California Mortgage Blog

How Do Rate Locks Work?  There is one thing in common among all of our clients.  No matter what price point, no matter what loan size, no matter good credit or bad, no matter first-time buyer or seasoned investor, all are looking for the lowest interest rate at the lowest cost.  But how does a mo...

Anyone Can Hold the Helm When the Sea is Calm  If your business is anything like mine, COVID is presently dishing out challenge after challenge to the way you (used to) work.  If it hasn't already driven many nails into the coffin of the way things were, then I'm willing to bet you're within ears...

How Long Is a Pre-Approval Good For?  You've decided to make the leap and enter the real estate market as a buyer.  You've been looking at homes online, the temptation has become too strong and you realize it's time to hit the street and actually start looking at properties.  Your Realtor almost ...

Expertise Unmasked  A couple of years ago, we found a home we really loved.  The market was competitive at the time, but we choked on the list price and thought about going in a bit under it.  Our Realtor, someone recommended to us, someone possessing a proven track record in the community and so...

How Long Does It Take to Get Pre-Approved?  Many real estate markets in California move fast, but it's been this way for years.  When a hot property hits, perhaps there's a showing on Sunday (more on that in a bit, and in the context of COVID-19) and then offers are due on Tuesday, with some buye...

Some Days You're the Statue  Is that you, gallantly astride a horse in battle?  Or do you stand resolutely for your cause, eyes affixed on the distant future?  Are you seated, confined in thought, or are your arms outstretched above the world below? As a nation devoid of unifying leadership obser...

The Low Down on Jumbo Mortgages  One thing I look forward to every year are a few, select running races.  The Dipsea in June, an ultramarathon in the spring or fall, and the Tamalpa Runners TCRS series of club runs, where for $5 you can get your seat handed to you by some of the best runners, of ...

Pride  My most formative years were spent in the suburban Chicago-land area.  Our subdivision was an island among sea of cornfields.  The high school from which I graduated in the late '80's would have won no awards for diversity.  And if, at that time, you were my age and knew your sexual orient...

Your Pandemic Guide to a Jumbo Mortgage  "Our Realtor said it's very difficult to get a jumbo loan these days.""We tried to do a cash out jumbo refi on our place but our bank told us that they're not doing those anymore.""We wanted to refinance our jumbo loan but by the time we did the research t...

Will My Property Taxes Go Up If I Refinance?  Because the current interest rate environment is so conducive to refinancing, a concern that some have about taking action stems from confusion related to how their property taxes are determined, and specifically the question, "Will refinancing cause ...