Stew Sweet

After searching for nearly two years, potential first time home buyers came to us to strategize ways to strengthen their offers. They had 10% to put down, were self-employed and had sky high debt ratios. We recommended a unique down payment assistance program that provides an additional 10% down without any additional cost increasing their total down payment to 20%. With their new pre-approval in hand, they submitted a strong offer and committed to a 22 day close. This time, history did not repeat itself and the seller accepted the offer, providing a happy ending to a two year search.

A long-term client with six loans under her belt came to us to once again ask for advice. She had recently sold a property in one state and wanted to use the funds to buy a condo in another. Knowing she wanted to preserve as much cash as possible, we recommended she do a 1031 exchange to avoid paying additional taxes on the sale. With the clock ticking, we helped her complete the paperwork, overcome obstacles with the listing agent, and close ahead of the exchange deadline. She was not only grateful for the investment advice, but for having a go-to lender she could rely on.

First time buyers had just gotten into contract on a nice fixer upper when they realized the home needed much more work than they initially thought. Nervous they wouldn’t have enough funds to cover the renovation costs, their local bank suggested they chat with us to discuss a more specialized type of financing. We met and informed them that an FHA 203k renovation loan would allow them to finance the cost of the repairs along with their new mortgage, without affecting their budget. These types of loans can take more time to close, but by working closely with their contractors and keeping their file updated, the repairs and their loan were ready two weeks ahead of schedule taking their home from potential to perfection.

In a competitive market, clients were facing a potential disadvantage they had to sell their current home to be able to afford the down payment on a new one. To provide them a competitive edge in a multiple offer situation, we offered them two key advantages. First, we reviewed their retirement assets and found funds that could be used as their down payment. This strategy eliminated the need of having to make a contingent offer and the funds could be repaid upon the sale of their current home. Then we approved them upfront with Advance Approval, showing sellers we could close quickly. These advantages paid off and our clients were able to make a non-contingent offer, securing the winning bid on a new home.

Expecting the arrival of their first child very soon, a couple decided it was a good time to get out of their tiny rental and came to us to discuss next steps on becoming homeowners. They had ample income and assets, but the husband’s limited credit history and collections were dragging down his overall score into the mid-500 range which was too low to qualify. We told him not to worry and provided a guided plan with specific steps to improve his credit and their chances of qualifying. After a few months had passed, we pulled a new credit report and could clearly see the results when his score came back with an 100-point increase! With boosted credit and confidence, this set the foundation for their loan approval and helped these new parents secure a place of their own to raise their new baby.

Clients were working with another lender when their loan was suddenly denied the day they were scheduled to close. The buyers were panicking, but their Realtor knew we had a reputation for saving difficult transactions, and immediately called us to help. As we were looking over the borrowers’ documents, we noticed the other lender had not included rental income from their duplex. Unaware of the proper way to document this, the clients hadn’t claimed this as income before. So, to avoid this as an additional expense, we had them amend their tax returns. After rushing their taxes and loan approval, 10 business days later, all items were aligned for a smooth and successful closing. Another loan saved, another happy couple!

Two new clients came to us looking for tips on purchasing a home in one of the most competitive markets in the country. We knew that bidding wars were practically guaranteed, so we had to make their offer rock solid. Luckily, our Advance Approval program was the glue they needed to make their offer stick. By submitting their file to our underwriter upfront, we bypassed the pre-approval stage and received their formal loan approval in advance. This helped them beat out eight other offers, including two all-cash, and got them into their new home in just 14 days!

A newly married couple had their sights set on a 15 acre property, but had some hurdles to overcome before making an offer. On a fixed disability income, the husband was unable to work so his wife was trying to qualify for the loan solo. Because she was tied to an existing mortgage from a prior marriage, we had to include her ex’s housing payment in the debt calculation. She was still able to qualify, but we needed to improve her debt-to-income ratio. After some number crunching, we found an inexpensive homeowners insurance plan and matched them with a low down payment FHA loan, which lowered their monthly payments. This gave them the ability to purchase their big piece of land and offered an affordable solution that met both their farming and finance needs.

After going through a complicated divorce that exhausted her energy and finances, a client needed to shift her focus to buying a home. She was not feeling hopeful when we met, but we assured her that we could tackle the three huge obstacles in her way. We first addressed her credit, which was left destroyed by her divorce. After a few weeks, we were already seeing improvement. Next, we looked at her income. In addition to her primary source, we needed to use the annual inheri...tance she was receiving to help her qualify. Unfortunately, it had been reported incorrectly on her last three years of tax returns. With the help of her accountant, we had them amended so we could properly document and use those funds as part of her monthly income. With those items addressed, a door opened to a down payment assistance program saving her from having to bring funds at closing, and providing a new found optimism on the next chapter of her life. See more

After learning they had two weeks until they would have to move out of their rental, a couple desperately started searching for a home to buy for their young family. Their Realtor found a property that met their budget, but the sellers wanted to close in just eight business days. They needed a lender with speed and efficiency so, having worked with us before, their Realtor gave us a call. From the moment we received their contract, we were off and running. We submitted their file that same day and ordered the appraisal and inspections on a rush. We closed on time and they were able to move out of their rental and straight into their new home going from panicked renters to relieved homeowners all in one day.

A couple with a passion for horses fell in love with a newly remodeled home on five acres of land and knew it was meant for them. After reaching out to the listing agent multiple times to make an offer, they were met with silence. Frustrated, they turned their focus to their financing and began the process of getting pre-approved for a loan. With a foreclosure in their past, they knew they needed an experienced lender who could help ensure they would get the home. When they c...ame to us, we went over their past credit history and determined they could qualify with a low down payment FHA loan. With a new sense of optimism, but still no word from the listing agent, we encouraged them to contact the real estate broker owner directly to make their move. They did, and we closed on the property within 30 days. With our support, they remained hopeful and are now grateful they didn’t pass on this once in a lifetime opportunity. See more

A Navy veteran and his wife came to us eager to learn about the great VA financing benefits he was eligible to receive. We explained that there are nuances to VA lending, but that we’re experienced in the different opportunities it offers. They were excited to learn that they could become homeowners with no money down, and moved forward with making an offer on a home they had been eyeing. Their offer was accepted and we closed in 23 days, start to finish. Our clients now tell us they feel so well-informed that they’re sharing their knowledge with other friends and veterans.

A client came to us wanting to lower his mortgage payment, but was concerned about the home’s location. He had received conflicting information about whether or not it was in a flood zone, even though he had never been required to purchase flood insurance in the past. We told him we’d get to the bottom of it. Once we did some research, we found that the property maps were outdated and that the perimeters of the flood zone had been changed. His home was in the clear, but we needed to be able to prove it so that he could avoid paying up to $5,000 a year in flood insurance. We helped him through the Letter of Map Amendment process and moved forward with the refinance. In the end, we solved the mystery and reduced his rate by more than 2 percent saving him hundreds each month and avoiding thousands in additional costs.