How Alberta Business Owners Are Quietly Building Real Estate Wealth—Without Paying Themselves More
You’ve built a business. Maybe it’s not flashy, but it’s solid. The bills get paid, the clients keep coming, and you’ve got money sitting in the corp. You’re doing alright.
Now what?
If you’ve ever thought, “I should really be doing something smarter with this money…” you’re not alone.
We work with business owners every week—plumbers, consultants, tech founders, dental practices, logistics guys—who’ve all hit the same wall:
“I’ve got cash. I’ve got good credit. But my bank says I don’t qualify unless I take more salary—and I’m not paying CRA more just to get a mortgage.”
Let’s be blunt: the traditional mortgage system wasn’t built for entrepreneurs.
But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck.
The Hidden Problem No One Talks About
Most banks only care about what shows up on your tax return. Line 150 = gospel.
So when you optimize your taxes—write off your truck, your phone, your office, your internet—the bank thinks you’re broke.
Meanwhile, your business is pulling in $300K and you’ve got $250K in retained earnings sitting in your OpCo or HoldCo.
That disconnect? That’s the entire game.
And once you understand how to play it, you can stop letting the bank’s rules keep you small.
You Don’t Need to Pay Yourself More
Here’s the big shift: you don’t need to increase your salary to qualify. You need a different lender—and a different strategy.
Alternative lenders (aka B lenders) look at:
- 12 months of business bank statements
- Stated income supported by cash flow
- Good credit and clean conduct
- Strong down payment (typically 20%)
With the right setup, you can qualify for a mortgage based on your actual business activity—not your “after write-offs” income.
Yes, the rate is a little higher.
Yes, there’s usually a 1% lender fee.
But let’s compare…
Paying yourself an extra $100,000?
That’s $35,000–$45,000 in tax. Gone.
Using a stated income mortgage instead?
That might cost you $8,000–$12,000 over two years.
You do the math.
Start with Residential. Then Scale.
Most of our business-owner clients start small—buying a condo, a suited house, maybe a fourplex. Learn the ropes, let the property appreciate, and build equity.
Then they level up into:
- Multi-unit properties (5+ doors)
- Mixed-use buildings
- Commercial mortgage territory
Here’s the kicker: Commercial mortgages don’t care what your personal income is.
They care about the property’s income. It either cash flows or it doesn’t. And that means you can grow your portfolio without growing your salary—or your tax bill.
Real Example: $743K Gained Without Paying More Tax
In 2021, one of our Calgary clients came to us with strong business revenue but very low taxable income. The bank laughed him out of the branch.
We didn’t.
He had:
- $218K saved inside his corp
- A clean credit history
- $270K/year in deposits across his business accounts
Using an alt lender:
- We got him three mortgages of ~$280K each
- With just under 6% interest
- And a 1% fee built in
He bought three suited homes and started cash flowing immediately. Four years later, he had paid down principal, watched the homes appreciate, and built:
💥 $743,000 in wealth
…without ever increasing his salary.
📥 Want the Full Guide? Download It Free.
This blog’s just the start.
If you’re the type who wants to really understand the how, we’ve put together a complete guide that walks you through:
- ✅ How to structure your HoldCo
- ✅ Which lenders offer business-for-self and stated income options
- ✅ Residential vs. commercial financing: what to expect
- ✅ How to use retained earnings to buy property—without triggering tax
- ✅ Real client examples from Alberta
- ✅ Team checklists: what your accountant + broker need to coordinate
👉 Download the Full PDF Guide Here
(No spam. Just the real deal.)
How to Know You’re Ready
You don’t need to have it all figured out. But you’re probably ready if:
- You’ve got 20%+ saved (personally or inside the corp)
- You’ve been in business for 2+ years
- Your credit is 680+
- You’re not willing to pay more tax just to satisfy a bank
- You’re done waiting
If that’s you—this is your window.
We’re Here If You Need a Team
At Spire, we’ve walked this path ourselves—multiple times. We’ve built our own portfolios while running businesses, balancing taxes, managing risk, and figuring it out in real time.
That’s why we don’t give cookie-cutter advice. We help you figure out what fits your situation, your goals, and your timeline.
Sometimes that’s a stated income loan.
Sometimes it’s a HoldCo structure.
Sometimes it’s waiting six months and cleaning up your credit.
Let’s walk it together—start here.
Final Word
You’ve built something. Now it’s time to use it—to buy back your time, create long-term stability, and build generational wealth.
You don’t need to beg your bank. You don’t need to pay yourself more. You just need to play the game differently.
👉 Download the Full Guide
Or book a call and let’s walk through your numbers together.
