NEWS & INSIGHTS

Buying new construction in Virginia, Northern Virginia, McLean, and the Washington, DC / DMV area is different from buying a resale home. You're not just buying a house, you're buying a timeline set by the builder. The price can change with upgrades and lot premiums, and your mortgage has to stay valid from contract to keys, sometimes months later. Quick timeline: - Pre-approval: required before you submit an offer and before you sign the contract, issued by your loan officer

Non-QM Does Not Mean “No Requirements.” It Means Different Requirements. Many borrowers hear “Non-QM” and assume it means the lender does not look at income, credit, assets, or property condition. That is not true. Every mortgage loan still has risk layers. The difference is how the borrower’s ability to repay is evaluated. In most mortgage programs, one requirement is consistent: Collateral matters. The property still needs to be livable, with no major health or safety conce

What Type of Borrower Gets the Best Mortgage Rate? You might think it's the borrower who negotiates the hardest. Not necessarily. I met a client recently whose first question to every lender was exactly the same: "Can you cover my $600 appraisal fee?" She was determined to get that fee waived. But here's something many borrowers don't realize. When a lender offers a credit to cover your appraisal fee, that money isn't necessarily free. The lender may simply offer a slightly h

5.0-Star Client Review — Christopher M E 5.0 star review received on Experience.com for Vera Chang by Christopher M E - Fast, clear, and easy to work with. An outstanding team. New ★★★★★ 5 Star Experience.com Review by Christopher M E https://experience.com/reviews/vera-chang/23d4c427-db9b-4f08-8199-db37f8bd3e56?V=1791426103&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=autopost&utm_content=13726016

A $2,015 Difference in Monthly Payments Deserves a Conversation A $2,015 difference in monthly payments deserves a conversation before a buyer walks away. Here's a real scenario I'm seeing: $1.5M home purchase 40% down → $900,000 loan amount Option A: 30-year fixed at 7.25% → ~$6,140/month principal & interest Option B: First-lien HELOC at 5.50% (interest-only) → ~$4,125/month That's a $2,015/month difference. The HELOC isn't for everyone — it's variable, interest-only, and r

21% of Sellers Just Cut Their Price — a Record. Here's the Playbook. 21% of sellers just cut their price — a record. Here's the playbook. According to Redfin, 21% of U.S. home sellers cut their asking price in September — the highest share ever recorded. This is now a buyer's market in many areas. For buyers who have been waiting, this creates real opportunity. Take a $650,000 home as an example. At a 10% price cut to $585,000 with 10% down at 6.625%: • Monthly principal & in

Self-Employed for Just One Year? You Can Still Qualify for a Mortgage. Self-employed for just one year? You can still qualify for a mortgage. I often meet clients who became self-employed after a career change, a move to freelancing, or starting their own business. Many are told by other lenders that they need two years of self-employment income. That is not always the case. We work with self-employed borrowers who have only one year of self-employment income. There are two p

What Rates Are My Clients Actually Closing At? What rates are my clients actually closing at? I reviewed the loans I personally closed in 2026 so far including QM and Non-QM loans. These two charts show the note rate distribution: Primary residences and second homes: • Average rate: 6.163% • Range: 4.875%–7.125% Investment properties: • Average rate: 6.448% • Range: 5.5%–7% Behind every rate is a different borrower, property, and financing strategy. When I work with a client,

20 Loans. $10M Funded in September 2026. 20 loans. $10M funded in September 2026. 🎉 With rates approaching 7%, every closing took work. What encourages me most is that our junior LOs keep bringing in new prospects and loans. They’re putting what they learn into practice. And our support continues when things get difficult. One junior LO faced unexpected issues during his first closing. I sat with him at the closing table for two hours. We worked through every issue. One by o

Who Is Abandoning U.S. Treasuries? Who is abandoning U.S. Treasuries? The answer, based on the data, is: not quite as many people as you might think. In 2020, foreign investors held roughly $7.1T of U.S. Treasury securities. By 2026, that figure is around $9.2T. So the great Treasury abandonment story appears to be... slightly overstated. But something is changing. Look at where capital has gone elsewhere. The Magnificent 7 were worth roughly $8.5T at the end of 2020. Today,

