These are the real questions clients ask me on the phone, answered the same way I answer them out loud. No jargon, no runaround. Find your situation and get the straight version.
What you actually want is a pre-approval, not just a guess. A pre-approval is the start of the loan. It tells you how much you can do and what it will cost, and it does not turn into an actual loan until you buy a house. Once you find the place, I set the letter to whatever number you want to offer. So it works like a real quote you can act on, not a number scribbled on a napkin.
A payment, and this trips up almost everyone. You are not approved for a final purchase price, you are approved for a maximum monthly payment. Taxes, insurance, and any HOA come out of that payment first, and whatever is left supports the loan. That is why two houses at the same price can qualify completely differently.
Mortgage documents expire. A pay stub or bank statement that was fine at preapproval can be too old once you are under contract. Fresh paper keeps the loan moving and stops a surprise the week of closing. Not busywork, just keeping the file current.
Because the page count has to match. If it says page 1 of 6 and I only get five, underwriting has to assume the missing one matters. Send the whole PDF, even the boring blank page at the end.
Screenshots almost always cut off something we need, your name, the account number, the date, or the bank's web address. Underwriting has to verify it is really your account. Download the full statement straight from the bank and it solves itself.
Preapproval gets you ready to make an offer. Final approval gets you to the closing table. Once you have a house, underwriting verifies the property, your current numbers, and the paper trail behind everything. Same file, deeper look.
Because a loan can take a few weeks from start to close, and the lender has to confirm nothing changed along the way. Income, debts, job, and cash all have to still line up the day we close, not just the day we started.
A signature confirms you reviewed it and the info came from you. Tax returns, profit and loss statements, letters of explanation, gift letters, disclosures. An unsigned one might be accurate, but underwriting may not be allowed to rely on it.
Because one document sometimes answers a question and opens a new one. A bank statement shows a big deposit we now have to source, or an account we did not know about. I would rather chase it now than the week of closing when it can blow up your timeline.
I get it, it feels like a lot. A mortgage means the lender has to document your income, your money, your debts, your job, and where your funds came from. My job is to keep the list to only what the loan actually requires and tell you why each piece matters. There is always something in a hidden wall, and I would rather find it early.
For your W-2 job, no. I need two years of W-2s and your last 30 days of pay stubs. Tax returns come into play for self-employed or 1099 income, because that is where we see two years of what the business really did. Two income types, two different document trails.
Usually a remote work letter from your employer confirming you can do the job from anywhere, along with your normal W-2s and pay stubs. It matters most when you are moving, because we are showing the lender your income follows you to the new place. Not needed on day one, just keep it handy for when you are in contract.
Easy. I text you a link that opens with a short video, you put in some basic info, and it emails you the application to finish on your phone or computer. You fill it out, hit submit, and it builds a task list for your documents. You upload those, pay the credit link, and we are rolling. The speed is mostly up to how fast you get me the documents.
Depends on the property and the loan. FHA on a primary can start around 3.5 percent. Second homes and investment properties usually start around 20 percent. On a 300,000 dollar primary, the down payment piece is about 10,500. Closing costs are separate, and we have ways to handle those.
No, two different buckets. The down payment is your ownership stake in the home. Closing costs are the lender fees, title, appraisal, prepaid taxes, insurance, and setting up your escrow account.
Best trick in the game and most people do not know it exists. Say a house is listed at 300 and you were going to offer 290. Instead you offer the full 300 and ask for 10,000 back at closing for your costs. You are still net 290 to the seller, but that 10,000 just knocked your out of pocket way down. The cap depends on the loan and your down payment, so we build it into the contract the right way.
Yes, all the time. A parent, spouse, or family member can gift you the money. We document it with a gift letter and show where it came from, and it usually wires straight to title. The person giving it does not go on the loan.
Because having the money is step one and showing where it came from is step two. A big cash deposit, a Venmo, a Zelle, or a random transfer needs a paper trail. If the lender cannot see where it came from, we sometimes cannot use it, even though it is sitting right there in your account.
