Are you in the best position to make an offer on a home?

It happened again.  My buyer "Chris" found the perfect house and made an offer.  It just went on the market the day before.  Sweet home, great condition, superior location, and priced right.  While pre-qualified, for weeks I had been trying to get Chris to understand the importance of providing us with his paystubs, tax returns, bank statements, etc. so we could ar  More...

e-signature closing packages are here!

Effective today The Mortgage Firm is now sending out closing packages for e-signatures!  Most all documents can be signed electronically while just a few documents, the mortgage and note for example, need to be signed in person at the title company.  I was a part of the pilot program. The closing lasted 13 minutes!  Let me know if you have any questions.

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Credit trend?

I’ve been noticing a credit trend recently. Young homebuyers who saw their parents struggle during the recession about 10 years ago are choosing to stay away from credit. They pay cash for most everything for fear of finding themselves in the same scary financial situation.

And then they try to buy a house. Obtaining credit can be a challenge if you have none to begin with. But he  More...

Not so fast on that refinance!

Not so fast on that refinance! Many mortgage companies will convince you that refinancing your current mortgage is a smart move, but there are so many factors to consider other than just lowering your rate. Every case is different and you must look at how many years you have left on your current mortgage, how long you think you may l  More...

What is the MLS and what does it do?

What is the MLS and what does it do? 

MLS stands for Multiple Listing Service.  The MLS is a member organization that compiles real estate information and tracks the status of individual property listings and area real estate markets.

Direct access to the MLS is limited to members, although much of the data is ma  More...

How exactly does a credit rating fit into qualifying for a mortgage?

Of all the factors that go into qualifying for a mortgage (income, assets, job stability), credit rating is the one factor that seems the most difficult for many to overcome. Luckily it is the easiest to improve! Here are the most misunderstood facts regarding credit:

• Lack of credit prevents many from qualifying. While many prefer to pay cash, if you want to qualify  More...

USDA housing programs have helped thousands

USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) housing programs have helped thousands of families over the years purchase homes with no money down. The program was instituted about 40 years ago to promote homeownership in rural areas. For years, Lake county was considered rural and this has been no doubt a popular financing option. You could not get this loan in Orlando!

No  More...