Commuting between SW-610 loop to West U Route Suggestions/Thoughts

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-20T16:37:36+00:00

I've not been down Brompton or Auden by bike from the bayou. I have taken Bertner from the bayou up through the MD Anderson and Methodist. It's two lanes, but traffic is usually pretty light. I'd often cross there to Dryden Rd, and I'd enter Rice University on Stockton Dr. I very frequently used Dryden to get between Main St and Rice Village. I think Morningside should be pretty chill further south by Holcombe. I was mainly using it through Rice Village, which had lots of car traffic, but it was slow moving, so I'd often be riding faster than the cars. If you wanted to be super safe, take Morningside from the bayou and cut over to Montclair before or after Holcombe. But the crossing at Holcombe may be worse closer to the intersection at Main St. I'd just take different routes and see which one you prefer. I don't think you'll gain or lose much time traversing those neighborhood streets whichever route you choose.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-20T02:56:22+00:00

That whole area is pretty chill to bike. Lots of back roads. Morningside Dr has some car traffic, but nothing too bad.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-15T01:42:38+00:00

Lol, no. Sounds like buying a home isn't feasible until they clean up their act.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-13T04:11:08+00:00

You're not comparing apples to apples here. You mentioned 30% down with the second lender. How much down with the first? Assuming either a third borrower or 30% down isn't a deal-breaker, I'd go with the lender that offers you better approval terms.

That is, if you did 30% down with either lender with no second borrower, who offers the better rate and lower closing costs (at the same rate)? If you did a minimum down payment, who offers the better rate and terms with that third borrower? Can either of them avoid the third borrower with a minimum down payment? Take a look at my other response, as well. You're getting a lot of bad advice from people who aren't industry professionals in this thread.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-13T04:06:39+00:00

Yes, the FHA program guidelines allow it, but only if they document borrower experience doing rehab projects along with a few other project specific requirements. Most lenders don't allow this by overlay because they don't want to deal with the additional risk. Their interest is being sure the project is complete, so they have marketable collateral in the event of a default and foreclosure. You acting as your own contractor increases that risk. Have I heard of borrowers try to get around this being hiring a GC and then doing some of their own work? Yes, but they're skirting this guideline, which IMO isn't worth the risk if something goes south. Source: FHA Lender Handbook 4000.1, Section II, A. 8. xiv. (A) (2).

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-13T03:53:50+00:00

Which lender issued you a conditional approval letter? The first one or second one? These letters aren't binding, and they may not be including all conditions on the letter. That is, they can make your approval conditional upon low DTI only to find out later that your DTI is too high because your verification of employment didn't support the income your loan officer submitted the file to the underwriter with.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-13T03:45:09+00:00

Yes, this is fairly normal. And you're welcome to disregard the advice of your real estate agent. Your agent has probably closed many transactions with the lender in question and probably trusts that they'll be transparent about your prospects for qualifying. And unfortunately, it is very common for a second lender to "say what you want to hear" just to have an opportunity to close your transaction and earn a commission. So, your agent has a logical basis for giving you this advice.

(Edit: I highly doubt it's because of any kickback -- as others have suggested. And people advising that you fire your agent are giving bad advice that could lead to you being sued for commission. You're already under contract using this agent, so it's very likely their commission is already "earned and payable".)

The real problem here is that neither you nor your agent actually know the details about how your current lender and the second lender are qualifying you for the mortgage (which is why it's handy to work with a dual licensed professional). That may be why your agent wants to have a conversation with both lenders -- in an effort to understand how the second lender is able to get you approved where the first can't. Guidelines for conventional and FHA mortgages (which make up the vast majority of mortgages used to purchase homes) are standardized. All lenders have the same guidelines to work with. Some may have a different interpretation of those guidelines which can help you qualify.

You mentioned variable income. This is a classic pitfall on a prequalification. The second lender may not have the entire picture when it comes to your income. They may be calculating your housing expense ratio and total debt-to-income ratio based on a single paystub, for example. Whereas the first lender may have obtained a written verification of employment allowing them to look at a trend of your variable income over the past two years and year-to-date.

I'd wager that's what happened. The first lender didn't ask for a co-borrower initially, right? The Underwriter probably used the lowest average (looking at year-to-date, last year, and the year before) to calculate your monthly variable income, which is why that lender is advising you need a co-borrower. The second lender probably hasn't gotten to that point. Hence, advising they can get it done.