Cash is the hard one, because there may be no record of where it came from. Dropping a pile of cash in right before the loan can actually make it unusable. Call me before you move or deposit anything so we protect the trail.
Only once it is sold and sitting in a bank account. Physical gold and silver, or cash in a safe, cannot be used while it is still physical, because the lender has to trace where it came from. Turn it into money in the bank, let it season, and then it counts. Talk to me before you sell or move anything so we keep the trail clean.
Not always the obvious answer. At 20 percent you drop PMI, but some days the rate ticks up right at that point, and you have tied up a lot more cash. At 15 percent you might pay a small PMI, 40 or 50 dollars, but catch a lower rate and keep more money in the bank. Some days 15 is the sweet spot, some days 20 wins. We look at the real numbers before you decide.
Yes, I do these all day. The main thing is two years of history and two years of returns, personal and business. If someone told you no before, it is usually because they looked at it wrong, not because it cannot be done. Acknowledge the complexity, then find the path.
Because owning a business can still touch your personal qualification. A business loss, a debt you personally guaranteed, or money moving between business and personal accounts shows up on your returns. I have to confirm the business helps you, hurts you, or does nothing before we count on the file.
Because lenders qualify you on your net, the number after your write-offs, not your gross deposits. It is the honest tradeoff of being self-employed. Write off everything to save on taxes and you shrink the income we get to use. If you are buying in the next year or two, be strategic, because the more you show, the more house you qualify for.
For self-employed income, two years is the target, and both years actually filed. There can be an exception with a strong prior history in the same field, but that gets looked at carefully. Tell me exactly where your filings stand and we work from there.
Because underwriting wants to see income that is stable and likely to keep going. If this year's profit and loss is down from last year, we may need to explain what changed and show it has leveled off. We cannot ignore a downward trend just because there is money in the bank.
We have a backup, a bank statement loan. Instead of leaning on the tax returns, we look at 24 months of your deposits to show what you really bring in. Runs about half a point higher on rate, but it opens the door when the returns come up short. Options, not dead ends.
Usually not, if the business travels with you. If your work is virtual, a short CPA letter stating the move will not affect the business does the job. We are just showing the lender the income keeps going after the move. We line that up once you are in contract, not before.
Maybe, but tell me before you do it, not after. Salary to salary in the same field is usually fine. Jumping into commission, self-employment, or a whole new pay structure can change the income we are allowed to use. That is a conversation to have before you sign, not two weeks before closing.
Sometimes, yes, especially in medicine. We usually need a signed offer with the position, pay, and start date, and no funny contingencies. The lender may also want reserves or a first pay stub before it closes. Physicians do this all the time.
Often, if there is a track record. We average it, usually off your year-end pay stubs, and we look at whether it is likely to continue. One strong month by itself usually is not enough. Steady history that shows up year after year, that we can use.
Because a fresh one shows your current job, current earnings, year to date, and any overtime or bonus. It also confirms nothing changed since preapproval. Small ask, saves a big headache later.
Not the second you call me, on purpose. I gather your income and asset docs and answer the open questions first, then pull credit once we know the plan. No sense dinging your report before we even know the path makes sense.
Once. Because I am a broker, I pull your credit one time and I own that report, so I can shop it to a lot of lenders without hitting your score again and again. Banks often charge you around 400 dollars for the same credit work at the end of the loan. One pull, one small fee up front, and I do the shopping for you.
Yes. A new payment raises your debt to income, and a new inquiry or balance can drop your score. Wait until after you close to finance the couch, the car, or the appliances. It will all still be there next week.
Because the lender needs to know if that inquiry turned into a new debt. If you applied for something, I may need proof no account opened, or the balance and payment if one did. A surprise payment can move your numbers right before closing.
Score is one piece. The lender also weighs income, debts, assets, job, the property, and your history. A strong score helps a lot, but it does not replace the rest of the picture.
In a lot of cases, yes. We document how your income continues after the move and how you will use the home. Someone relocating to Sarasota for a job is a different setup than someone buying a vacation place in Venice.
Depends on how you really use it. A primary is the home you genuinely live in as your main home. A second home is for your own use away from your primary. You cannot just call something a second home to dodge the investment property rules, the lender looks at the real picture.
