Why choose a local Venice mortgage broker?
Tony Fitzgerald — The Mortgage Jedi — lives and works on the Gulf Coast. He knows the Venice market, the neighborhoods, the flood zones, the condo projects, and the title companies that close deals here. This isn't generic Florida knowledge. It's Venice-specific.
Local market knowledge
From Downtown Sarasota condos to beachfront estates on Siesta Key and Longboat Key — Tony knows what appraisers look for, typical values by neighborhood, flood and wind insurance requirements, and how to structure loans for every property type in Sarasota County. He's financed all of it.
Faster closings
Local relationships with Venice and South County title companies, appraisers, and real estate agents mean faster response times and fewer surprises. Tony has closed Venice deals in under 3 weeks when everything lines up. He moves at the speed your deal requires.
Personalized service
You work directly with Tony Fitzgerald — not a processor, not an assistant, not a rotating team. From application through closing. He attends inspections and closings when requested. He answers his own phone at (941) 941-5150 — try it.
160+ lenders, one broker
As a broker — not a banker — Tony shops 160+ wholesale lending partners to find the right program for your situation. If one lender won't touch your file, he has 159 more options. The hard file is where he does his best work.
Tony Fitzgerald · The Mortgage Jedi · NMLS #1284924 · Same-day pre-approvals
Venice communities we serve
From barrier island luxury to established family neighborhoods — mortgage financing with market-specific knowledge for every community in Sarasota County.
Venice Island
Luxury high-rise condos to historic bungalows. Walkable urban living, arts district, waterfront dining. Condo HOA and warrantability expertise required daily.
Condo specialistLakewood Ranch
One of the nation's top master-planned communities. New construction, excellent schools, resort amenities. Builder contract and construction loan strategy available.
New constructionSiesta Key
World-famous white sand beaches. Beachfront homes, condos, and vacation rentals with strong income potential. Jumbo, DSCR, and short-term rental financing.
Jumbo · DSCRLongboat Key
Exclusive barrier island. Luxury beachfront estates and condos. High-value financing with barrier island valuation, insurance, and HOA expertise.
Luxury jumboThe Oaks
Prestigious gated community with custom estates, championship golf, and country club living. Portfolio and jumbo lender access for custom estate financing.
Luxury financingPalmer Ranch
Master-planned community with townhomes to estate homes. Multiple price points served with multiple loan programs at every level.
All loan typesGulf Gate
Established family-friendly neighborhood close to Siesta Key. Affordable single-family homes accessible through FHA, conventional, and first-time buyer programs.
FHA · First-timeBird Key
Private island adjacent to St. Armands Circle. Waterfront estates and luxury properties requiring specialized jumbo and portfolio financing solutions.
Waterfront luxuryLido Key
Between downtown and St. Armands Circle. Beach access and upscale living. Condo and single-family financing with barrier island market knowledge.
Beach accessSouthside Village
Trendy neighborhood near downtown. Charming homes and vibrant local scene. Diverse housing stock, diverse financing options from FHA to conventional.
All loan types
Every mortgage program. One Venice broker.
Tony Fitzgerald accesses 160+ wholesale lenders to match you with the right program — not the first one that works, the best one for your specific Venice and South County situation.
VA Loans in Venice
Zero down payment for eligible veterans and active military purchasing in Sarasota County. No PMI. Competitive rates. As a former first responder, Tony has deep respect for military service and works to maximize your VA benefit.
FHA Loans in Venice
Down payments from 3.5% with flexible credit requirements. Florida down payment assistance programs also available for qualified Venice buyers. The most accessible first-time buyer program in the market.
Bank Statement Loans
For Venice's business owners, entrepreneurs, and self-employed professionals. Qualify using 12 or 24 months of bank statements. No tax returns required. Your income is real — let's prove it the right way.
DSCR Loans — Venice
Purchase Venice rental properties — including short-term vacation rentals near Venice Beach and in South Venice — without personal income verification. Qualification based on rental income potential.
Jumbo Loans — Venice
High-value financing above conforming limits for luxury properties on Venice Island, Osprey waterfront, Venetian Golf & River Club estates, and Plantation golf course homes. Portfolio lender access available.
Conventional Loans
Standard financing for primary homes, second homes, and investment properties throughout Sarasota County. Down payments from 3–20% depending on property type and situation.
Non-QM Programs
Alternative financing for unique Venice situations — recent credit events, retirees with non-traditional income, asset depletion programs for Venice's affluent buyers, and complex income scenarios.
Renovation Loans
Finance purchase and renovation in one loan. Perfect for updating older Venice Island bungalows, adding hurricane upgrades to coastal properties, or improving Gulf Coast investment properties.
