How Much is a Down Payment?

Twenty percent for a down payment may not seem daunting until you realize that for a $200,000 house, you’d need to come up with $40,000 in cold hard cash! Not a lot of people I know have that kind of money just laying around – especially first time home buyers....

What is the VA Funding Fee and why do I have to pay it?

Our country is extremely grateful for the service provided by our military men and women. As a small token of all our appreciation, the government has a loan program for United States Military Veterans. Veterans who take advantage of this loan program get the benefits...

Don’t Get it Wrong

Monday marks 85 years since the birth of one of this nation’s most famous civil rights leaders. Martin Luther King Jr. helped pave the way for equality in legal rights. MLK day is an opportunity to remind us of the ideals, for which King, lost his life trying to...

PSU Update

We hosted a lunch and learn at the Veterans center at Portland State University Wednesday. It was a great opportunity to work with some Veterans on a more personal level. Mike Frakes, Pam Conrad, and Joe Kuziel were there to represent the lending side of the mortgage...
The Mortgage Industry Has a New Acronym – QM

The Mortgage Industry Has a New Acronym – QM

Getting a home loan can be an intimidating process, and I know because I’m in the final stages of buying our first home. Adding one more confusing acronym to the mix doesn’t help the situation out too much either. That’s why we’re here – to help you get a better...