Plan on around 20 percent for most second-home scenarios. Some files land differently based on credit, property type, and reserves, but 20 is the safe number to plan around.
We usually have to count that home's mortgage, taxes, insurance, and HOA in your ratios, unless a sale or a documented rental changes it. We may also need reserves for both. Whether you are selling it, keeping it, or renting it changes the math, so tell me the plan.
Not always. People come to me asking for a bridge loan when they do not need one. If your income can carry both homes, we can often approve the new purchase without waiting on the sale, which is cleaner and cheaper. If it truly needs a bridge, we have that too. We pick the tool that fits.
Yes, retirement does not take you out of the game. Pension, Social Security, and monthly retirement distributions all count, and tax-free income like VA disability can even be grossed up so it counts for a little more. We just need the award letters to document it.
Sometimes, yes. It is called asset depletion or an asset qualifier, and it turns eligible account balances into a monthly qualifying income using the lender's formula. If you have a real pile in retirement or investment accounts, send me the statements and I will tell you if it works.
A loan that qualifies you on your assets instead of a job. Perfect for someone retired or semi-retired with money in the bank but no W-2 to show. Cash, investments, and equity do the talking, no tax returns proving a salary.
Usually no, unless we actually need those funds for the down payment or closing. The lender can often verify the account without you liquidating it. We just confirm the money is accessible and eligible.
Yes, that is the whole idea behind a DSCR loan. DSCR means debt service coverage ratio, which is just comparing the rent the property brings in to its payment. Less about your personal paystubs, more about whether the property covers itself.
Usually around 20 percent, with closing costs on top, though we can often ask the seller to chip in. We run it as an investment, so the structure is a little different than your primary, and I walk you through every number.
Usually there is a prepay option, often in the two to three year range, meaning a fee if you pay it off very early. Not a dealbreaker for most investors, but I want you to know it is there going in. The exact term comes off the live quote.
A few, and the right one depends on your first mortgage rate and your credit. Great low first rate, we protect it and add a second lien or a HELOC on top. Want one clean payment, we look at a cash-out refinance. We pick what saves you the most, not what is easiest for the bank.
We leave it alone. If you locked something like 2.87 percent back in the day, we are not touching that. We add a second lien or HELOC behind it and only borrow against the equity you need. Protecting that rate is usually the whole game.
A HELOC leaves your first mortgage in place and sits behind it. A cash-out replaces your first with a bigger new loan and hands you the difference. Low first rate, HELOC or second lien usually wins. High rate already or you want one payment, cash-out can make more sense.
Think of it as position in line. A first lien HELOC replaces your first mortgage and gets the best pricing. A second sits behind your existing first, so your first rate stays protected and it prices a little higher. A third sits behind both and prices higher still, sometimes 8 or 9 percent, because it is last in line. Most folks with a good first and solid credit are best on a new first lien HELOC or a second. And the tough stuff, seconds on second homes and investments, thirds and fourths, I can do those when most people cannot.
Rule of thumb, we look at total borrowing up to around 80 percent of the home's value across all your loans combined. Worth 585, owe 250, there is real room in there. Exact number depends on the loan and the appraisal, but 80 percent is the usual starting line.
Because we document both where the money came from and the new payment attached to it. The lender confirms the amount, where it landed, and the payment that now counts in your ratios. Two sides of the same coin.
A point is one percent of the loan amount, so on a 300,000 dollar loan a point is 3,000 dollars. Whether it is worth it comes down to how long it takes to earn that back in monthly savings. My rule is simple, I do not pay more than about 24 months of savings to buy down a rate. If it takes longer than that to break even, you are usually better off keeping the cash. Pricing moves every day, so we check it live.
I will be straight with you, these are mostly moving your own money around. Your rate is really the higher rate the whole time. The buydown just parks some of your money in an account that pays you nothing and uses it to lower your payment the first couple of years. I would rather put that money toward your closing costs or leave it in your bank earning interest. If it truly fits your situation I will set it up, but I am not going to dress up a gimmick.
