Home Mortgage Applications Are Up

Miami home loan applications

courtesy of CNBC

Home Loan Applications Are On the Rise

Homebuyers and homeowners saw a rip in the ever-rising interest rate continuum last week and jumped right in.  Miami home loan applications are on the rise.

Interest rates fell last week to the lowest level since November, and the seasonally adjusted mortgage volume jumped accordingly, up 7.1 percent, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Still, volume was 16 percent lower than the same week a year ago, when rates were lower.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances of $424,100 or less decreased to 4.14 percent, from 4.17 percent, with points increasing to 0.34 from 0.32, including the origination fee, for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio loans. As a reference point, mortgage rates jumped from 3.77 percent to 4.16 percent in the two weeks following the election of Donald Trump last November.

Loan applications to purchase a home jumped 10 percent from the previous week, seasonally adjusted, and now stand 5.5 percent higher than one year ago. Purchase volume has been decidedly weak this spring, as home prices overheat due to the tight supply of homes for sale.

The refinance market got a little boost from low rates as well last week, increasing 3 percent. Refinances are extremely rate-sensitive, and rates were below 4 percent last year. Refinance volume remains 34 percent lower than one year ago.

Miami Home Loan Mortgage Applications

Miami is no different. We’re seeing unprecedented sales in the Miami housing market.  Despite the increase in housing prices, the Miami housing market remains one of the hottest in the country.

Why Work with Mario Quintero

Have you locked in your home loan application yet?  What are you waiting for?   I help people reach their goals. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans. Mario has been in the Miami real estate and mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients reach their home ownership goals,

Mario Quintero, principal of Strock and Tanner Mortgage, gets your deal done. Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker.

Get in Touch with Mario, Your Miami Realtor

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage..

Call me today at 305-598-1600 or contact me here. Let’s find your dream home!

Buy vs. Rent in Miami…

Buy vs. Rent in Miami

Reposted from CNBC

It’s cheaper to buy a home than rent, but only if you can find one.

Home prices continue to rise at a fast clip, faster than incomes and faster than new employment, but it is still cheaper to own a home than to rent.   There are crazy few affordable homes for sale.  So, should you buy vs. rent in Miami?

The supply of listings in April fell 9 percent compared with a year ago, and, in turn, the number of days it took to sell the average home dropped to just 29, the lowest since the National Association of Realtors began tracking that in 2011. There was a big increase in the number of listings that came on the market this spring, but they were swept up so quickly that supplies were still lower.

“The two biggest phrases in the realtor comments this month were ‘low inventory’ and ‘multiple offers.'”

Why Work with Mario Quintero

Are you in the market for a property? Are you having trouble finding an affordable property?  I help people reach their goals. Whether you want to buy for the first time, refinance your existing loan, purchase an investment property, or sell your home, TODAY is your moment. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans. Mario has been in the Miami real estate and mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients reach their home ownership goals,

Mario Quintero, principal of Strock and Tanner Mortgage, gets your deal done. Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker.

Get in Touch with Mario, Your Miami Realtor

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage..

Call me today at 305-598-1600 or contact me here. Let’s find your dream home!

What’s Your Value?

What’s Your Value

The Value of You

I love this story, because it reminds me not to compare myself with others, but to value myself by my own standard.  So, what’s your value?

A popular speaker started off a seminar by holding up a $20 note. A crowd of 200 had gathered to hear him speak. He asked, “Who would like this $20?”

200 hands went up.

He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.” He crumpled the money up into a wad.

He then asked, “Who still wants it?”

All 200 hands were still raised.

“Well,” he replied, “What if I do this?” Then he dropped the $20 note on the ground and stomped on it with his shoes.

He picked it up, and showed it to the crowd. The money was now crumpled and dirty.

“Now who still wants it?”

All the hands still went up.

“My friends, I have just showed you a very important lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, life crumples us and grinds us into the dirt. We make bad decisions or deal with poor circumstances. We feel worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, your value is what it was before that thing happened to you. Circumstances make you look a bit different on the surface, but you are as valuable as ever. Don’t ever forget

Why Work with Mario Quintero

I help people reach their goals. Whether you want to buy for the first time, refinance your existing loan, purchase an investment property, or sell your home, TODAY is your moment. I’m Mario Quintero, of STC Loans, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage.

Call me today at 305-598-1600 or contact me here.

What’s Your Life Vision?

Your Life Vision

Hone Your Life Vision

Just like businesses are guided by a vision, your life can also benefit from having a vision.  Your life vision is a description of your idealized lifestyle and outcomes.  Vision is often based on living according to your highest values and principles.

When honing your life vision, here are things to keep in mind:

• Your vision shouldn’t be about “shoulds”.  Your vision is based on what you want to achieve.
• A vision includes identifying your highest values.
• Focus your vision on a higher sense of what you’d like out of life based on your values. Don’t worry about specific details.
• Keep your vision distinct from your goals.  A goal has a time-bound and measurable outcome.  A vision is the broad sense of direction you want your goals to take you.
• Keep your vision fresh.  If you’re feeling bored, re-evaluate your life vision.

