Thrive Community

Thrive Community Thrive is a Canadian platform that aims to empower investors with education, support, and community.

We created Thrive because we understand the importance of training, support, and community when it comes to investing. Our goal is to empower Canadian investors with the tools they need to invest safely and profitably, the support they need when they need it, and a community of like-minded individuals to connect with.

05/16/2026

Rent to Own changed how I look at real estate. It's not just a deal — it's a doorway. Here's how one strategy can help a family become homeowners AND build my portfolio at the same time. Join Thrive Community and post "DOORWAY" if you want my Rent to Own playbook.

Before I buy ANY flip in Canada, I run these 5 numbers. Skip even one and the deal turns into a lesson.1. ARV — After Re...
05/15/2026

Before I buy ANY flip in Canada, I run these 5 numbers. Skip even one and the deal turns into a lesson.

1. ARV — After Repair Value, based on REAL comps
2. All-in cost (purchase + reno + carrying + closing)
3. The 70% rule (max offer = 70% of ARV minus repairs)
4. Holding cost per month (interest, taxes, insurance, utilities)
5. Exit timeline + buffer (always add 30%)

Renos are fun. Spreadsheets are profit. Save this for your next deal.

05/13/2026

Did you know you can use your retirement accounts to fund real estate deals? From RRSPs to TFSAs, your self-directed accounts are powerful tools for private lending. Learn the CRA rules for arm's length mortgages and the secret to funding your own mortgage! 🏠💰



Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-GhGbTbDOM

Multi-family is how serious Canadian investors scale — and it's not just for the ultra-wealthy anymore. Here's why it's ...
05/13/2026

Multi-family is how serious Canadian investors scale — and it's not just for the ultra-wealthy anymore. Here's why it's my favourite asset class:

- One roof, one furnace, one set of headaches (instead of six)
- Forced appreciation: raise the NOI, raise the value
- Vacancy in one unit doesn't sink the ship
- CMHC financing options are a quiet superpower

If single-family was your starter home, multi-family is your move-up house. Save this post and follow Thrive Community for the full breakdown

05/13/2026

Not everyone wants to swing hammers or screen tenants. The good news? You don't have to. Here's how private lending lets your money do the heavy lifting — secured against real Canadian real estate.

05/12/2026

Most people wait until they have a perfect plan, but that's not how entrepreneurship works. 💡 Watch how I transitioned from a corporate job to real estate investing with zero experience. Sometimes you just have to take the leap and figure it out as you go. Go big or go home!



Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-GhGbTbDOM

We had a packed Lunch & Learn on this exact topic, so I want to put it on paper for the rest of the community.If you've ...
05/12/2026

We had a packed Lunch & Learn on this exact topic, so I want to put it on paper for the rest of the community.

If you've built up equity in your portfolio and you're starting to feel the weight of toilets, tenants, and 2 a.m. furnace calls — **private lending is how seasoned Canadian investors transition from active to passive without leaving real estate.**

**What it actually is:** You become the bank. Investors with deals (often BRRRR or fix-and-flip projects) borrow from you, secured by a mortgage charge on the property. You earn 8–14% annualized depending on the position and risk.

**The three ways to get started in Canada:**

1. **Direct private mortgages** — You lend directly to a borrower, registered on title. Highest return, highest workload, you're sourcing and underwriting deals yourself.

2. **MIC investing (Mortgage Investment Corporation)** — You buy shares in a pooled fund of mortgages. Hands-off, diversified, typically 7–10% returns. Great inside a TFSA or RRSP.

3. **Syndicated mortgages** — You and several other investors fund one deal together. Middle ground on workload and returns.

**The risk reality nobody talks about:**
- You CAN lose money. Power of sale processes in Canada take 6–18 months and cost $20K+ in legal fees.
- First mortgages are safer than seconds. Seconds pay more for a reason.
- The borrower's exit strategy matters more than the appraisal. "How are you paying me back?" is the only question that matters.

**The Canadian-specific tip:** Private lending income is interest income — fully taxable at your marginal rate. Hold private mortgages inside a TFSA, RRSP, or corporation if you can. The tax savings often add 2–3% to your effective return.

👉 If you're considering moving from landlord to lender, comment below. We're planning a follow-up Lunch & Learn specifically on structuring private mortgages — I want to make sure we cover what YOU want to learn.

