Hey there, readers and friends, I'm hosting a First-Time Homebuyer Bruncheon on March 30th, and if you're available, it is definitely worth it for you to hop on over. I've had many clients (past, present, and potential future ones) say to me that I'm very thorough, and that I explain things to them that other lenders never took the time to explain. The bottom line is: I enjoy helping people (I always have), and that combined with my experience as a senior mortgage loan officer at American Residential Mortgage makes me a valuable resource for you as a first-time homebuyer looking to buy a home ..read more

Hey there, realtors and Central Florida homebuyers, happy Friday! I'm excited to announce that I'll be providing free mortgage consultations during an open house in Plant City, tomorrow (Saturday, January 27th), from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Let me know you're coming! Click here to RSVP.) During this time, you can not only view the beautiful home located at 3601 Pierce Harwell Loop, Plant City, FL 33565, but you can also meet me, shake my hand (or hug my neck, if you'd like), and talk about how I can help you buy a home in Florida. I'll be available to do the following for open house visitors: Mo ..read more

It's still the first half of January, and if you're like me, you spend a good part of January analyzing 2023 to better prepare for 2024. The mortgage industry in 2023 had its ups and downs (like the usual rollercoaster that it is -- Good thing I like thrill rides!). I've already had a few people (past, present, and new clients) ask me: What will buying a home in 2024 be like compared to last year? My answer to that is as curvy and complex as a rollercoaster track, but let's start with the challenges. The Challenges of Buying a Home in 2024 I've said this many times, and I'll say it again: Inte ..read more

As a Florida mortgage consultant, I get a lot of questions from realtors and clients alike. So, occasionally I like to share the questions I receive and answer them on the Florida Mortgage Blog. I recently received one such question from a realtor partner of mine who was helping a client shop for a manufactured home in Marion County, Florida. This particular client was a veteran, and qualified for mortgage financing with a Florida VA loan. Her question was: Can you get a VA loan for a manufactured home that has been moved from its original build site? The short answer is: Nope. The long answe ..read more

If you ask a realtor this question, you might get mixed answers due to varying opinions and based on personal experience of the loan process associated with these two different loan products. If you ask a seller this question, you might get a flat "conventional" answer, no matter the market. But, I'm not a realtor or a seller. So, my answer to this key question is very different. In fact, my answer is another question: Well, which loan option is best for the borrower and their particular needs in this current market? That is also my first reply when someone asks me: Are Conventional loans "bet ..read more

Have you ever seen Disney's Lady and the Tramp? In the full length animated film, the dog and heroine of the beloved classic faces a big change in her household, where her people welcome a new life into their home: a baby. Upon the baby's arrival, of course there's a big hullabaloo and to-do about it, for which Lady-- who has never seen one of these special creatures-- begs the question, "What IS a 'baby,' anyway?" I'm sharing this with you because, when I tell people I'm a NAMB Ceritifed Credit Specialist, the look they give me in reply is a lot like the look Lady has on her face when she ask ..read more

"Here we are! In Pismo Beach with all the clams we can eat." This is what Bugs Bunny says when he thinks he's arrived in a paradise, only to be greeted by a strange new land, after realizing he made a wrong turn at Albuquerque. Interestingly, in this hilarious episode of the 1957 Merrie Melodies Short, instead of landing on a beach, Bugs Bunny and his traveling companion Daffy Duck end up in a cave with treasures (and dangers) untold. I think some of us, especially after reading the news, could be asking ourselves if the housing market made a wrong turn somewhere (maybe at Albuquerque), and we ..read more

Every week I volunteer as a youth group leader at my church for middle school girls. We have a lot of laughs, but we also have a lot of deep discussions. Recently, we talked about what it means to be meek in wisdom. It was James 3:13 (ESV) that brought up this topic: "Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom." The modern, sometimes youthful impression of "meekness" is typically the wrong one. Most of the young ladies agreed that meekness sounded like someone who was a pushover; someone who can't stand up for themselves. The o ..read more

In my previous blog, I talked about some ways all of us could help those severely impacted by Hurricane Ian, especially those of us who were blessed to fare the storm safely and emerge from it relatively unscathed. There are many Floridians who, unfortunately, did not make it out okay after the storm. Lives were lost. Homes were destroyed. Many families are displaced. Fortunately, I have access to a Florida mortgage loan program that can help. For those families (renters or homeowners), whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged from the hurricane and are now in need of a new home, there ..read more

In my home state, my birth place and the land I love, Florida is just beginning to emerge from one of the largest storms we've had in the state's recorded history, Hurricane Ian. From our back yard, my family and I made it out just fine, and we are very grateful for it. But, unfortunately, many of our friends on the coast do not have the same story. As a state, we are at a critical stage of rescue and recovery, and for some areas and communities, it will take a long while to see full restoration and economic health take root again. While it's not the first bad storm I've seen, I also know wit ..read more