Refinancing in Venice
Rate reduction, ARM to fixed conversion, cash-out equity for renovations or investment, PMI elimination. Multiple refinance options for Venice homeowners — same speed as a purchase.
Venice real estate market insights
Tony Fitzgerald has financed properties across Venice and South Sarasota County. Here's what you need to know about Venice's market before you buy — and why local coastal expertise matters in every decision.
Coastal vs. inland
Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Lido Key, and Casey Key command premium prices and typically require jumbo financing. Wind mitigation, flood insurance, and HOA reserve requirements vary significantly by location. Tony navigates these every day — not just occasionally.
Condo financing
Venice Island and barrier island condos have specific HOA financial health, owner-occupancy ratio, and building insurance requirements that vary by lender. Many Venice buildings require non-warrantable financing. Tony knows which projects qualify for which programs.
New construction — Lakewood Ranch
Wellen Park's new construction boom — including Gran Paradiso, Island Walk, and surrounding communities — involves builder contracts, construction timelines, rate lock strategy, and builder incentive evaluation. Tony helps buyers compare builder-preferred lenders vs. outside financing honestly.
Venice investment market
Venice's short-term rental market — especially South Venice Gulf-access properties and Venice Island — creates strong DSCR loan opportunities. Tony structures investor financing around actual or projected rental income, opening opportunities that personal-income-based underwriting blocks.
Seasonal market timing
Venice's peak season runs January through April when snowbird activity peaks and inventory tightens — especially on Venice Island. Getting pre-approved before season puts you in a position to move fast when the right property appears. Being first matters here.
Relocating to Venice
Moving from another state while selling your current home is a coordination challenge. Tony manages both transactions — connecting you with a Barrett Financial Group team member in your state while handling your Venice purchase directly as your single point of contact throughout.
160+ lenders · VA · FHA · Self-employed · Investors · Jumbo · Non-QM · Same-day pre-approvals
Why Venice buyers choose Tony Fitzgerald
There are a lot of mortgage brokers in Venice. There is one Fire Lieutenant, EMT, marine rescue diver, offshore powerboat safety diver, and Fire Academy instructor who became a mortgage broker. That's Tony Fitzgerald — The Mortgage Jedi.
Years fire service
Fire Lieutenant, EMT, marine rescue diver, and offshore powerboat racing safety diver. Structure fires, technical rescues, mass casualty events. The same calm judgment that kept people safe on the fireground shows up in every mortgage file he works.
Lending partners
Self-employed income, complex assets, credit challenges, foreign nationals, unique properties — Tony specializes in files that require strategy. He is a solution looking for a problem. The harder the file, the more useful he becomes to your deal.
Available always
Just like when he was on call as Lieutenant. Your deal timeline doesn't stop at 5pm and neither does Tony. Evenings, weekends, holidays — he responds because your closing date doesn't care what day of the week it is.
Human Advantage Institute
Tony founded the Human Advantage Institute — AI training for real estate professionals across the Gulf Coast. He uses AI tools to move faster for every client, while keeping the human judgment, relationships, and accountability that technology cannot replace.
The Mortgage Jedi
Tony Fitzgerald is a licensed mortgage broker (NMLS #1284924) operating as The Mortgage Jedi through 1st Response Mortgage, powered by Barrett Financial Group, serving Venice and Gulf Coast Florida.
Before mortgages, Tony spent 28 years in fire service — rising to Fire Lieutenant and working as an EMT. He's a marine rescue diver, an offshore powerboat racing safety diver, a Fire Academy instructor, and has done film and stunt work including the production Water Lords. He trains Brazilian jiu-jitsu at Manasota Jiu-Jitsu and attends Bayside Community Church in Lakewood Ranch.
He founded the Human Advantage Institute — an AI training program for real estate professionals — and works alongside his wife Valentina Kvamme, a Gulf Coast realtor. When you call 1st Response Mortgage, you're calling a household that runs on real estate and mortgages every single day.
Read Tony's full story
First responders and veterans — this one's personal
Tony spent 28 years on the job as a Fire Lieutenant and EMT. He knows what it means to serve, and he knows that the people who run toward emergencies deserve a mortgage broker who takes their file as seriously as they took their mission. Specialized programs, genuine respect, and a personal commitment to getting you the best terms available.
Call Tony directly — (941) 941-5150- VA loans — zero down, no PMI, competitive rates
- First responder mortgage programs available
- Available 24/7 — same as when he was on the job
- Plain language, calm under pressure, no jargon
- Fire Lieutenant · EMT · 28 years fire service
- Tony Fitzgerald · NMLS #1284924 · Venice, FL
Working with Venice real estate agents
Venice agents refer to Tony because he knows the market — flood zones, condo questionnaires, new construction timelines, coastal insurance. He solves the problems before they become yours.