When Buyers Consider Walking Away: Revisiting the Financing Strategy I received a call from a client this morning: “Hi Vera, I’m backing out of the contract. The new construction won’t be finished until November, and the numbers just don’t work anymore.” It’s the third call I’ve received since last week from a buyer considering canceling a mortgage application. I’m not surprised. When construction delays stretch on while bond markets reprice, a buyer’s financing picture can c

Rate Hike Again? The Fed raised its policy rate by 0.25 percentage points in September, and CME FedWatch now shows traders pricing in roughly a 70% chance of another increase in October. Even it doesn’t necessarily mean the mortgage rate will rise again in Oct, but it shows a trend of where the rate is going. As we talk with buyers, here are three things worth keeping in mind: 1️⃣ Focus on negotiating seller concessions. A credit may make a bigger difference to a buyer’s near

Interest Rates Could Rise Again in October Buyers ask me whether they should move now or wait. I understand why. When you’re making a decision this big, even a small change in the monthly payment matters. But I think there’s a better question to ask before choosing a price range: What payment would still feel comfortable if rates changed before you found your home? I always suggest testing rates half a percentage point above today’s rate if you plan to buy in three months, 0.

Why Now May Still Be the Right Time to Buy Agreed 50%. The housing market is slow not only because of interest rates, but because of broader concerns about the economy and financial stability. As loan originators, our job is not to push people who are not ready into a 30-year mortgage. It is to help those who can genuinely benefit from homeownership today make an informed and responsible decision. #HousingMarket #Homeownership #MortgageAdvice #ResponsibleLending #FinancialRea

First-Time Homebuyer Math: $226,000 Purchase, ~$500 Cash to Close Today, I sat down and did the math for a first-time homebuyer. Purchase price: $226,000. Estimated cash to close: $500. Yes—just FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. How is that possible? The buyer qualifies for: • 0% down • Up to $15,000 in forgivable assistance toward eligible closing costs and downpayment, but limited to 6% of the purchase price • No monthly PMI The interest rate is 7.375%. That number may sound high at fi

Clear to Close in Just 8 Business Days! 🎉 Clear to Close in Just 8 Business Days! Speed matters in real estate—but speed without execution means very little. This loan reached CTC in only 8 business days including appraisal, thanks to strong teamwork, clear communication, and everyone staying one step ahead throughout the process. Very proud of the GMCC Vera Team and grateful for everyone behind the scenes who made this happen. For our clients and referral partners, our comm

2026 Conforming Loan Limits and the Mortgage Interest Deduction For 2026, a married couple filing jointly can generally deduct mortgage interest on up to $750,000 of qualifying home acquisition debt, provided they itemize deductions. This needs to be changed as well. #IRS #TaxDeduction #TaxFiling #conformingloanlimit #homebuyingtips #budget #financialadvisor Originally shared from Pennymac TPO on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:share:7506060089636691970/

What Does a 25 Bps Fed Rate Hike Actually Mean to You? Today, the Federal Reserve will announce its latest interest-rate decision. If rates move by 25 basis points (0.25%), what does that actually mean for you? One important misconception first: A 25-bps Fed move does NOT mean mortgage rates automatically move 0.25%. The Fed controls a short-term policy rate. Mortgage rates are influenced more by the bond market, inflation expectations, economic conditions, and—most important

Underwriting Should Not Have to Be This Complicated Underwriting should not have to be this complicated. Freddie Mac’s income calculator signals a new era of competition and efficiency in agency lending. As technology simplifies income analysis and other technical aspects of the loan process, mortgage loan originators need to focus on where they deliver the greatest value: customer care, informed guidance, and trusted financial advice. It's time to reset your strategy and min

5.0-Star Client Review — Wei L 5.0 star review received on Experience.com for Vera Chang by Wei L - Vera has provided the professional advices tailored for our need. Read the full review: https://experience.com/reviews/vera-chang/8a6d0ca9-4127-4450-857c-74687bb6f674?V=1789321684&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=autopost&utm_content=13643440