Welcome!

I am an Atlanta native and made the decision in 2007 to leave my job as an architect/urban planner to get my real estate license. This was a difficult decision but has been great since my very first day in my new career and I am really enjoying it! It is so rewarding helping people find that perfect home, and it allows me to continue to satiate my love of good architecture and great neighborhoods!

I attended Georgia Tech (GO JACKETS!!!!) which is where I met my husband. For almost a decade we lived in one of Atlanta's fabulous in-town neighborhoods in a great 1920's Craftsman bungalow with our two dogs and two cats. Following the birth of our first child, we bought a foreclosure in the west Buckhead area and fully renovated it using an FHA 203k loan, which was a fun and sometimes daunting process. And just prior to the birth of our second child, we purchased and renovated a home in downtown Historic Roswell, completing our personal tour of some of Atlanta's best neighborhoods to live in!

I decided to create this blog in order to share useful information and resources about the real estate market and home buying process, as well as hopefully bring some humor and levity to what is often a complex and intimidating process. Enjoy!!!

Friday, June 29, 2012

Things you WISH you could say to your borrowers but, can’t:

A little bit of fun from one of my lenders.  Unfortunately it is funny because it is so often true!


10. After reviewing your tax returns...is your company hiring?

9. Unfortunately, we just cannot use the $20,000 you have stored in your gun safe to cover the cash you're short to close.

8. Listen, there’s been a red dot outbreak at my office. I’ll have to call you back tomorrow.

7. Let’s just say that if I ruled the world, I’d certainly loan you $417,000 without bothering to check your credit or verify your income!

6. Sure, take as long as you want to think about my offer of 3.5% with no points. In the meantime, I will ask the markets,(US and abroad) to suspend all trading until you decide.

5. Since you only have $6 worth of verifiable liquid assets, I will need more of an explanation regarding the four $3000 non payroll deposits. Right now, it looks like you're collecting income from the meth lab in your rented garage.

4. At what point when I was talking about the importance of NOT moving money did you decide to pay off $20,000 in student loans?

3. It’s a little hard to believe these “tax liens” and “mortgage lates” on your credit report are the “first you are hearing of this.”

2. It took you three weeks to get me your documents. I will need a little more than 5 minutes to get your docs out.

1. No, we don't really need all of your tax returns– just the random pages that you feel like sending.

~ by David Lettermen 



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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Conforming vs. Jumbo Loans



What Is A Conforming Mortgage "Loan Limit"?

A "conforming mortgage" is so named because its loan traits -- quite literally -- "conform" to the loan rules set forth by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.  Fannie's and Freddie's mortgage guidelines are dense, covering thousands of home loan traits, but there is one over-reaching rule -- neither Fannie Mae nor Freddie Mac will securitize a mortgage that's considered "too big" for its books.


Defining "too big" is an annual decision-making process based on the economy and home price data. The debate results in a "loan size limit"; the maximum amount of mortgage that Fannie and Freddie will allow, per their respective home loan guidelines.  Loan sizes up to these maximum amounts can be conforming mortgages. Loan sizes beyond the conforming loan limit are considered "jumbo".

2012 Conforming Mortgage Loan Limit : $417,000 (Or More):

2012 conforming loan limits are the same as in from 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.
Home prices are lower today as compared to 6 years ago, but maximum loan sizes are not; and this makes more homes eligible for Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac financing. For home buyers, this is a good thing because Fannie Mae- and Freddie Mac-backed loans are often the "cheapest" form of financing in terms of monthly mortgage payment.


Loan limits staying steady is good for existing homeowners, too, because, should conforming loan limits ever fall, scores of households would be immediately "loan-sized out" from the refinance market.


The 2012 conforming loan limits vary by property-type. With more "units" per property, conforming loan limits rise.  The classification "1-unit home" includes single-family residences of all types --  detached homes, row homes, townhomes, condos and co-ops.
  • 1-unit properties : 2012 conforming loan limit of $417,000
  • 2-unit properties : 2012 conforming loan limit of $533,850
  • 3-unit properties : 2012 conforming loan limit of $645,300
  • 4-unit properties : 2012 conforming loan limit of $801,950
Note that these limits are for conforming mortgages only. FHA loan limits -- including for the FHA Streamline Refinance -- use a different scale.
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