What agents get
- Same-day pre-approvals — Most letters within hours. Your client shops with confidence from day one.
- Proactive communication — Agents hear from Tony before they have to ask. No chasing. No silence at critical moments.
- Local Sarasota presence — Tony attends inspections and closings throughout Sarasota County when it matters to the deal.
- Complex file expertise — Self-employed, investors, VA, foreign nationals. He closes what other brokers walk away from.
- 160+ lender access — If one program doesn't fit, 159 more options. Deals don't die on his watch.
- 24/7 availability — Because your buyers call at 9pm on Sunday, and so does Tony.
"If I can keep people safe in a fire, I can keep your friends safe in a mortgage."
— Tony Fitzgerald · The Mortgage Jedi · NMLS #1284924 · Venice, FLThe human advantage
- Jedi Report — Daily market intelligence tool built specifically for Tony's Gulf Coast agent partners
- SmartList marketing — Hyper-local buyer list building and co-marketing systems for Venice and South County agents
- Human Advantage Institute — Tony's AI training program for Venice and Gulf Coast real estate professionals. Six modules, real tools.
- Toenails to trees referrals — Tony's Gulf Coast network runs deep across every professional tier in the Venice community.
- Valentina Kvamme partnership — Tony's wife is a Gulf Coast realtor. This household understands your world completely.
- Same-day second opinions — Client got a quote elsewhere? Tony reviews it fast and gives a straight answer.
The Venice mortgage process
Eight steps. Plain language. No surprises. This is what working with Tony Fitzgerald at 1st Response Mortgage looks like from first call to closing day.
Initial consultation
Tony talks through your situation, goals, timeline, and concerns — no pressure, no pitch. Honest conversation about your real options in the Venice and South County market.
Pre-approval
Documentation collected, credit run, income and assets verified. Pre-approval letter issued. Most Venice clients get theirs the same day they apply.
Program selection
Tony shops 160+ lenders to match you with the right loan type and best available terms — not the first thing that works, the best fit for your specific situation.
Home shopping
Pre-approval in hand, you work with your Sarasota agent. Tony stays available throughout — running scenarios, answering questions, updating your letter as needed.
Purchase contract
Offer accepted. Tony begins processing — appraisal ordered, title initiated, documentation collected. Clock starts and he moves at deal speed.
Underwriting
Complete loan package submitted. Conditions addressed the same day they arrive. You and your agent stay informed at every stage — no radio silence.
Clear to close
Underwriting approved. Tony reviews your Closing Disclosure with you, confirms every number, and coordinates with the title company to schedule signing.
After closing
Keys in hand — and Tony is still your mortgage resource. First payment questions, future refinancing, next investment property. He stays available for life.
Buying your first home in Venice
Buying your first home is exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Tony slows it down, explains every step in plain language, and walks beside you from pre-approval to closing day — without ever making you feel behind for asking a question.
-
1
Get pre-approved first
Before you look at a single home, know what you qualify for and what your payment actually looks like. Tony issues most pre-approval letters the same day.
-
2
Understand your real budget
A pre-approval number and a comfortable payment are different things. Tony walks you through the real monthly cost — principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and HOA — before you fall in love with a property.
-
3
Explore down payment options
You don't need 20% down. VA loans require zero. FHA starts at 3.5%. Florida has down payment assistance programs. Tony identifies every option available to you before you decide.
-
4
Plan for closing costs
Down payment is one thing. Closing costs are another. Tony explains exactly what you'll need at the table — and how to structure your offer to minimize out-of-pocket costs using seller credits.
-
5
Close with confidence
30–45 days from accepted contract to keys in hand. Tony keeps you informed at every stage so closing day feels like the celebration it's supposed to be — not a surprise.
First-time buyer programs
Tony's first-time buyer promise
No question is too basic. No step gets skipped. You will understand every document you sign before you sign it. That's the standard.
Venice mortgage FAQs
Plain answers to the questions Venice buyers ask Tony every week in Sarasota.
Ready to get started in Venice?
Venice Island or Wellen Park, first home or Gulf-access investment — Tony Fitzgerald guides you through every step, including the coastal complexities. Available now. No office hours. No voicemail jail.
Tony Fitzgerald · The Mortgage Jedi · NMLS #1284924 · 1st Response Mortgage · Sarasota, Florida · Powered by Barrett Financial Group LLC · NMLS #181106 · Florida License #MLD1880 · Equal Housing Lender · Available 24/7 · Fire Lieutenant · EMT · Marine Rescue Diver