805 Local

Recently I was asked to provide a “mission statement” or a “value” statement, if you will, which spoke of what special services I could provide, and who was my target market, etc., etc.  As a loan officer, I was asked to think long and hard to come up with something unique that might set me apart [...]

The new Conforming loan limits have been announced for 2009!!  What does that even mean??  Well, if you are thinking of buying a home soon, it could mean a lot to you.  As of right now, the Conforming loan limit is $417,000 for Ventura and Los Angeles County.  That means that the “cheaper” money (lower rates) can [...]

An open and closed what?  Escrow, that’s what.  How does it happen?  How do we get from open to closed?  Well, here’s a general information lesson on how it’s done.  First of all, you find the home that fit your needs.  Then you put an offer in on that home and once there is a [...]

I hear it on television and the radio, and people are calling me with the same question, “Are you guys still lending money?”  Really?  That’s the question?  Yes, and I’ve even seen it on the news where the “talking heads” are saying that banks aren’t lending money on real estate right now.  It’s happened too many [...]

As a loan officer who has worked in Ventura County for over 27 years, I’ve seen the processing and underwriting of home loans change dramatically.  Before it all went to “tighter guidelines” (that’s an understatement), the loan officer could be nothing more than an order taker.  “Yes, sir.  May I interest you in a Home Equity Line of [...]

So you want to buy a house, but you don’t know what you qualify for.  You know how much you want your total payments to be, but you don’t know how much house that will buy.  What about property taxes and homeowner’s insurance?  How much would that be?  How much do you need for a down [...]

With all of the tightening credit guidelines, it would be nice if your credit score mattered a little less these days, but nowadays it matters more than ever!  It used to be that people with generally good credit got about the same interest rate as people with really good credit and people with generally not-so-good [...]

Okay, so you want to refinance a property and pull out some cash.  You can’t decide whether to refinance your own home or one of your investment properties.  It’s a cash-out refinance and you’re looking for the best rate.  What do you do?
You refinance your own home, that’s what you do!  The reason why you do this is because it’s [...]

Yes, and here’s why.  When the market is as volatile as it has been recently, several things hold true: 1) Rates Rise like a Rocket and Fall like a Feather  2) Lenders are very quick to reprice  3) Rates MOVE FAST when they get started.  Here’s how to protect yourself.
Use a lender that will let [...]

Your lost in space, “with no direction home!” (apologies to Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rollin’ Stone”) I know that it’s been a crazy real estate market out there, but can you remember the last time interest rates were this low AND home prices were also this low?  I can’t either.  So why are you having a [...]