Primary residences

Buying or refinancing a home in Florida

Conventional, FHA, VA, and jumbo options for first homes, move up homes, and refinances. I am licensed across the entire state and I work out of Fort Lauderdale.

We start by understanding what you are looking for and what you would like the payment to be. Then I estimate the full monthly cost, not just principal and interest.

Programs

What I can put you in

Conventional

The most common path for buyers with documented income and reasonable credit. Works for first homes, move up homes and refinances.

FHA

Government backed financing with more flexible credit and down payment requirements. Worth comparing against conventional rather than assuming either one wins.

VA

For eligible veterans, service members and surviving spouses. Eligibility is set by the VA and confirmed through your Certificate of Eligibility.

Jumbo

For loan amounts above conforming limits, which matters often in South Florida. I do jumbo and super jumbo.

If your income is harder to document, start with self-employed and complex income instead. If you are in medicine, compare against physician loan programs before assuming conventional is the answer.

The monthly number

What actually goes into the payment

In Florida the parts people forget are usually the ones that move the number most. I put all of them in front of you before you write an offer, so the figure you plan around is the real one.

Principal and interestThe loan itself.
Property taxesThese vary by county, and by what the property last sold for.
InsuranceFlorida homeowners insurance is its own conversation. I would rather you have a real quote than my estimate.
FloodWhere the property requires it.
Association duesPlus any assessment the association has voted in.
Mortgage insuranceWhere the loan calls for it.

Buying in a condo, the building has to qualify as well as you do. If it does not, there are non-warrantable condo loans.

Where I lend

The whole state

I am licensed for primary and vacation residences everywhere in Florida. Fort Lauderdale and Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, the Treasure Coast, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, the Panhandle and the Keys. Being in South Florida means I know the insurance and association questions here well. It does not limit where I can lend.

Worth knowing

A pre-approval is only useful if the numbers behind it hold

Anyone can produce a letter. What matters is whether the file behind it was looked at properly, and whether the person who wrote it will pick up the phone when the listing agent calls. I stay on it through closing, and you hear from me before you have to ask.