Tarik Johnson
Mortgage Agent, Level 1
Before a Greater Toronto Area buyer starts bidding, Tarik Johnson spells out the limits of a pre-approval.
Who is Tarik Johnson?
A pre-approval reserves a rate for a set number of days. What it does not settle is whether money will actually be advanced. Tarik Johnson walks buyers through everything a lender still reviews once an offer has been signed — the appraised value, the condition and type of property, income paperwork refreshed to the current date — so that nothing unexpected surfaces between the accepted offer and the keys.
Tarik's registration with FSRA, number M17000451, sits at the first agent level, authorizing mortgages sourced from banks, trust companies and credit unions. Clients are served in English. Brokerage licence #13737 belongs to Mortgage Squad Advisors, based in Vaughan, which puts an application in front of a panel exceeding 100 lenders; because the lender pays the brokerage, a borrower is rarely charged for the work.
What can Tarik help with?
Tarik focuses on home purchase mortgages, mortgage refinancing, renewals, investment properties and first-time buyers. Through us, Tarik can shop your file across 100+ lenders.
- Home purchase mortgages
- Mortgage refinancing
- Renewals
- Investment properties
- First-time buyers
Which areas does Tarik serve?
Tarik is based in Greater Toronto Area, ON. You can reach Tarik through our office line, (905) 553-8550, or the form below.
Find a Mortgage Squad advisor near you
Tarik serves Greater Toronto Area, ON. Our licensed advisors cover every major market in Ontario — find one close to you.
Browse every market on the full advisor directory hub.
How much home can you afford?
Move the sliders for a quick estimate. It does not check your credit.
What should you know before you get a mortgage?
The Canadian stress test, explained.Why your bank's pre-approval may not match what you actually qualify for.
Every federally regulated lender (RBC, TD, BMO, CIBC, Scotia, NB, plus monolines like MCAP and First National) must qualify you at the greater of your contract rate plus 2% or 5.25% — whichever is higher.
This is OSFI's B-20 rule, introduced in 2018. It doesn't affect what you pay; it only affects whether you qualify for the loan amount.
Two scenarios fail the test that surprise people: high TDS ratios from car loans, and short employment history on a new role even at the same employer.
FHSA + RRSP HBP — the most underused down-payment hack.First-time buyers can stack $40K (FHSA) + $60K (HBP) = $100K of tax-advantaged down payment.
The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) lets you contribute up to $8,000/year ($40,000 lifetime). Contributions are tax-deductible (like an RRSP) and withdrawals for a qualifying first home are tax-free (like a TFSA).
The RRSP Home Buyers' Plan lets you withdraw up to $60,000 from your RRSP for a first home — and pay it back over 15 years without tax.
Two-spouse household? Both can use both, so the family stack is up to $200K. Most buyers don't know this — your advisor will map it for you before you make an offer.
IRD penalties: the cost of breaking a fixed mortgage.Why "3-month interest" sounds small — and why fixed-rate breaks can be 10× that.
Variable-rate mortgages break for three-month interest — typically a few thousand dollars. Easy.
Fixed-rate mortgages break for the greater of three-month interest OR an Interest Rate Differential (IRD). The IRD compares your rate to today's posted rate for the remaining term — and it can be brutal: $15K, $30K, even $60K on big balances.
Always model the net-of-penalty math before refinancing. If the new rate doesn't beat the old by enough to clear the penalty AND save you money, don't break. Your advisor runs this on every refi consult — most refis end up worth it; some don't.
The rate-beat guarantee.Bring us a written offer from a big bank. We'll try to beat it. If we can't, we pay you $500. Conditions apply.
Rate-beat offer: if you bring a written, current offer from one of the six largest banks for the same product, term and amount, we will try to beat it or pay you $500 by e-transfer. Prefer to give it away? We'll donate the $500 to your favourite charity instead. Conditions apply; see mortgagesquad.ca/rate-beat-guarantee.
We benchmark within 24 hours of receiving your written offer and complete application; if we can't beat it, the $500 is sent within 5 business days of our benchmark email.
Most brokers won't offer this because they don't have the lender breadth. We work with 100+ lenders — A, B, monoline, credit union, private — which gives us a wide market to shop for your rate or programme.
How does working with Tarik work?
Tell us what you need
Send a message below or start an application. Tarik gets back to you the same business day.
We shop your file
Tarik compares 100+ lenders and shows you the best 2–3 options side by side.
You get the keys
Sign at your lawyer's office. We remind you about your renewal 90+ days early.
How do I contact Tarik?
Use this form. Your message goes straight to Tarik, not a central queue.
- No broker fee on standard files
- No credit check to start
- Available in English
- Maya, our AI assistant, answers 24/7 in 50+ languages
Common questions about working with Tarik
Is Tarik Johnson licensed?
Yes — Tarik Johnson holds an FSRA Mortgage Agent Level 1 licence (#M17000451) in Ontario and works under Mortgage Squad Advisors, Brokerage License #13737. Every licence can be checked on the FSRA public register.
What does it cost to work with Tarik?
Nothing on standard residential files. The lender pays Mortgage Squad Advisors on funding — there's no broker fee on your closing statement. Specialty files (private mortgages, commercial, distressed) may carry a disclosed broker fee that you'd see in writing before agreeing to anything.
What languages can we speak in?
Tarik is fluent in English. If you'd like to chat in another language, Maya, our AI assistant, translates in real time, and we can also connect you with another licensed advisor on our team who speaks your preferred language.
How quickly can I get pre-approved?
Ballpark numbers in 60 seconds via Maya, with no credit pull. Formal written pre-approval typically arrives within 24-72 hours of submitting documents.
Does Mortgage Squad Advisors work with my situation?
Almost certainly. Mortgage Squad Advisors's 100+ lender network covers first-time buyers, renewals, refinance, self-employed, newcomer to Canada, bad credit, alt-A, private, multi-unit residential, and commercial. Tarik specializes in: Home purchase mortgages, Mortgage refinancing, Renewals, Investment properties, First-time buyers.
Mortgage Squad Advisors holds FSRA brokerage licence #13737. Individual licences are listed above.
Bring us a written offer from a big bank. We’ll try to beat it. If we can’t, we pay you $500. Conditions apply.
How the guarantee works →