Borrower Tips

Count Rent from ADU to Qualify

Let’s talk about how you can use rent from ADUs to qualify as a buyer. When you are qualifying for a mortgage, it’s smart to utilize all of the income sources that are available. What is an ADU? An Accessory Dwelling Unit…

Borrow Money When You Don’t Need It!

Today’s topic is important – something that I can’t emphasize enough. Right now, there are record amounts of home equity. In the last year, there has been a good 20% increase in home values, which means equity continues going up. Borrowing Money…

Is it Really Okay to do a Cash Out Refinance?

Have you seen cash-out refinances advertised all over the radio and other marketing platforms? I want to talk about this topic today to answer common questions about this strategy. Equity is way up, making it seem like a good idea right now….

All Mortgage Companies are Not Created Equal

I want to point out that not all mortgage companies are created equal. In the last few weeks, our office has rescued three different loans – I wanted to highlight these stories to help you see that there are options. The guidelines…

Who Wants Some Money???

There are so many people out there working on their homes right now. Everyone I know that works in any type of trade is buried in work projects: painters, handymen, general contractors, etc. Everyone is slammed – which makes sense since people…

Jumbo Loans for Self-Employed Buyers

I’ve talked about this topic before, but haven’t brought it up in a while. It’s come up again a few times recently, so I wanted discuss the options for self-employed home buyers. How Tax Strategy Impacts Loan Approval We help self-employed clients…

I’m a First Time Home Buyer Again

This topic came up a few times this week, so I thought it would address it in my video today: did you know that you can be a first-time homebuyer more than once? It might sound surprising, but it’s actually more common…

Real Estate Roadblocks – I Don’t Fit Inside the Box

Today I am talking about the idea of “fitting” into the lending box. I have the unique skill set of evaluating a person’s situation, then finding the right loan to make it happen. It happens every day that I talk to clients…

Real Estate Roadblocks – Picking the Right Loan Officer

A few weeks ago, I talked about picking a good real estate agent, and I wanted to follow-up on that thought and discuss the process of choosing the right loan officer as well. Both the real estate agent and your loan officer…

Removing Roadblocks to Homeownership – I Want My Dream Home

Today’s topic applies to people who might already own a home, but they are preparing to buy another property. The move could be “rightsizing” to a bigger or smaller home, or a sideways move to a house in another location. Timing is…

Removing Roadblocks to Homeownership – Job Stability

This week I am sticking with the theme of removing roadblocks to home ownership, talking about how job stability affects your ability to get financing to buy a home. It is common for people to ask me questions about job stability:…

Being Proactive in a Changing Market

This morning on the news, there was a story that said that Southern California real estate volume was off by 20% this year compared to historical trends. We are feeling the change in the real estate market, which is why I wanted…

The Home Purchasing Process Starts Here

Where does the home buying process really start? Most people start the process of purchasing a home completely backward. They start shopping for homes, even though they have no idea whether they can afford to purchase. It is common to turn to…

Is Debt Bad? Not When You’re Using it Right!

It might sound ironic for a mortgage professional to talk about how debt is bad. Of course, it is obvious that certain types of debt, such as credit cards, aren’t a great choice. We all know carrying debt is bad, BUT mortgage…

Student Loans and Mortgages – What You Need to Know

The topic of students loans is often brought up by customers, with many people wanting to know how their loans will relate to getting pre-approved and approved for a mortgage. According to the statistics, student loan debt has now surpassed revolving debt…

Wire Fraud: A Serious Concern in the Real Estate Industry

Today’s topic is a little disheartening, but it is an important subject that needs to be addressed: wire fraud. Home buyers are wiring thousands of dollars and can be easy targets for fraudsters. So, today’s tips are focused on steps that can…

How to Get the Best Rate on a Mortgage

Owning a home is one of the most important investments you will have in your lifetime. So naturally, having the lowest mortgage payment possible would be one of the most intelligent things to do. Here are a few things you can do…

5 Potential Solutions if You Can’t Pay Your Mortgage

Unfortunately, some homeowners face certain situations like losing their job, having high medical bills, or facing financial hardship. If you find yourself in this situation, things may look terrible as to keeping your home, but there are numerous options that you can…

Things That Can Make Your Mortgage Payments Increase

When you sign your name on to a 30-year fixed mortgage, you inherently assume that your payments will remain the same for… the next 30 years. Right? In theory, that is true. However, in reality it isn’t always the case. The reason…

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