Just wanted to share this because I know a lot of people are feeling the pressure with bills and high interest rates lately.

If you’re paying a lot on credit cards or other debts, or you’ve been thinking about refinancing your mortgage, it might be worth looking into some of the loan options that are available right now. You could potentially…

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Every mortgage loan originator has their own way of doing business. Many meet one-on-one with prospective homebuyers or homeowners. Some MLOs concentrate on borrowers from certain states or regions. Many loan originators partner up with real estate agents. Others, like myself, have a national platform where we are licensed in most of the…

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What HUD’s FHA Rules Actually Say

Your understanding is directionally correct, but the safest compliance explanation is more precise:

HUD does not expressly say, “Every FHA mortgage loan originator must receive a W-2.” HUD requires personnel performing FHA origination for an FHA-approved mortgagee to be employees under the mortgagee’s…

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Can One Still Purchase a House If They Pay Past-Due Child Support?

Yes, a person may still buy a house if they owe child support. Past-due child support is not a total disqualifier.

It depends on how the arrears are reported and how the support was enforced.

The Lender Has to See if the Person Has:

• Only past-due child support
• Garnished wages
• A…

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A Gift of Equity Purchase from Sellers in Chapter 13

Yes, this transaction may be possible, but unlike most parent-to-child sales, John and Jane are selling property while they are in active Chapter 13 bankruptcy, 4 months delinquent on payments to the trustee, and want to transfer $32,000 of equity to their son.

This Means That 2 Approvals… Read more

Can a homebuyer qualify and get approved for a mortgage loan with court-ordered child support in arrears? And if NOT, what can the borrower do to be eligible and get approved for a mortgage loan?

Can we go over a case scenario on a gift of equity home purchase? Homeowners (Let’s call them John and Jane Doe) of a nice two-bedroom and two-bath condominium; the property is worth $320,000, and the mortgage on the property is $180,000. John and Jane Doe are in a current Chapter 13 bankruptcy repayment plan and have been in the plan for…

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There is no nationwide automatic limit on senior property tax caps in the U.S. Local (county/city) governments primarily set and impose property taxes, and senior property tax rules vary from state to state and locality to locality. Many states and local governments provide some form of property tax mitigation to seniors (generally defined as…

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The proposed Florida property tax change has the potential to reduce or eliminate certain types of property taxes for primary residences. However, property taxes for school district property and certain special assessments would likely remain. Existing property tax bills would not be impacted by this new proposal until at least November…

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The statement that Governor Ron DeSantis is going to eliminate property taxes is inaccurate. Gov. Ron DeSantis will not abolish all Florida property taxes in 2026, nor will he be able to do so by executive order.

What will happen is that Florida voters will see a potential constitutional amendment in November 2026 that will:

• Increase the…

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Homeowners must lower their payments, find help, or make a planned departure before missed payments and foreclosure terminate their options.

They must act as soon as possible.

Reach Out to the Mortgage Servicer Before Making a Payment

They should ask for the FHA loss mitigation or imminent default department, not regular customer service.

They…

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The Case Shows a Real Affordability Problem—but the Numbers Need Context

Assuming that the $111 FHA mortgage insurance amount is monthly (not annual), the calculations do appear to be in the ballpark.

• The original housing payment was approximately $1,945 per month.
• Original front-end DTI was 38.4%
• Original back-end DTI was 52.3%
• Revised housing…

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I have an important case scenario that affects senior homebuyers on fixed income. I have multiple similar case scenarios that affect my clients. Let’s take a recent case where Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Doe purchased a $250,000 new-construction single-family home in Ocala, Florida. Both Mr. and Mrs. Doe are retired on a fixed Social…

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GCA Forums: Weekend Mortgage and Housing News – July 18-19, 2026

Mortgage rates increase, home sales decrease, oil prices increase, stocks decrease, and household budgets decrease.

GCA Forums Weekend News: Mortgage Rates, Housing, Oil, and Wall Street

America ended the weekend on the verge of another economic crisis. Mortgage rates have been the…

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Gustan Cho Biography | Mortgage and Real Estate Career

Gustan Cho, NMLS 873293, is the president of Gustan Cho Associates, powered by Coast 2 Coast Mortgage Lending, LLC, NMLS 376205. The firm uses a wide multistate lending platform to offer government, conventional, jumbo, Non-QM, investment-property, and alternative mortgage programs.

Gustan… Read more

The mortgage industry is extremely competitive. Everything that can deter an NMLS-licensed mortgage loan originator from creating a book of business and developing a preferred third-party referral partner network from becoming successful is very difficult, BUT NOT impossible. I own, operate, and managed an independent mortgage net branch…

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Can Mortgage Brokers Originate FHA Loans as Correspondent Lenders?

Question

Can a mortgage broker originate FHA loans as a correspondent lender? How do company structure, W-2 or 1099 status, and the mortgage loan originators’ status determine the ability to offer FHA financing?

Quick Answer

It is possible for a mortgage company to offer FHA…

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National Mortgage News: Rates Climb as Homebuilding Diverges

GCA Forums News for Friday, July 17, 2026: National Mortgage News Today

At 6.55%, mortgage rates climb as single-family construction slows and applications decline. Oil market uncertainty adds further pressure to housing.

Last Updated: July 17, 2026

National Mortgage News Today: Rates… Read more

What are chattel loans? From my understanding chattel loans are similar to a mobile home without ownership of the lot. I was told Barno Miniums are Chattels. How does financing for chattels work where the owner does not have ownership of the property and the property owner charges lot rent. Usually, lot rent includes property taxes, snow…

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In this thread of MLO Training e-Learning we will dive deeply into How to Qualify and Pre-Approve a Borrower and when to issue a pre-approval letter. One of the most common reasons for stress during the mortgage process and a last minute mortgage loan denial is because the MLO issued a pre-approval letter to a homebuyer without properly…

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