{"id":21963,"date":"2025-10-20T11:16:57","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T11:16:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=21963"},"modified":"2025-10-20T11:16:57","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T11:16:57","slug":"home-trust-enters-reverse-mortgage-market-with-launch-of-equityaccess","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=21963","title":{"rendered":"Home Trust enters reverse mortgage market with launch of EquityAccess"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Home Trust has entered Canada\u2019s growing reverse mortgage market with the launch of EquityAccess<\/a>, a suite of products designed to help Canadians aged 55 and older unlock their home equity while remaining in their homes.<\/p>\n

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\"Brian
Brian Leland, Executive Vice President, Mortgage Lending, Home Trust<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Announced at the National Mortgage Conference in Ottawa, EquityAccess positions Home Trust as a new entrant in a market traditionally dominated by HomeEquity Bank, provider of the CHIP Reverse Mortgage, and Equitable Bank, which offers the Flex Reverse Mortgage. In recent years, several smaller lenders, including Bloom Finance and Fraction, have also joined the space.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe timing for this is perfect,\u201d said Brian Leland, executive vice-president of mortgage lending at Home Trust, in an interview with Canadian Mortgage Trends<\/em>. \u201cCanada is aging. The cohort of Canadians aged 55 and older is growing faster than any other group, and those 70 plus are expected to grow by 45% over the next decade\u2026 That\u2019s a perfect opportunity from a reverse-mortgage perspective, especially since 55-plus Canadians represent the highest share of homeowners.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that many people in this age group worry they won\u2019t be financially ready for retirement, a reality he said makes the case for reverse mortgages even stronger. \u201cUsing the home equity they\u2019ve worked hard to build, in an efficient, tax-free way, is the right opportunity at the right time, both for reverse-mortgage consumers and the brokers we\u2019re partnering with to offer this product.\u201d<\/p>\n

Broker-exclusive distribution<\/h3>\n

Home Trust will offer EquityAccess exclusively through mortgage brokers, a decision that underscores the company\u2019s longstanding commitment to the broker channel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve built our franchise alongside mortgage brokers,\u201d Leland said. \u201cThey\u2019ve helped us grow our business into what it is today and we\u2019ve helped many grow and diversify their businesses and we\u2019re thrilled to be working exclusively with mortgage brokers on this product.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the pilot, which ran over several months in Ontario and involved roughly a dozen to 15 brokers representing multiple brokerages, has already provided valuable insights. \u201cIt\u2019s all about feedback,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re hearing what we\u2019re doing well so we can build on it\u2014and where we can improve, we\u2019ll sharpen our pencils.\u201d<\/p>\n

EquityAccess is currently available in Ontario, with a B.C. rollout planned for 2025 and expansion into Alberta in early 2026, followed by a national rollout later that year.<\/p>\n

Building on Home Trust\u2019s alternative-lending foundation<\/h3>\n

Leland said EquityAccess completes Home Trust\u2019s product lineup, which now spans first-time homebuyers through to retirees. The company\u2019s offerings include its long-standing Classic mortgage, the Equityline Visa home equity line of credit, and a full range of commercial lending products.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, with our reverse mortgage, we can truly serve Canadians at every stage of their homeownership journey,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He added that EquityAccess was a \u201cnatural extension\u201d of Home Trust\u2019s growth following its merger with Fairstone Bank. \u201cWe\u2019re a growing and diversifying company,\u201d he said. \u201cThis product naturally fits that growth and and diversification.\u201d<\/p>\n

A new competitor in a growing space<\/h3>\n

Leland said brokers have long been calling for more competition in the reverse-mortgage segment. \u201cCompetition is healthy,\u201d he said. \u201cIt leads to more sustainable markets and benefits both consumers and brokers.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that Home Trust\u2019s decades of experience working with brokers made it a natural fit to enter the space. \u201cBrokers know we understand their business and the kinds of solutions they need to round out their offering and deliver more value to clients,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

On market potential, Leland pointed to international comparisons, specifically the UK, which has often been used as a proxy for sizing what the opportunity could be here in Canada. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe UK\u2019s reverse-mortgage market is about 10 times the size of Canada\u2019s today,\u201d he said. \u201cWith roughly $10 billion in outstanding reverse mortgages here, that suggests a $100 billion opportunity\u2014and that\u2019s great news for mortgage brokers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Educating brokers and borrowers<\/h3>\n

Leland noted that consumer attitudes toward reverse mortgages have evolved significantly since they first appeared in Canada nearly 40 years ago, adding that education will remain a key focus as awareness and understanding of the product continue to grow.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur our sales force will spend a significant amount of time educating themselves and educating brokers on on the merit of of the product, really demystifying what a reverse mortgage is. And I think that retired Canadians are becoming more and more accepting that a reverse mortgage is perhaps the exact solution that that they need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leland said it\u2019s a benefit to the market overall to have another large, regulated financial institution enter the space \u201chelping educate Canadians on the merits and the sensibility that a reverse mortgage can provide to Canadian households.\u201d<\/p>\n

Key product details<\/h3>\n