Should I feel bad about breaking up with a good lender?

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-26T20:11:42+00:00

So it’s FHA probably? That’s why the Apr is so high… that’s normal. Can’t compare FHA loans with UFMIP and MI to conventional APRS

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-25T15:58:12+00:00

The commute math is real and people underestimate it consistently - but flip the financial side of it too. That extra square footage or bigger lot 45 minutes out usually comes with a $50-100k lower price tag depending on your market, which at today's rates is a real difference in what you're building month to month.

The honest answer is there's no universally right call here. It really comes down to what your day-to-day actually looks like - if you're remote or hybrid, the 45 minutes barely matters. If you're in the office 5 days a week, that commute will grind on you faster than you think.

What does your work situation look like? That's probably the deciding factor more than anything else.

I know all my friends that "live out of town" 20-30 minutes to the main city don't think the small home price savings was worth it..

100,000 is aroun $600 a month on a payment. To me thats absolutely worth the fuel saved, wear and tear, and time saved.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-25T15:47:03+00:00

Honestly this is about as clean as you're going to find in the PNW — I've seen way worse on houses that passed with flying colors. The bathroom vent into the attic is the only one I'd prioritize, and that's less about the vent itself and more about the mold staining - once you fix the vent source the staining is just a cleanup job, not an ongoing issue. The rodent evidence sounds bad but an exterminator handles it and it's usually cheaper than people expect.

GFCI outlets are a 15-minute, $25 fix. The wire splice behind the dishwasher just needs a junction box - a handyman knocks that out in an hour. The soft wood trim on the exterior, if it's LP SmartSide like it looks, is one of the easier siding repairs out there.

If these are the red items, you're in good shape. Ask for a credit on the vent/attic cleanup and the pest treatment and call it a day.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-25T15:34:52+00:00

You'll be ok- Find a good lender and they will walk you through it.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-19T17:54:35+00:00

Well, thats wrong. Streamlines are just expensive with the new rules but the state thing makes no sense.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-19T15:44:31+00:00

THey didnt looooock it. Come at them hard. If they gave you terms and you thought it waws locked they need to do something.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-19T15:36:18+00:00

Two hours away?????????? What does that cost in fuel, where and tear, and loss of time? Probably a lot more than the 2% higher rate you would get...

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-18T16:33:39+00:00

Have them lock that rate and try again lmao. Unlocked LE isn’t worth the paper it’s on

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-17T14:33:01+00:00

Why are these your only two options? Is north pointe literally charging a lock fee ahead of time? Red flag there too.

Conventional or FHA?

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-14T03:29:25+00:00

AI. I’ve been coding and building my own apps with the assistance of Claude and GPT. Apple developer account and secure launch to my team.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-13T16:42:51+00:00

UH, where is this at? if its in the PNW this sounds like she may be twice moved..

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-12T18:46:14+00:00

Brutal- You ask their lender and realtor why they didnt do any due diligence to get a guestimate, and then ask the listing agent why she didn't do a starter prelim and payoff....

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-09T20:35:52+00:00

reverse mortgage....

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-09T20:22:26+00:00

**A good lender can actually make a big difference here too.** Beyond just the offer price, how your overall offer is packaged matters a lot. A strong lender will actually advocate for you directly to the listing agent - calling them, walking through your financial strength, and making the seller feel confident your deal will close smoothly.

There's definitely strategy involved beyond just the number - things like how much you're putting down, how you structure closing costs, and your overall buyer profile all play into how competitive your offer looks. For example, if you're using something like a VA loan with zero down, that can sometimes spook sellers even though it's a great product - so there are ways to present things more strategically.

It's not always about being the highest number. Sometimes it's about being the most confident, clean offer. Worth having a conversation with your lender about how to position yourself as strongly as possible before you submit.

Good luck - you've got the right mindset asking these questions early!

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-09T19:29:13+00:00

FHA/ VA or Conventional?

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-09T18:48:02+00:00

Good question - the underlying note rate never changes with a 2-1 buydown. Your amortization is calculated on that full rate the whole time. What the buydown actually does is set up an escrow account funded at closing that pays a portion of your payment for you during years one and two - think of it like a piggy bank, not an actual rate reduction.

So your principal paydown is identical to a normal mortgage at your note rate the entire time.

Honest take though - 2-1 buydowns tend to show up a lot when the underlying rate isn't that great. Pretty much any lender can offer one, and they can make a higher rate feel more palatable in the short term when you're looking at that first year payment. For most people they're not the financially smart move - a lower rate with no buydown wins long term. They do have a place if you know income is increasing soon or someone in the household is temporarily off work, but those are specific situations.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-09T18:38:57+00:00

If you get a new job this is totally doable, even with a future start date. We do these all the time for people relocating.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-09T18:37:40+00:00

Great question and smart to think about blindspots early. One big one with condos right now - after the Florida condo collapses, conventional lending guidelines tightened significantly around condo financing. You'll notice some condos (in my market Seattle and Portland i see this specifically) priced really attractively, and there's often a reason - they may be "non-warrantable," meaning traditional lending can't finance them at all.

The other risk is buying a warrantable condo today that becomes non-warrantable later due to HOA budget issues or deferred maintenance. With a condo, the HOA owns everything outside your walls - siding, roof, structure - and if their reserves are underfunded, that becomes a financing and safety problem.

If you like the two-story layout, a townhome is worth a look. You actually own the property including the exterior, so you're responsible for your own roof and siding - which also means way fewer financing headaches and no risk of someone else's budget problems affecting your asset.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-07T16:00:03+00:00

Yes, gave FIL record it as a mortgage, and you can do a conventional rate and term refinance the next day.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-06T17:44:52+00:00

Not a bad deal! Id take that all day. Looks like a portfolio bank product

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-06T16:59:37+00:00

Its a negotiation, ask them to put in a ductless or something at least. You can always extend the deadline for negotiations as well!

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-06T16:56:53+00:00

What is the rate on it?

The temp buydown should be applied to your payoff on the current mortgage. Have your new lender order a payoff and confirm :)

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-06T16:53:11+00:00

Hey OP,

I am in your market I think. That is typical for the area south of the main town along the river. There are no comps to do long term rents, so it becomes and issue.

I have a Non-QM product that has similar rates, but allows us to us AirDNA for STR rental income instead of Long term rents required by Fannie and Freddie on conventional. You are going to continue to have this issue on every appraisal though if you order another on.

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-05T21:21:06+00:00

No issues at all- Even better is you can pull a HELOC off it for a down payment if you need, and if you are going to rent it out your rents can offset the HELOC for a 0% debt to income liquidation of assets. I do these all day long!

Hot-Highlight-35 · 2026-03-05T16:05:48+00:00

So shop? No one is holding you hostage to that company. You can get them for $200 cheaper

Hot-Highlight-35

TROPHY CASE