05/11/2026

Think big or go home! 🏠 From 96 units in year one to investing across North America, this is how you scale a real estate empire. Learn the journey from Gatineau to Phoenix and the shift into private lending for ultimate passive income.

Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-GhGbTbDOM

Most new investors think "real estate investing" = buy a rental property. But the highest-ROI move for someone with a re...
05/11/2026

Most new investors think "real estate investing" = buy a rental property. But the highest-ROI move for someone with a regular T4 income is almost always:

**Buy a property you'll live in. Add (or buy with) a legal secondary suite. Rent the other half.**

Here's why this absolutely smokes other entry strategies in Canada:

- **5% down payment** (vs. 20% for an investment property)
- **Owner-occupied mortgage rates** (~1–2% lower than rental rates)
- **Rental income offsets your housing costs** — sometimes covers them entirely
- **Capital gains exemption** on your principal residence portion when you sell
- **You learn to be a landlord** while living next door (terrifying, but the best classroom)

The federal government recently expanded what's possible with the **Canadian Secondary Suite Loan Program** — up to $80,000 in low-interest financing to add a legal secondary suite to your existing home. Many provinces and municipalities have stacked their own incentives on top.

**The play:**
1. Buy a bungalow or 1.5-storey with basement potential in a city that allows secondary suites as-of-right
2. Add a legal, permitted, separately-metered basement suite
3. Live upstairs, rent downstairs (or vice versa)
4. After 1–2 years, refinance at the new appraised value (which jumped from adding the legal suite)
5. Pull capital out, buy the next one, rent BOTH units of the first property

Do this 3 times in 6 years and you've built a portfolio without ever needing 20% down.

👉 Are you in a city that allows as-of-right secondary suites? Drop your municipality below — I'll share what I know about the rules in your area.

**The 50/50 Money Partner JV (the classic):**- One partner brings the money (down payment, closing costs, reserves) AND ...
05/10/2026

**The 50/50 Money Partner JV (the classic):**
- One partner brings the money (down payment, closing costs, reserves) AND qualifies for the mortgage
- The other partner brings the deal, the management, and the sweat equity
- Profits, cash flow, and appreciation split 50/50
- You DO NOT split based on who put in more "work" — you agreed up front

**The non-negotiables before you sign anything:**
1. **JV agreement drafted by a real estate lawyer** — not a template off the internet
2. **Exit clauses** — what happens at year 5? Year 10? Buyout formula in writing
3. **Decision rights** — who decides on capex, refinances, sale, problem tenants
4. **Death/divorce/disability clauses** — the boring ones that save the deal
5. **Reporting cadence** — monthly or quarterly statements, no exceptions

**The mindset shift:** Stop thinking of money partners as "the bank." They're partners. Treat them like co-owners of the asset, communicate proactively, and they will refer you to their network. One good money partner = three more deals over the next 5 years.

👉 Question for the room: Are you currently looking for JV partners, or are you the money partner looking for deals? Comment below — let's see if we can connect some of you.

If you're not running 5+ unit deals through CMHC's MLI Select program yet, this post is for you.MLI Select is CMHC's ins...
05/09/2026

If you're not running 5+ unit deals through CMHC's MLI Select program yet, this post is for you.

MLI Select is CMHC's insurance program for multi-residential properties (5+ units). Hit certain thresholds on **affordability, energy efficiency, or accessibility** and you unlock:

- **Up to 95% LTV** (vs. 75–80% conventional)
- **Amortizations up to 50 years** — yes, fifty
- **Insurance premiums that often beat conventional rates outright**
- **Better debt coverage ratios** because of the long amortization

The program uses a points system. Hit 50 points = base benefits. Hit 70 = better. Hit 100 = the unicorn tier. You earn points by:
- Locking in a percentage of units below median market rent for 10+ years
- Building or retrofitting to high energy-efficiency standards
- Including accessibility features

**Where this becomes magical:** Buying a tired 6-plex, doing a value-add reno that improves energy performance, locking 40% of units at affordable rents, and refinancing into a 50-year am at 95% LTV. The cash-on-cash returns get silly.

The catch? CMHC underwriting is slow (think 90–120 days) and the paperwork is heavy. Get a mortgage broker who has done MLI Select deals before — not their first one.

👉 Has anyone in here closed an MLI Select deal? Drop your experience below — the good, the bad, and the timeline reality.

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