureaus. → Current market trends including the struggle of small developers and pre-sale condos, how single family homes are starting to decrease, and advice for new brokers in this tough market. *** 🔗 Vault Mortgage's Website: https://www.vaultmortgage.ca 📋 Vault Mortgage's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vault-mortgage-corporation/ 📸 Vault Mortgage's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vault.mortgage/?hl=en 👥 Vault Mortgage's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VaultMortgageCanada/ 📋 Colin Johnston's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-johnston-28650316/ *** CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:31 Today's Guest: Colin Johnston 03:03 Why Colin Got Into Alt Lending & Finding Creative Solutions 08:42 Colin's Day-to-Day - Building Relationships & Using Speed 14:32 Vault's Uniqueness - Institutional Capital + MIC 16:05 Alt Renewals - What to Expect & Current Broker Pitfalls 21:14 The Vault "Near B" Product - It's Benefits & Positioning It with Clients 28:57 Accountants as Referral Partners - Who, How, Where 34:19 The Uniqueness of Vault's Events & Supporting Brokers 37:14 Vault's Difference Between Ontario & BC 39:30 The Most Common Mistake Brokers Make with Vault 42:02 Stop Emailing File Submissions 44:38 An Optimal Vault File Submission 46:46 Current Market Trends - Small Developers & Pre-Sale Condos, & Single-Family 48:30 Vault's Future Plans - Business Loan Division 50:57 Advice for New Brokers 55:28 Wrap-Up *** CONNECT WITH THE SHOW 🎙️ The Mortgage Broker Podcast Podcast: https://linktr.ee/themortgagebrokerpodcast?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=bf8c6904-a28b-4518-9662-645edb5ce53b 📺 The Mortgage Broker Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC9vbY86dYJl3xjMFL7yXSXQ 📝 The Mortgage Broker Podcast Blog: https://www.joinabw.ca/media *** CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS 📋 Dean Lawton's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-lawton-07184998/ 📋 Deryk Williamson's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deryk-williamson-271697106/ 📋 Jason Marshall's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmarshallma/ *** CONNECT WITH A BETTER WAY MORTGAGES 🔗 A Better Way Mortgages Website: https://www.joinabw.ca 📸 A Better Way Mortgages Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abetterwaymortgages/ 📋 A Better Way Mortgages LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dominion-lending-centres---a-better-way/?originalSubdomain=ca 👥 A Better Way Mortgages Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abetterwaymortgages/ 📬 A Better Way Mortgages Tuesday Mortgage Memo: https://www.joinabw.ca/abw-tuesday-mortgage-memo *** Make sure to 🔔 SUBSCRIBE, 👍 LIKE, and 💬 COMMENT below to let us know what you think!