Keith Uthe serves as an Independent Mortgage Broker with Mortgage Alliance – Enrich Mortgage Group, in Calgary, Alberta, where he brings a unique blend of expertise and passion to redefine the mortgage experience.
He is the driving force behind his vision of guiding clients towards a life of opportunity through mortgage lending services. As a top Smith Manoeuvre Certified Professional, real estate investment advisor, and successful independent mortgage broker, Keith’s goal is clear: to provide clients with knowledgeable service, trusted guidance and the best mortgage options that will meet the client’s needs.
As part of the Enrich Mortgage Group, Keith extends his services to every province and territory across Canada. Whether it’s residential housing, commercial mortgages, or business financing solutions, Keith emphasizes the importance of understanding every aspect of a property purchase, including interest rates, mortgage terms, and strategic considerations before determining the best options.
Keith believes that every property is a crucial investment, and he is committed to assisting clients, whether they are purchasing their first home, their next home, or an investment property. Beyond traditional mortgages, Keith is a certified real estate investment advisor, specializing in legal secondary suites and multi-unit buildings. This expertise extends to coaching services for investors, helping them navigate the complexities of real estate portfolios. What sets Keith apart is not just his professional expertise but also the journey that led him to this fulfilling career. Dissatisfaction with his previous job pushed Keith to seek a career change, leading him to a junior underwriter position with a private lender. He was unfortunately laid off a year later, in 2016, which ending up being a huge turning point in his life purpose and career.
Overcoming the devastation and fear of being laid off, Keith turned to his mentor, Richard Dolan, who not only provided emotional support but also introduced him to the mortgage broker industry. This led Keith to a meeting with Richard Anderson, the owner of Enrich Mortgage Group, which paved the way for Keith to become a mortgage broker. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of Keith’s extraordinary success as a mortgage broker, now setting personal funding records each year, achieving top broker status and winning top earnings awards yearly since 2017.
His motivation? The discovery of his deep-seated vison and purpose that ‘Everyone Is Living A Life Of Opportunity’, which is supported by his mentors Richard Dolan and Richard Anderson. The challenges faced and the support he received have fueled Keith’s passion for his work, making it more than just a job but a source of purpose and fulfillment daily by connecting with people.
Impact on the Community and Society
Keith’s commitment goes beyond conventional mortgage brokering. Recognizing the significance of a mortgage in an individual’s life, he founded the High-Performance Lab for Mortgage Brokers in 2021. This initiative aims to help mortgage brokers understand the depth of their role and impact, emphasizing the importance of asking the right questions to build trust with clients.
Through weekly coaching sessions, Keith guides mortgage agents to overcome self- limiting beliefs, fostering a better understanding of themselves, their values, and the ‘three keepers’:
- Judgement: worried that the world is watching all we do and drawing conclusions about us,
- Ego: showing off for status rather than meaningful goals, and
- Fear: safety and comfort rather than growth and exploration
This unique approach empowers mortgage brokers to be honest with themselves, be in action, ask better questions, and ultimately build stronger, more trusting relationships with their clients.
Keith Uthe’s journey has been marked by diverse challenges that spanned his athletic career, academic endeavors, and career transitions. Reflecting on his earlier years, Keith regrets the lack of a mentor or personal coach, which led to a shoot-from-the-hip approach in handling obstacles. However, as he built relationships and connected with mentors, he underwent a personal transformation, gradually altering his perspective on challenges and failures. Keith emphasizes the importance of mentorship in guiding individuals through difficulties, a realization that took years of personal growth and development. A key lesson Keith learned was the power of solid connections in building trust and garnering support. This insight manifested in the creation of the Alcohol and Drug Awareness and Prevention Team (ADAPT) during his work at the University of Calgary. Through strategic relationship-building and obtaining support from various stakeholders, Keith successfully led the ADAPT Team in developing an awareness program for the campus, showcasing his ability to rally individuals toward a common goal.
He has become a true believer in the power of business networking. He attends several weekly and monthly events in the Calgary community, using these hones his speaking and presentation skills as well as becoming interconnected to others in many different industries, making him a resource for many services his clients need creating a win-win-win.
Achievements and Projects
In 2023, Keith takes pride in two noteworthy achievements. First a personal note, he fulfilled a longstanding desire by purchasing a recreational boat, providing a comfortable and safe space for family and friends on the water. Second, professionally, Keith demonstrated his commitment to work-life balance, thanks to support from his devoted spouse Nancy, by investing in a virtual assistant, building an underwriting team and the resumption of yearly vacations after Covid. This strategic move allowed him to spend more quality time connecting with clients and engaging in conversations that uncover opportunities, aligning with his overarching purpose that ‘All People Are Living a Life Of Opportunity.’ In Keith’s view, successful business leadership revolves around the concept of KPI: Keep People Ignited, Informed, Interconnected, Intrigued, Interested, and Investing. This encapsulates the essential qualities a leader should possess to foster a dynamic and engaged team, ensuring everyone remains motivated, informed, and connected.