Why Work with Mario Quintero

I help people reach their goals. Whether you want to buy for the first time, refinance your existing loan, purchase an investment property, or sell your home, TODAY is your moment. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans. Mario has been in the Miami real estate and mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients reach their home ownership goals,

Mario Quintero, principal of Strock and Tanner Mortgage, gets your deal done. Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker.

Get in Touch with Mario, Your Miami Realtor

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage.

Call me today at 305-598-1600 or contact me here.

5 de Mayo in Miami

Cinco de Mayo

5 de Mayo in Miami

5 de Mayo in Miami offers visual images of much fun and celebration. Who doesn’t enjoy going out for drinks on a festive holiday together with friends?  This year, 5 de Mayo falls on a Friday night.  Talk about the most fun of weekly happy hours!

While all of this is good and true, it’s important to also keep safety in mind.  Driving under the influence claims the lives of hundreds of people each year in Florida.

In 2014, in Florida alone, there were 31,783 arrests for driving under the influence, 797 deaths associated to DUI’s, 27% of all traffic accidents. In fact, DUI’s represent one of the leading causes of motor vehicle deaths every year. Is a 5 de Mayo DUI worth it?  Ruining your life dreams for an extra sip of that drink is not worth it, trust me…

Why Work with Mario Quintero

I help people reach their goals. Whether you want to buy for the first time, refinance your existing loan, purchase an investment property, or sell your home, TODAY is your moment. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans. Mario has been in the Miami real estate and mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients reach their home ownership goals,

Mario Quintero, principal of Strock and Tanner Mortgage, gets your deal done. Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker.

Get in Touch with Mario, Your Miami Realtor

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage..

Call me today at 305-598-1600 or contact me here. Let’s find your dream home!

A Miami Home Closing Celebration!

Miami Home Closing

Miami Home Closing Celebration

The Mario Quintero team at Re/Maxx held a Miami home closing celebration this morning for our Re/Maxx buyers Julio & Meylin. STC Mortgage took of the financing. As you can imagine, the family is very happy with their new home purchase. A very special thanks goes out to our team members. Laura Menendez, senior loan processor/originator, handled all the financing details.  Jackie Velazquez, Re/Maxx transaction coordinator arranged for everything to fall into place.   And the entire team at C and C Title Agency achieved a smooth, hassle-free closing.

Why Work with Mario Quintero

Just as I helped Julio and Meylin find their perfect and get the most competitive interest rate for their home purchase, I can help you, too.  I help people reach their goals. Whether you want to buy for the first time, refinance your existing loan, purchase an investment property, or sell your home, TODAY is your moment. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans. Mario has been in the Miami real estate and mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients reach their home ownership goals,

Mario Quintero, principal of Strock and Tanner Mortgage, gets your deal done. Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker.

Get in Touch with Mario, Your Miami Realtor

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage..

Call me today at 305-598-1600 or contact me here.  Let’s find your dream home!

No PMI Loans, Even Without the 20% Down Payment

No PMI Loans

From Realtor.com

Avoiding PMI Without the 20% Down Payment

No PMI Loans

Did you know you don’t have to put 20% down to avoid PMI, or private mortgage insurance?  Indeed, you may qualify for no PMI loans, without the 20% down payment.

What is a Conventional loan without PMI?

When you fall short of a 20-percent down payment on a conventional mortgage loant, you must pay for private mortgage insurance, or PMI. Although you can’t avoid the coverage which protects your lender in case you default, you can prevent monthly payments. Some conventional lenders offer alternative methods of paying PMI premiums to help keep your monthly payments low. You may also eventually qualify to cancel PMI, with your lender’s permission.

Conventional loans offer better interest rates and repayment terms in comparison to government-backed loans. Conventional financing requires good credit and a healthy debt-to-income load. If you lack this criteria, which is set by Fannie Mae, you can turn to financing backed by the Federal Housing Administration or the Department of Veterans Affairs, provided you are an eligible veteran. You can also opt for a conventional loan with PMI. Typically, you pay the annual PMI premium in monthly installments, along with the mortgage payment.

You can forgo monthly PMI installments by increasing your conventional loan’s interest rate. Known as lender-paid PMI, the lender covers the PMI premium for you and passes the cost onto you by increasing your interest rate. Your rate generally increases by three-quarters of a percentage point to a full percent, according to Realtor.com. Because you keep the increased interest rate for the duration of your loan, you can ultimately end up paying more over the life of your loan with lender-paid PMI.

Why Work with Mario Quintero

I help people reach their goals. Whether you want to buy for the first time, refinance your existing loan, purchase an investment property, or sell your home, TODAY is your moment. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans. Mario has been in the Miami real estate and mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients reach their home ownership goals,

Mario Quintero, principal of Strock and Tanner Mortgage, gets your deal done. Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker.

