Finding a skilled loan officer who is attuned to your needs and can assist you through the process is essential. Here are five questions you might want to ask your home mortgage lender.

What are my home loan options?
This question will help gauge the loan officer’s expertise and understanding of your specific situation. You may need to share some personal financial information, but a credit check shouldn’t be necessary at this stage.

Could you explain the mortgage process?
A competent loan officer should be able to outline the steps from application submission to loan approval. They should also provide insights into legal and real estate aspects or direct you to your real estate agent for further information.

What do I need to provide for loan approval?
Before submitting any documents, ensure your loan officer explains what they require and why. Detailed financial information and a credit check will be necessary after completing the mortgage application, but this should only be done with your consent.

Can I pre-qualify?
Consider discussing with a lender before house hunting. They can prequalify you based on a few documents, giving you an idea of your purchasing power without going through the full process. A prequalification letter can also make you a more appealing buyer when you’re ready to make an offer.

How long is the entire process?
This question will help you understand the timeline from application to approval, allowing you to plan accordingly. Remember, the duration can vary based on several factors, including the type of loan, your financial situation, and the lender’s processes.

We would love to schedule a consultation with you to answer these questions in more detail and with specifics to your individual needs. Just visit our website and click on “Schedule Consultation”.

Nationally, we have been in a seller’s market for quite some time, but there are signs that maybe changing. The seller’s market was fueled by tight inventory and high demand, and was punctuated with bidding wars and cash offers.
A move towards a buyer’s market would mean that houses stay on the market longer and prices stabilize or even drop. Signs of a buyers market include, higher inventory, prices getting lowered, the aforementioned increase in days on market, as well as things like incentives offered by the seller such as help with closing costs or renovations.
The old adage about everything in real estate being local means that some areas maybe in a buyer’s market while others not so much. And while it might not be a buyer’s market, it does seem that we are moving towards a more balanced market.
If you are thinking of buying check with us and we help advise on your area and the current market conditions.

As home prices have risen dramatically the last few years (yes, they are starting to inch down now), many people find their dream house seemingly out of reach. Don’t despair, here are some tips to save a thousands on your home purchase and lower costs.
Move Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Ok maybe not your comfort zone, but expanding your search area can make a big difference. If you are priced out of your preferred neighborhood, try expanding your search to nearby areas where housing prices can be significantly lower.
Credit Check?
Check your credit score and see if there are any issues that need to be addressed. Since your credit score has a big impact on getting lower interest rates, if there are fixable issues it can make a difference!
Down Payment Support
If you need help with your down payment, there are a number of different programs as well as local ones that maybe able to provide support for the down payment.
For help on your specific situation, fill out our home purchase qualifier on our website to help find your best fit in todays environment.

As we continue to see low inventory in the housing market and high rent prices, many home owners are adding ADUs (which stands for Accessory Dwelling Units).
ADUs often called granny flats, are guest houses or rooms added to garages to create rental income for home owners. Home owners typically add ADUs to increase cash flow, as well as looking for their property value to appreciate. Whether ADUs are right for you, depends on a number of factors. ADUs often costs at least $100,000 to build so being in a high rent market helps to offset the initial investment. You’ll also need to make sure local ordinances allow them and what the regulations are.
The old real estate adage about location stays true for ADUs as well. If you are in an area where rents are high or a popular vacation destination, then ADUs can make sense. Again you’ll need to check the local zoning and if you build one you will also need to have updated insurance to cover the ADU. Check with us to learn more and to see what financing terms you qualify for.