Here is the honest read, not a sales pitch. Rates likely are not dropping much in the next several months, but at some point in the next couple of years they very well could, and when they do we look at refinancing. So we buy the home that works at today's payment and treat a future refinance as a bonus, not the plan. Never buy on the hope of a rate that may not come.
Because the lender approves both you and the condo project. The review can cover the budget, reserves, insurance, pending assessments, lawsuits, and how many units are owner-occupied. A strong buyer cannot fix a condo project that does not meet guidelines, so we check it once you are under contract.
Yes. Insurance gaps, low reserves, big assessments, litigation, too much commercial space, or ownership concentration can make a project ineligible. It works out around 95 percent of the time. When you are shopping, send me the condo name and I check it against the do not lend list first, so we do not waste your time on one that cannot close.
A lot, because it comes straight out of your payment. My rule of thumb is every 50 dollars of HOA or condo fee is about 10,000 dollars less in loan amount. So a 1,000 dollar monthly condo fee can knock a couple hundred thousand off what you qualify for. Real money, so we factor it in before you fall for a place.
Because they usually cover more than you are used to up north. Down here that monthly fee often includes water, garbage, cable, and building insurance, on top of maintaining the property. So a 400 or 500 dollar fee is not all extra, a good chunk of it is bills you would be paying anyway.
Some do, some do not, and plenty of houses down here have none. When a house does have an HOA, it is usually just for maintaining common areas, not utilities, so the dues are typically much smaller than a condo fee. They still count in your qualification, so tell me the amount either way.
Because homeowners and flood insurance are part of the monthly payment we qualify you on. Around Sarasota, Bradenton, North Port, Venice, and Parrish, insurance swings a lot by roof age, flood zone, and construction. A higher quote can raise both your payment and your cash to close, so we get a real quote early.
They let you finance the home and the fixes together, based on what the place will be worth after the work is done. FHA renovation usually allows a lower down payment and gives you more room on the after-repair value, which helps. Conventional renovation can work too, but the numbers have to be tighter. Bigger projects sometimes need a HUD consultant, usually a few hundred dollars up front. Tell me what you are dreaming up and I will point you to the right one.
An eligible veteran can often buy a primary home with zero down. If you have a VA disability rating, you may also pay no funding fee, which saves real money up front. Entitlement, the property, and the rest of the file still matter, but it is one of the strongest programs out there.
Often, yes. You can usually restore entitlement after selling or paying off a prior VA loan, or use what is left in some cases. We pull your Certificate of Eligibility and look at any past VA loan to calculate it right.
VA is built for a primary residence you plan to live in, so it is generally not for a vacation home or a straight rental. A multi-unit can work if you live in one of the units. If your goal is investment, we go a different route like DSCR.
Because being off the loan does not always cut every tie to the deal. Joint accounts, shared debts, property rights, and Florida marital rules can still require some documentation. I should always be able to tell you exactly why an item is needed before I ask for it.
Because we have to show whether that money is a gift or a loan. A true gift does not create a new monthly payment. Borrowed money might. The gift letter and the transfer trail connect your mom, the amount, and the deposit.
It means the loan is approved with a list of remaining items to satisfy, things like updated income, bank statements, title, insurance, or an explanation. Good progress, real momentum, but not the final green light yet.
It means underwriting accepted the conditions and we can head to final closing prep. From here, do not take on new debt, change jobs, or move big money until you sign.
Usually, but talk to me first. Every transfer creates another trail we have to document from both accounts. A simple move can turn into three document requests when it is done without a clean record.
Do not finance a car or furniture, do not change jobs, do not move large sums around, and do not let a payment go late. New debt, new inquiries, and shuffled cash can all change your final approval. Sit tight for a few weeks and let the file close.
That usually means it is a good question. Call or text me and you will have the answer in one conversation.
Call or text (941) 941-5150That is what the phone is for. Call or text and get the straight answer, usually in one conversation. Evenings and weekends included.
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Tony Fitzgerald | NMLS #1284924
Sarasota Mortgage Broker
Serving Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Siesta Key, Bradenton, Venice & Port Charlotte
📞 (941) 941-5150
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