Get in Touch with Mario, Your Miami Realtor

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage..

Call me today at 305-598-1600 or contact me here.

It’s All About Your Success

Miami realtor

You Get Out What You Put In

Every so often I get stuck in neutral. I coast along, doing things the same old way I’ve always done them. Then I notice something falling off…the quality of a relationship, the amount of business I’m doing, my health, and so on.

When that happens, I’m reminded of a little story I once read, that I’d like to share with you. It’s from motivational speaker Zig Ziglar who’s telling a story about his friend, Walter Hailey.

The story goes that although Hailey became a star salesman in later life, his early career as an insurance salesman was rough. He endured frustration, anxiety, slammed doors, low sales figures, and uncertainty about his future.

One day he grew so discouraged that he went to his boss and told him he was going to quit. His boss’s response? “You can’t.”

Hailey repeated that he was quitting. The manager repeated, “You can’t.”

Angry now, Hailey shouted, “Yes, I can!”

His manager replied, “Walter, you can’t get out of the insurance business because you have never really gotten into the insurance business.”

The words hit Hailey like a ton of bricks. For the first time in his life he realized that you can’t get something out of an endeavor if you never put anything into it. Or as Ziglar says, “There are many people who ‘join’ a sales organization, but never get into the business of selling.”

I’ve taken this to heart, and apply it everywhere in my life with wonderful results, not just in my business. Whenever I’m starting to get results I don’t like, I take it as a sign that I’m losing my focus. It’s a sign to start paying more attention!

Why Work with Mario Quintero

I help people reach their goals. Whether you want to buy for the first time, refinance your existing loan, purchase an investment property, or sell your home, TODAY is your moment. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans. Mario has been in the Miami real estate and mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients reach their home ownership goals,

Mario Quintero, principal of Strock and Tanner Mortgage, gets your deal done. Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker.

Get in Touch with Mario, Your Miami Realtor

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage.

Call me today at 305-598-1600 or contact me here.

Springtime – Renewal and Refreshing Through High Holidays

Easter and Passover in Miami

Easter and Passover in Miami

This week in Miami brings us spring break for public and most private schools. Additionally, this is a week where high holidays are celebrated for both the Jewish and Christian faiths. Easter and Passover celebrations symbolize the most solemn of religious occasions. Both usually tend to fall around the same time of the year in springtime.

Have a look at high holiday activities around Miami for your family for both Passover and Easter.

Springtime is a time of renewal and refreshing, both spiritual and physical. We put the winter behind us and concentrate on ending the kids’ school year and getting ready for summer.

It’s also a time when many homes go on the market. Most properties are either bought our sold during the springtime.

Why Work with Mario Quintero

Whether you want to buy for the first time, refinance your existing loan,  purchase an investment property,  or sell your home, TODAY is your moment. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans. Mario has been in the reverse mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients secure and supplement their retirement through a reverse mortgage.

Mario Quintero, principal of Strock and Tanner Mortgage, gets your deal done. Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker.

Get in Touch with Mario

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage.

Call me today at 305-598-1600 or contact me here.

The Power of Words and Being Fearless

Buy don’t rent

The Power of Words and Buying vs. Renting

Sometimes people say things to you at just the right time, and they change your life forever. Perhaps it was a coincidence, perhaps it was part of a mysterious master plan. Perhaps everyone you meet in life, you meet for a reason. You learn something from that person, and sometimes the lesson is quite stark. Here’s an example of what I mean:

I was 13 years old, trying to convince my 8-year-old brother to skateboard down a small hill. It was taking quite a while as my brother was really nervous about it.

We were at a big, public park, and nearby there was an old woman who looked about 75 years old. She was sitting on a bench watching us.  My brother was practically crying and I was embarrassed that he was being such a wimp.

He kept saying, “I might crash. I’m afraid!”  I was really putting the pressure on when the old woman got up and walked over to us. I thought she was going to tell me to lay off.

Instead, she raised her fist defiantly at my brother and said, “So be afraid! And then do it anyway!” He swallowed and took off. He did fine.

I have never forgotten that moment. It was a revelation that it’s not about being unafraid. It’s about being afraid and doing it anyway.

Can you remember a moment like this, when your perspective changed all at once because of something someone said to you?  I can tell you that your perspective will change when you become a homeowner, too.  Buy don’t rent.  Experience the pride of ownership in a home.

Buy Don’t Rent

Sometimes first time buyers are afraid to buy a house.  I experience it all the time.  But you know what?  It’s better to buy and own than to rent and give your money to someone else.  Pay yourself first.  Buy don’t rent.

Why Work with Mario Quintero

Whether you want to buy for the first time, refinance your existing loan or even purchase an investment property, TODAY is your moment. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans. Mario has been in the reverse mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients secure and supplement their retirement through a reverse mortgage.

Mario Quintero, principal of Strock and Tanner Mortgage, gets your deal done. Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker.

Get in Touch with Mario

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage.

Call me today at 305-598-1600 or contact me here.