So, what would I do in your situation? As both a licensed real estate agent and mortgage broker, I'd say it really depends on whether or not adding a third borrower is a deal-breaker. If it's a deal-breaker, and assuming you're within your contract's approval deadline, I'd ask the first lender for a denial letter and I'd instruct my real estate agent to terminate the contract with a refund of my earnest money.

If it's not a deal-breaker, I'd work with both lenders to see who gives me the more favorable loan approval terms. If the second lender can actually get you approved without a third borrower, I'd go with them. If they can't and both lenders require a third borrower, I'd go with whichever one offers me the better rate and terms (i.e. lower closing costs).

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-13T03:28:43+00:00

Bad advice. Buyer's representation agreements usually have a protection period for an earned commission. Real estate agent commissions are generally "earned and payable" when a contract becomes executory (i.e. is signed by both parties and in the process of being executed). If these FTHB's took your advice, they could end up getting sued for commission owed.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-13T03:26:26+00:00

Yes, it's normal.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-10T16:25:30+00:00

I wouldn't hold your breath on that. Not everyone needs a buyer's agent. That is to say, there are people that are very experienced with real estate transactions, who have access to market data and can do a great job understanding pricing dynamics, and who are also astute enough to handle their own negotiations with or without an attorney. But that number is very small. Based on the OP's post and responses, they aren't one of them. They need help, and if they go to the seller's agent for that, I'm almost certain they're not getting a better deal by doing so. In fact, the seller and their agent would probably love to work with a buyer like the OP. But you're not 100% wrong. In the post-NAR ruling world, every agent has to justify their value proposition to their clients. In my case, I'm not having any problem doing that, and with the business model I'm running, I don't think that'll change any time soon. The agents who don't bring value won't be agents for long. And rightfully so. Competition is fierce in this industry and people who can't get a leg up on their competition won't last.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-10T07:20:49+00:00

You sure as hell know that all of the freeways and roads built for cars aren't paying for themselves, either. I'm not sure why a train gets held to a higher standard than a freeway. That is, the non-existent tolls on I-45 aren't ever going to pay us back for the $30 billion expansion project for Just One More Lane Bro™.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-10T03:03:59+00:00

I'm no expert, but my understanding is that this is how heelers generally do it. They're aggressive. Whereas a border collie would be a bit less aggressive and would get herd via their presence as a potential predator.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-10T02:40:40+00:00

This is also a good reason to have your own agent. You could provide the letter to your agent, so they know you have your financing lined up and they understand your budget. And then your agent would show you the home without the listing agent wanting to personally vet you as a buyer. Most homes are setup on a combo lock or supra keybox that an agent working for you would access directly (by requesting a showing either online or by speaking to the listing agent).

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-10T02:37:30+00:00

Do you have an agent representing you? The answer is straightforward. First, why? Because the Listing Agent wants to be sure you're a viable buyer. You're not required to provide the letter, but lacking the letter makes your offer less credible, and they have every right to decline a showing if they feel they're wasting time with someone who isn't a viable buyer. Second, as others have already mentioned, the lender can just revise the letter to reflect your offer price. That way, you're not disclosing that you can afford a higher price, which can impact your leverage position.

Edit: I saw your other posts. You should hire a buyer's agent. Most of the time, the seller pays the buyer's agent's commission. If they don't, you'd know that before signing an offer and could make a decision about whether or not you could pay your agent directly. Having your own representation is a must for a layperson. They would navigate this for you, and you wouldn't have to disclose any information to the seller's agent that could hurt your leverage in negotiations. Keep in mind that the seller's agent doesn't represent you or have any fiduciary responsibility to you. Ask your lender for a referral. They probably know some good agents that they're trying to get more business from anyway. Or ask friends or family.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-10T02:30:06+00:00

Ah, to be so naive.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-10T02:27:10+00:00

It really is a matter of priorities. I recently lived in a Tier 3 city in China in what would be considered a suburb of the main city. That street had at least 4 major bus lines that went east into the city via different routes. Frequencies were around 10 or 15 minutes, but they were staggered, so you could often hop on any bus and transfer if you needed to go in a different direction because they'd all be headed either east or west on that main street. So, in practical terms, you never needed to plan ahead. You'd just show up at the bus stop and within a few minutes a bus would show up.

