Blog - JVM Lending

Homebuying Hell In 2021! A Real Homebuyer’s Story (It’s Motivational, I Promise)

May 17, 2021/in Homebuying, Our Blog

GUEST BLOG FROM A HOMEBUYER & A JVM MANAGER Below is a guest blog by our long-time Marketing Director, Lindsey Hansen. She wanted to share what she went through to buy a home so frustrated buyers everywhere will know they are not alone. And, more importantly, so buyers know that they should hang in there. […]Read More

4 Must-Know Facts About INFLATION, Housing, And Mortgages

May 14, 2021/in Mortgage Industry, Our Blog

INFLATION, HOUSING & MORTGAGES With inflation here and only expected to get worse, many potential buyers are getting nervous and wondering what to do. As a result, I thought I’d address a few major considerations today. 1. HOUSING IS AN INFLATION HEDGE/PROTECTION AGAINST INFLATION As a hard asset, housing tends to appreciate with inflation like […]Read More

Buying As Primary Residence & Converting To Investment Property – Considerations

May 13, 2021/in Down Payment, Our Blog

BUYERS BUSTED FOR “PRETEND” OWNER-OCCUPANCY We once had a buyer using vastly superior “owner-occupied” or “primary residence financing” to buy a home – only to see his financing fall through at the 11th hour. Our underwriter had checked a database called MERS (Mortgage Electronic Registration System) and found out that the borrower had just refinanced […]Read More

Inflation Is Here! Why Didn’t Rates Climb More?

May 12, 2021/in Interest Rates, Our Blog

Inflation numbers came in sharply higher today and rates increased – but only a little. Here is a brief summary of the numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Long story short: Inflation numbers are higher than expected and at their highest level since 2008. So, the question is why didn’t rates spike up further […]Read More

When To Drop Your Husband; W2 To 1099; Title Only; Other Key Reminders

May 10, 2021/in Homebuying, Our Blog

I am repeating this 2019 blog b/c it includes some very important reminders. A while back, a savvy agent sent me the following text: “I received an offer on a property and it’s ‘wife only,’ stating ‘husband is starting a business and that’s why he isn’t on the loan.’ I didn’t just fall off the […]Read More

America Always Bounces Back; Sage Investment Advice! Good For Psyche Too

May 7, 2021/in Financial Planning, Our Blog

FOUNDER BUYS STOCKS AFTER BLACK MONDAY CRASH I was working for an investment bank on “Black Monday” in 1987 when the stock market crashed and fell 20% in a single day – a record drop. Everyone was literally freaking out. But the day after the crash, the founder of the firm, who was in his […]Read More

Divorces Continue To Surge! How They Impact Mortgages And Real Estate

May 6, 2021/in Our Blog, Real Estate

COVID changed everything – including marriage, as many couples realized they didn’t like each other when they had to actually spend time together. 😊 Even Bill Gates is getting a divorce, as we learned earlier this week. I am sure being cooped up in a 66,000 square foot house with another person is enough to […]Read More

#1 Reason We’re NOT In A Housing Bubble – And It Is NOT What You Think

May 5, 2021/in Homebuying, Our Blog

In this excellent YouTube video by investment/finance guru Raoul Pal, called The Exponential Age, Mr. Pal mentions that Koreans have a far better understanding of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology than Americans do. This is of course the only reason I married a Korean, as I am sure it will give me a huge leg up […]Read More

There’s A HUGE GLUT OF WOOD, So Why’s Lumber So Expensive?

May 3, 2021/in Our Blog, Refinance

On Friday, I blogged about whether or not borrowers can roll their closing costs into their loans. Several savvy agents responded and pointed out that I forgot one more way borrowers can get credits for closing costs: agents can credit a portion of their commissions too if they so desire. We never recommend that to […]Read More

Can Borrowers “Roll Closing Costs Into The Loan?” 1,000 Five-Star Reviews!