Keith instills a culture of continuous learning and growth within the brokerage by encouraging open sharing of knowledge. Through discussions and active participation, team members keep their minds sharp and remain focused on what is possible rather than settling for the status quo. Keith believes that discomfort is a sign of growth, and fostering an environment where individuals feel challenged contributes to innovation and creativity.
He also assists his clients by informing them of ways they can improve their properties value while helping the environment. He ensures they are informed about grants, rebates, or forgivable loans related to environmental initiatives, thereby contributing to broader environmental awareness within the community. He and Nancy have taken advantage of these programs, both federally and provincially, several times over the years, replacing windows, doors, furnaces, hot water tanks, and insulation.
Keith leads by example in balancing business needs with social and environmental responsibilities. Working from an environmentally-friendly home with energy-efficient features, recycling practices, and plans for future solar panels in 2024, Keith demonstrates a commitment to reducing his environmental footprint. By embracing a home-based work environment, he also minimizes vehicle emissions, by eliminating his commute of at least 60 minutes per day, aligning his personal and professional practices with environmental responsibility.
Impactful Stories of Transformation
As an Independent Mortgage Broker, Certified Financial Life Professional, and Certified Real Estate Investment Advisor, Keith Uthe doesn’t just facilitate transactions; he architects financial transformations. His approach transcends conventional roles, earning him the title of Mortgage Strategist. Keith’s distinctive mindset prompts clients to see beyond their initial mortgage-related inquiries, initiating conversations that lead to significant, life-altering strategies. In the past year, Keith’s interventions ranged from debt restructuring to empowering clients with the Smith Manoeuvre for long-term wealth building. Using the Smith Manoeuvre is the process of converting non-tax-deductible mortgage interest on your primary home into tax deductible interest The Smith Manoeuvre, is a strategy Keith and Nancy implemented starting back in 2005 and maintain the tax advantages to this day. It was the catapult to their real estate investing success and long-term wealth growth. Now showing and helping others to implement this strategy is of paramount importance to him.
Wealth building also often takes a shift in mindset in what one believes to be true. One standout instance involved restructuring a client’s vehicle and trailer loan debt, thus reducing monthly payments by almost $1,000.00. This adjustment not only enhanced their financial stability but positioned them to realize their dream of home ownership. Unconventional strategies, such as refinancing a vehicle to consolidate debt, enabling them to qualify for a mortgage or leveraging their vehicle to secure funds for a down payment showcase the versatility of Keith’s problem-solving approach. Keith utilizes various strategies to set investors on a path to creating future wealth by design. Whether by using the Smith Manoeuvre or other unique financing strategies, when clients fully grasp the power of thinking outside-the-box, they gain insights into designing a financial life by their own intentional choices.
One compelling story involved a client seeking a space for their business. Limited by capital for the down payment, Keith demonstrated the benefits of implementing the Smith Manoeuvre on the client’s home, unlocking the necessary funds to secure the business property. This shows how Keith seamlessly integrates personal and business financial solutions to create an impactful strategy.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
For those aspiring to make a positive impact through their businesses, Keith imparts six key principles:
- Always be ignited
- Always be intentional
- Always be informed
- Always be interconnected
- Always be intrigued
- Always be interested.
These principles embody a proactive and purposeful mindset, emphasizing continuous growth, intentionality, and a genuine interest in creating positive change.
Keith identifies government regulations, housing supply, and interest rates as significant challenges in 2023, persisting into 2024. However, he sees opportunities lying in creative and unconventional solutions. Borrowers, in particular, will need to embrace different strategies to navigate the evolving financial landscape. In fostering a positive work culture, Keith encourages open sharing among his team members, especially those in the High-Performance Lab., who share stories and are coached over Zoom. Dispelling the fear of competition, Keith believes that a collaborative mindset fosters a richer environment where each team member can contribute unique insights without the fear of losing business.
Keith actively contributes to the local community through his franchise and networking. He makes cash contributions throughout the year, allowing the groups to collectively decide on charities and allocate funds to those in need. In 2023 the RESET charity in Calgary is one of the recipients.
Looking ahead, Keith’s vision is clear – to grow his business, increase his reach, to be a trusted authority and help more people live a life of opportunity. This involves leveraging video, webinars, and informative posts to educate an influx of immigrants about mortgages and financial responsibilities. His goal is not only to facilitate transactions but to ensure that everyone understands the opportunities available to them, aligning with his overarching purpose of ‘All People Are Living A Life Of Opportunity.’
As Keith aptly puts it, “Stay Calm and Mortgage On ™,” encapsulating his steadfast commitment to guiding individuals through the intricacies of mortgages and financial strategies.
Keith Uthe emerges not only as a thriving and successful mortgage broker, but as a visionary leader who adeptly navigates challenges, joyfully celebrates achievements, and seamlessly integrates values of mentorship, innovation, and environmental consciousness into both his professional and personal life. His compelling story, exemplary services, and unwavering commitment to community empowerment through education collectively position him as a notable figure in the mortgage industry, reflecting a true beacon of innovation and dedication.