California Mortgage Blog

What Are Credit Tradelines?  I think I've made it clear before that I find no shame in talking about how hard we work for our clients. My assistant, Jamie, and I see a good number of mortgage applications come across our desks every week and in 2019 and 2020, a high percentage of them have been f...

Can I Refinance a Mortgage on a COVID Forbearance Plan?  Back at the end of the first quarter of 2020, the president might still have wanted to downplay COVID, but many real American homeowners suddenly found themselves in dire financial straits and quickly took advantage of the forbearance plans...

Should I Keep Making My Mortgage Payment?  With so many people refinancing these days, and with the loan process sometimes crossing one or two months' time, a question we frequently get from those in process is, "Should I keep making my mortgage payment?"  The answer is a simple and clear, "Yes!"...

How To Win a Real Estate Bidding War  What's the one thing you can do to make your offer to buy a home stand out?  What's the secret sauce, the magic bullet, the key to success?   If you answered, "There isn't one," you're pretty close.  Truth is, I haven't found any singular aspect of any offer ...

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...