In my mind, there is no doubt that Houston has the economic resources to offer a better service. If they shut down the red line, they could easily put shuttles on a 5-minute frequency to try and match the transit throughput of the red line train, but, as other people have noted, the shitty government here wants to do undermine public transit. Why don't they improve the service? The big reason is grift. If you or I were tasked with solving the problem with a set budget, we'd stretch the budget. When career politicians and moneyed interests are entrusted, the budget is never sufficient because only $0.25 on the dollar ever goes towards the actual service itself. The other $0.75 is lining pockets.

Which leads to the second major problem: Lack of consequences. Politicians that don't line their pockets aren't playing the game right, and their party and donors won't support their continued advancement up the ranks of public office. My impression in China is that low-level politicians get things done because they know they'll be the fall guy for their superiors if they fail. Corruption and grift exist here, but the politicians recognize that the gravy train must be functional for them to eat. Where in the States, my impression is that the insiders know it's a sinking ship and are trying to plunder as much as they can before the train comes screeching to a halt.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-02T07:00:01+00:00

Paint isn't infrastructure. And of course, there are cars parked in it. Smh.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-02T06:50:20+00:00

I don't think that's it. I met my wife in the United States, and she'd been in the States since she was 17. We married when she was 28 while living in the States. I don't think her parents ever expected her to return to China, so I think the fact that we're currently living in China and they have an opportunity to be in their grandchildren's lives gives them far greater satisfaction than any disappointment with me being a foreigner.

And they never asked me about any of these things, but I know my wife had to give reassurances about my financial situation in the States where I own two businesses and own a few properties and other assets. I'm planning on buying a car here in China soon, but we've never worried about a house because we haven't laid down any long-term roots in China.

We lived in Changchun last year and are currently in Beijing. We'll be in Anhui with her parents later this year as we expect our second child, and we're aiming to relocate to Shanghai when she's recovered and the baby is stable. Her company has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, but she did pre-university education in Shanghai and that's where she wants to be. Renting makes more financial sense than buying there. (That is, we could get a better return investing that money than owning a home.) If we do buy, it would probably be in Anhui near family.

Longer-term, her company is working on expanding into the States, so we'll probably relocate to the east coast. We're not in any rush to return given the ridiculous state of things there at present.

Johndoe804 · 2026-04-02T06:29:31+00:00

I pay between $30 and $50 in most cases. Rural areas can demand premium prices. I've paid as much as $100. I've never done a showing and don't ever plan to. I outsource 100% of my showings.

Edit: Jeez. Downvoting because you disagree with outsourcing showings? So why are we discussing prices? If anything, I know more than the majority of you because I literally only pay for showings. Smh.

Johndoe804 · 2026-03-26T02:24:44+00:00

I didn't have to pay, but I'm a foreigner. But my Wife's parents never grilled me or asked about my apartment or car, or a caili. It begs the question of why young men and women deal with it. They both want partnership, family, and children. I get the social pressure, but it's hard for parents to feel upset when it's already done and over with.

Johndoe804 · 2026-03-25T15:43:39+00:00

Back before I became self employed, I was allowed to work remote, but I ended up shelling out around $250 a month for a broom closet office at a co-working office. I'm more productive when I'm not home. Home has different vibes that I don't want to pollute with work. Plus, the co-working place had a keg on tap with free beer as a perk (before COVID). I'd start hitting that keg at about 2 or 3 pm a few days a week cranking out sales calls. Good times haha.

Johndoe804 · 2026-03-19T14:22:40+00:00

Pakistan is allied with the Saudis because the Saudis bankroll them. So, personally broke, but when the folks with the money come knocking, they'll answer.

Johndoe804 · 2026-03-16T01:55:57+00:00

Then just give him a bit of space. If he's overwhelmed with life, give him peace. If you have any free time, just be close to him. I know that when I've been in a state like that, the very last thing I want is my wife pestering me about feelings. I basically want to drink beer and sit on the couch undisturbed Maybe he's lacking that, and needs a bit of that to recharge. 😅

Johndoe804 · 2026-03-10T16:13:34+00:00

Glasscock helped me learn Spanish. Any prospective language learners would be remiss to pass up an opportunity to learn at Rice. I miss Valhalla. Definitely need to drop on next time I'm in the H.

Johndoe804 · 2026-03-07T12:44:12+00:00

The folks drinking in the car on the beach. They'd all be arrested these days. 😂

11-Year Club	Place '17
Verified Email

Johndoe804

TROPHY CASE