The friend treatment for every mortgage term

A monthly fee on conventional loans with less than 20% down. It protects the lender, not you — but it's what makes low-down-payment buying possible. It typically drops off once you reach about 20% equity. Often smaller than people fear; often smarter than waiting years to save 20%.

An account your lender manages that pays your property taxes and homeowners insurance for you. A slice of every monthly payment goes in; the bills get paid on time automatically. One less thing to track.

The one-time costs of getting the loan and transferring the home — lender fees, title work, appraisal, prepaid taxes and insurance. Typically 2–4% of the price. Sometimes the seller can cover part of them; ask Jordan how.

Prepaid interest: pay more at closing, get a lower rate for the life of the loan. Whether points make sense depends on how long you'll keep the loan — it's a break-even math problem Jordan runs with you, not a default.

The interest rate plus most loan costs, expressed as a yearly rate — designed to make offers comparable. Useful, but incomplete: comparing full Loan Estimates side by side is more honest, and Jordan will do that with any competing quote.

Your cash contribution to the purchase, expressed as a percent of price. The 20% rule is a myth: conventional starts at 3% for first-time buyers, FHA at 3.5%, VA and USDA at $0.

Your monthly debt payments divided by gross monthly income — the main measure of how much mortgage you can carry. Most programs like to see total DTI under roughly 43–50%, depending on the rest of the file.

The three-digit number that shapes your pricing. Mortgage lenders typically use different scoring models than your credit card app shows, so your "mortgage score" may differ from your app score. Jordan can tell you what a score improvement is actually worth in payment terms.

Pre-qualification is an estimate based on what you tell a lender. Pre-approval means documents were reviewed and credit was pulled — it carries real weight with sellers. Jordan does real pre-approvals.

Money left after closing, measured in months of mortgage payments. Not always required, but strong reserves can offset other soft spots in a file — and they're just good sense.

Down payment money given by a family member. Completely allowed on most programs — there’s a short paper trail (a gift letter and transfer records) that Jordan walks you and your family through.

The standardized three-page form every lender must give you within three business days of application. It's what makes apples-to-apples comparison possible. If another lender is vague about theirs, that tells you something.

The formal review of your file — income, assets, credit, appraisal — against program guidelines. Conditions (requests for more documentation) are normal, not bad news. Jordan translates each one and handles the back-and-forth.

An independent professional's opinion of the home's value, ordered during processing. It protects you from overpaying and the lender from over-lending. If it comes in low, you have options — and Jordan walks you through all of them.

Freezing your interest rate for a set window (usually 30–60 days) so market moves can't change your deal while the loan closes. When to lock is a judgment call Jordan makes with you, not for you.

Underwriting’s final sign-off: every condition satisfied, the loan is fully approved, closing can be scheduled. The best three words in the mortgage process.

The final version of your numbers, delivered at least three business days before closing by law. Jordan reviews it with you so the closing table holds zero surprises.

Title work confirms the seller actually owns the home free of hidden claims; title insurance protects you (and the lender) if something surfaces later. It's quiet, boring protection — the best kind.