Home Buying Tips
DTI Made Simple: What Debts Do Lenders Really Count?
September 8, 2025 What is a Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI)? Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is the number lenders use to determine how much house you can afford. It compares your monthly debts to your income and helps lenders evaluate your ability to manage mortgage payments. Every person’s DTI looks different, so it’s important to understand how…
Read MoreShould You Sell Your Car to Buy a House?
September 8, 2025 How Debt Affects Your Home Buying Power Your monthly debts directly impact how much house you can afford. Lenders consider your total debt obligations when determining your loan eligibility. Even small debts, like car payments or credit card balances, can reduce your purchasing power by tens of thousands of dollars. Understanding this…
Read MoreWhy Buying In The 2025 Housing Market May Be The Smartest Move
August 12, 2025 Waiting for Lower Mortgage Rates Could Cost You While the 2025 Sacramento area housing market is similar to past markets, it’s also unique in today’s economic climate. Mortgage rates have remained steady this year, and although there are indications that we may see rates decrease, no one can say exactly when or…
Read MoreWhy Some Homes Still Have High Prices in a Slow Market (and Why They’re Not Selling)
August 11, 2025 It feels like a contradiction- sales have slowed down, yet asking prices in some neighborhoods are still sky-high. The truth? A lot of sellers locked in ultra-low mortgage rates in 2020–2021 and have been hesitant to move. But now, many have outgrown their homes and are testing the market… the problem is…
Read MoreYou’re In Contract…Now What?
August 9, 2025 You’ve found your dream home, made an offer, and got the offer accepted (Yay!). Now the real work begins. One of THE most important steps is scheduling the right inspections to protect your investment and avoid costly surprises. I recently sat down with local realtor Geanne Pack to talk about the importance…
Read MoreWhat’s Your DTI And Why Should You Care?
July 31, 2025 When you apply for a mortgage, lenders look at a lot of numbers, but your Debt-to-Income ratio (DTI) is one of the biggest deal-breakers (or deal-makers) in the whole process. Right up there with your credit score, this formula plays a major role in whether you qualify for a loan and how…
Read MoreDon’t Give Up on Owning a Home: Some Creative Paths For Today’s Challenging Market
July 22, 2025 With more sellers putting their homes on the market this year we’re seeing more inventory, which is starting to lead to some leveling out in prices in some areas. A good thing. But prices are still high, and with the median sold price of $705,000 in Placer County for June 2025 and…
Read MoreRenters Rejoice: Your Utility & Rent Payments May Help You Qualify for a Mortgage
July 18, 2025 Good News for Homebuyers: A New Credit Score Option is Here All I can say is, it’s about time! Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-sponsored enterprises backing about 70% of U.S. mortgages, will now allow lenders to use VantageScore 4.0 as an alternative to the long-dominant FICO score. For years,…
Read More“One Big Beautiful Bill” Signed Into Law: What It Means for Homebuyers & Investors
July 11, 2025 H.R. 1: New Housing Provisions That Could Impact Your Wallet Last week, President Trump signed H.R. 1, nicknamed the One Big Beautiful Bill, into law—and it includes major housing-related provisions that could benefit both homebuyers and real estate investors. Here’s a breakdown of what’s inside: 1. Mortgage Insurance Premium Deductions Made Permanent…
Read More5 Things Every First-Time Homebuyer Needs to Know Before You Buy
July 7, 2025 You Don’t Need 20% Down Many buyers still believe they need to put down 20%, but that’s simply not true anymore. There are many loan options that allow for much lower down payments, some as low as 3% or even 0% for qualified buyers. Closing Costs Can Be Covered Don’t let closing…
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