We are not lenders and we do not take a cut of your loan. We just know which questions to ask, and which answers should worry you.
A pre-qualification is a conversation. A pre-approval is underwriting. In a market where a good South Jordan listing can see several offers in a weekend, the difference decides whether your offer gets read or filed.
We will introduce you to two or three lenders we have closed with repeatedly and let you compare — we are not paid to send you anywhere, which is exactly why the referral is worth something.
From 3% down. Best rates with strong credit, and mortgage insurance drops off at 20% equity instead of running for the life of the loan.
3.5% down with more forgiving credit requirements. Mortgage insurance is permanent on most FHA loans now, so plan on refinancing out of it later.
Zero down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and assumable. If you served, this is almost always the strongest option on the table.
Zero down in eligible rural areas — which in Utah covers more of Tooele County and southern Utah County than most buyers realize.
Above the conforming limit, which matters on the South Jordan and Draper high end. Expect tighter reserves and a larger down payment.
State down-payment assistance for qualifying first-time buyers. Income and price caps apply and they change annually — worth checking every time.
Principal, interest, taxes and insurance. Utah property tax on a primary residence runs roughly 0.55-0.65% of market value per year.
Estimates only — actual costs may vary by lender, credit, and location.
Nobody times this well, including us. What we can say is that price and rate move against each other: when rates fall, the buyers who were waiting come back and compete, and the price you pay goes up. Buying at a higher rate on a home you negotiated hard is often better than buying at a lower rate against six other offers. You can refinance a rate. You cannot renegotiate a purchase price.
Lenders will usually approve you up to roughly 43-50% of gross income in total debt. That is the ceiling, not the target. We would rather see your housing payment near 28% of gross so the house does not own you. Bring us the approval letter and we will tell you honestly where in that range you should actually shop.
It automatically raises your offer by a set increment above competing offers, up to a cap. It is a real tool in a multiple-offer situation and it also shows the seller your true ceiling. We use them deliberately, not reflexively, and we always pair one with proof of funds so the cap is credible.
Yes, and in the current market sellers will look at it — which was not true two years ago. It works best when your home is already prepped and priced right, so the contingency has a short, believable timeline. We will map both transactions on one calendar before you write anything.
We will point you at the right lender and tell you what to ask them.