Speaking at EPM’s The American Gift event

Honored and excited to announce I’ll be speaking at TAG – The American Gift hosted by EPM Mortgage next month at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta!

Getting to share the same stage with these powerhouses will be an amazing opportunity: 

• Kevin Hart
• Jesse Itzler
• Dave Portnoy
• Janine Driver
• Dr. Jordan Peterson
• T-Pain

Huge thanks to the entire EPM crew for the incredible support they give to our team, our clients, and our realtor partners. Truly grateful for all the ways they continue to pour into this industry.

Thank you for the impact you make and for inviting me to be part of such a powerful event. Can’t wait to share the stage with some of the best minds in the mortgage world!

Let’s go make it legendary. 

Speaking. Learning. Growing. Let’s go!
🎤🏡💼🏟️

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FHA Alert for Non-Permanent Residents

⏰ Deadline Coming Up! May 25th is the cutoff for FHA loans for non-permanent resident aliens… but don’t let that date fool you.

May 25th is a Sunday — which means Friday, May 23rd is your real deadline ⚠️

To be extra safe, try to get under contract by Monday, May 20th ✅

Why? Because it’s not just getting the offer accepted…

The FHA case number needs to be assigned — and that only happens after your contract is signed and disclosures are complete. That takes 1–2 business days 📝➡️📋

This is your last weekend to house hunt and lock it in! 🏡

We’ll be available all weekend, next week, and the following weekend to help you make it happen. We got you!

And if the timeline doesn’t work out? No worries — we’ve got other great loan options too. Just reach out! ☎️

Let’s get you home! Don’t wait!

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📉📈 This Week in Mortgage Rates: Volatility, Inflation, and a Surprise from Moody’s 🏠

This past week was a rollercoaster ride for mortgage rates and the overall market! 🎢 Here’s what happened and what it means for you:

🧨 It Started With a Bang…

After news broke of a U.S./China trade agreement over the weekend, 📦📉 stock markets bounced back strong. While stocks stayed up, mortgage rates actually drifted lower as the week went on — a good thing for homebuyers! ✅

📉 Thursday = Relief Rally

Thursday brought weaker Retail Sales data and a calming speech from Fed Chair Powell, which gave mortgage rates a nice little boost (in the right direction!). Lower economic activity and softer tones from the Fed usually help rates improve. 💬📉

😬 Then Came Friday…

At first, Friday looked promising too. Bond markets — which drive interest rates — were stronger at the start of the day. But then…

👉 Consumer Sentiment data showed the highest inflation expectations since 1981. 😲🔥

Why does that matter? Inflation = 👎 for mortgage rates. And when consumers think prices are going up, they often spend sooner — which actually causes prices to rise, reinforcing inflation. 📈💸

Even though consumer surveys aren’t the best inflation indicators, the market still listens — at least a little.

⚠️ Moody’s Surprise Downgrade

With only 15 minutes left in the trading day, rating agency Moody’s downgraded the U.S. credit outlook. 🏛️🔻 That caused a quick spike in bond yields (aka, an increase in mortgage rate pressure).

📌 Remember: This kind of downgrade has happened before — like in 2011 — and it can shake up markets, especially if paired with budget battles or shutdown risks.

But this time? The impact was limited and quick, and we didn’t see the kind of wild swings from earlier events (like April’s tariff drama). 📉➡️📊

🏡 What It Means for Mortgage Rates

Most lenders didn’t reprice rates late Friday because there just wasn’t enough time. But behind the scenes, mortgage bond prices suggest that:

📅 Friday’s rates were likely a tiny bit worse than Thursday’s

🤏 But still better than Wednesday’s higher levels

So, overall — not a major change, but definitely worth watching in the days ahead.

💡 Takeaway

Mortgage rates are moving fast ⚡ and are tied to economic news, inflation data, and global headlines. If you’re serious about buying, the best thing you can do is get pre-approved and lock in your rate before volatility strikes again! 🛡️📑

As always, we’re here to help you stay one step ahead. 💪🏽 Let us know if you have questions — or if you’re ready to find that perfect home! 🏡🔑

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🏡💥 Don’t get tricked by those online home listings!

Just because it says “$X/month” doesn’t mean that’s the real deal. We recently helped a client who thought their payment would be one thing… but it was actually 💸 $500–$600/month more once you factor in the full picture:
🔺 Higher purchase price
🙅‍♂️ $0 down payment
📈 Underestimated taxes & insurance

💡Good news? We’ve got your back 💪
Before you fall in love with a house 💘, let’s get you pre-approved the right way so you know the real numbers — no surprises, just smart moves 🧠✅

🎯 We’re here to make homebuying exciting, not stressful. Let’s do this the right way from the start!

Learn More – McGowan Mortgages

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🧾 What Does It Really Take to Buy a Home?

(It’s probably less than you think.)

Buying a home can feel overwhelming — especially with all the buzz around rates, down payments, and qualifications. But let’s simplify it. Here’s a quick breakdown of the 4 key things you actually need to focus on:

1. 💳 Credit Score. Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac will go down to 620 credit on a Conventional loan, but there are programs (like FHA and VA) that allow scores as low as 500.
   ➡️ Tip: The higher your score, the better your rate and options and we can help you boost your score with our Rapid Rescores – we talk to the credit bureaus to help you save!
2. 📉 Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI). This is the percentage of your income that goes toward monthly debts (credit cards, car loans, student loans, etc.). Conventional financing allows a DTI up to 50.49%. FHA allows up to 56.99%. VA doesn’t necessarily have a DTI cap, they just want you to have what they feel is enough money leftover at the end of the month – usually even more lenient than the other programs.
   ➡️ Pro Tip: We can sometimes pay off debt at closing to help your DTI qualify!
3. 💰 Down Payment. You do not need 20%!
   • FHA = as low as 3.5% down
   • Conventional = as low as 3% down
   • VA/USDA = $0 down if eligible
     
     ➡️ Bonus: We have down payment assistance options too!
4. 🧾 Closing Costs. Closing costs typically run about 2%–5% of the purchase price, depending on the type of home loan. But here’s the good news:➡️ We have multiple ways to help have these covered, so you don’t have to pay them out of pocket.

🎯 Bottom Line:
You’re not required to have perfect credit, massive savings, or a 6-figure income to buy a home.

✅ You just need the right plan — and that’s where we come in.
Let’s build a custom game plan for your goals! 🏡

📲 Reach out and we’ll walk you through every step, pressure-free.