April 30, 2021/in Homebuying, Our Blog

1,000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS! Several years ago a mortgage bank with a very impressive software platform was recruiting us, but the firm had hundreds of horrible online reviews. We met with them because of their software, but we also brought up the reviews because online reputations are so important in this day and age. The owner […]Read More

13 Factors That Impact Your Mortgage Rate

April 29, 2021/in Interest Rates, Our Blog

We often have buyers or agents ask: “What is your 15-year rate today?” Or “What is today’s interest rate?” We always respond by explaining there is no single rate, because the market moves so often and because there are so many things that affect an individual borrower’s rate. Here are 13 factors that affect almost […]Read More

Why Loan Officers Don’t Use Their Own Company For Financing; No Loan Officer Models

April 28, 2021/in Mortgage Industry, Our Blog

OTHER LOAN OFFICERS CAME TO ME FOR MORTGAGES Prior to the 2008 Mortgage Meltdown, ironically, a major source of business was other loan officers coming to me for mortgage financing. They came to me back then for several reasons: 1) My rates were lower than theirs b/c of my model and the volume discounts I […]Read More

$120 For A Piece of Fruit? Capital Gains Changes Could Spark MORE Selling; Why You Can’t Catch An Uber

April 26, 2021/in Financial Planning, Our Blog

BIDDING WAR FOR AN APPLE This very short TikTok video went viral last week, as it well should have b/c it is both so illustrative and entertaining. I had to share it again just in case any readers have not seen it. The best line: “I’ll take it for $100 – I’m from California and […]Read More

Higher Capital Gains Taxes? 2 HUGE Effects On Real Estate & Mortgages

April 23, 2021/in Interest Rates, Our Blog

INVESTOR WITH 70 HOMES REFUSES TO SELL I know an investor who owns over 70 single-family homes in California that he accumulated in the 1980s. Almost all are rented at below-market rates** with minimal or no mortgages, and he refuses to sell any of them. **Pro Tip: In my 27-year mortgage career, I have observed […]Read More

Owing Income Taxes & Qualifying for Mortgages

April 22, 2021/in Homebuying, Our Blog

OWING TAXES: BAD NEWS & GOOD NEWS Yesterday, I blogged about why borrowers should sometimes file extensions instead of tax returns and briefly touched on whether or not borrowers can obtain mortgages if they owe taxes. Today’s blog expands on that topic, as many borrowers have substantial tax liabilities that can threaten their ability to […]Read More

Please Don’t File Your Taxes – If…

April 21, 2021/in Homebuying, Our Blog

TAX DEADLINE = MAY 17th B/c of COVID, the filing deadline for income taxes was extended from April 15th to May 17th this year, as most everyone knows. We typically send out this reminder in March, but I waited this year until now b/c of the deadline extension. WHEN BUYERS SHOULD NOT FILE TAXES We […]Read More

“Reserves” – Why & When They Are SO IMPORTANT!

April 19, 2021/in Financial Planning, Our Blog

WHY TWO NEARLY IDENTICAL BORROWERS GOT 1/2% DIFFERENT RATES We had two nearly identical borrowers get rate quotes that were 1/2% different on the same day last week – and this is why: I often blog about The 13 Factors That Influence A Borrower’s Mortgage Rate. And the above two borrowers were nearly identical for […]Read More

Nordstrom, Walmart, Or Both?; Millennials Demand Both

April 16, 2021/in Mortgage Industry, Our Blog

I was at a coaching event last year listening to an extremely successful loan officer, with a huge team, explaining how he maintains strong client relationships by offering much more than just mortgage services, e.g., moving services; contractor referrals; financial analyses; rate monitoring; house valuation and equity updates; etc. It resonated b/c we of course […]Read More

Offer Rent-Backs To Get Offers Accepted; ARMS Are Back!

April 15, 2021/in Homebuying, Our Blog

ONE MORE REASON JUMBO RATES ARE LOWER THAN CONFORMING After reading this recent blog, a friend of mine who owns a mortgage bank reminded me of one more reason why jumbo rates are lower than conforming rates. Big banks will sometimes buy loans at a loss because they expect to make money by “cross-selling” other […]Read More

Why Are Jumbo Interest Rates So Much Lower Than Conforming?

April 14, 2021/in Interest Rates, Our Blog

Our jumbo rates are now sometimes as much as 1/2% lower than conforming (Fannie/Freddie) rates (and today is no exception). Today’s blog explains some of the reasons why. Stricter Qualifications. Jumbo loans are often much “safer” than conforming loans from a risk perspective b/c jumbo guidelines are often much stricter with respect to credit, reserve […]Read More

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