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Unlocking the Value of Manulife Mortgages: Insights from Jeff Taylor

When it comes to mortgage solutions, many brokers and clients tend to focus solely on rates. While rates matter, they’re only part of the bigger picture. In a recent conversation with Jeff Taylor of Manulife, we explored how Manulife’s mortgage products—particularly the Manulife One—go beyond interest rates to deliver flexibility, control, and long-term financial opportunities for clients.

Who Manulife Works Best With

Manulife focuses on working with brokers who truly manage their book of clients—those who look beyond the first deal to the client’s long-term financial health. Their products are especially valuable for:

  • Professionals and executives whose income is set to rise significantly.

  • Wealthy homeowners with equity-rich properties.

  • Business owners and self-employed clients who require flexibility in cash flow.

As Jeff put it, the ideal client is someone who wants to be in control of their banking, debt repayment, and access to money—not just someone shopping for the lowest rate.

Manulife One: More Than Just a Mortgage

The Manulife One is often described as a hybrid between a mortgage, line of credit, and bank account. Its key benefits include:

  • Flexible repayments: Clients can apply surplus income or lump sums to pay down their mortgage faster.

  • Cash flow management: Borrowers can adjust payments or even take “payment holidays” during low-income periods.

  • Integrated banking: Clients receive a debit card linked to their mortgage account, allowing seamless access to funds.

  • Investment opportunities: The structure allows high earners to leverage equity for wealth-building while still reducing debt.

This unique approach is what Jeff compared to “bringing an orange into a bowl of apples”—something different that brokers can present as a genuine value-add.

Competitive Rate Environment

Manulife has recently made moves to stay highly competitive:

  • Fixed rates have dropped by 15 basis points across the board.

  • Insured 5-year fixed rates as low as 4.04%.

  • Prime-linked HELOCs typically at Prime + 0.5, but can go lower in competitive deals.

  • Pre-approvals offered with no rate premium—a rarity in the market.

This makes Manulife a strong player for both conforming and non-conforming clients.

Asset-Based Lending & Equity Advantage Program

For affluent clients, Manulife’s asset-based qualification program is a standout. Borrowers can qualify with 1.2x the mortgage amount in liquid assets outside of the subject property, making it a great solution for retirees and those with significant net worth but low declared income.

The Equity Advantage Program also enables clients to access up to 50% of their home’s market value without relying heavily on income—perfect for long-time homeowners in markets like Vancouver and Toronto.

Flexibility for Business Owners

Business owners and self-employed professionals benefit from Manulife’s tailored programs:

  • Seasonal income earners (like realtors or tourism operators) can make lump sum payments during high-cash-flow months and reduce or skip payments in slower months.

  • Sub-accounts allow business debt to be tracked separately from personal borrowing, simplifying accounting and tax reporting.

Broker Partnership Requirements

Manulife is selective in its partnerships. They look for brokers committed to growth, ideally funding $3M per year. However, they also nurture new relationships, giving brokers time to build volume while learning the product suite.

Prepayment Privileges & Portability

Manulife offers generous 20% annual prepayment privileges and the ability to increase payments by 25% per year. Mortgages are also portable through a “security switch”, allowing clients to transfer their Manulife One account seamlessly to a new property.

BOTTOM LINE

Manulife isn’t just about mortgages—it’s about financial empowerment. For the right clients, their solutions offer unmatched flexibility, control, and the potential to build wealth while managing debt smarter. For brokers, partnering with Manulife means having a unique product in your toolkit—one that differentiates you from rate-only lenders and helps you deliver true value to your clients.

Level Up Mortgages is a mortgage broker team focused on helping the self employed, new immigrants, non-residents, and investors, access best rate and alternative lending in Canada. We have been nominated for best up and coming broker in Canada in 2021 and have been on CTV News and various publications because of our education-first approach to helping you always stay a step ahead of the process. Reach out to us for access to our first-time buyer course or a mortgage strategy session.

See What You Qualify For Or Contact Paul To Get Your Pre-Approval.

  • Paul Davidescu (www.levelupmortgages.com)

  • Level Up Mortgages

  • 604-809-3188

  • paul(at)levelupmortgages.com

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Paul Davidescu