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!

A Few Benefits of a Reverse Mortgage

benefits of a reverse mortgage

Benefits of a Reverse Mortgage

There’s a certain misconception about reverse mortgages. Many believe reverse mortgages are financial tools only those with debt or final distress take. This is untrue.  A reverse mortgage is a financial instrument you may use in addition to other financial instruments when you are about to enter into retirement. The reality is that many Americans are unprepared for retirement.  However, there are many benefits of a reverse mortgage.

A Few Key Benefits of a Reverse Mortgage:

• BeIt gives you access to cash.
• It extends the life of other retirement savings by not having to tap into those
• Financial counseling is required to ascertain they qualify for the product.

According to Bankrate, “The reverse mortgage is probably one of the most misunderstood programs out there.  But, when most people who don’t understand how it works learn about it, the most common thing they say is, ‘Why doesn’t everybody get one?'”

Why Work with Mario Quintero of STC Loans

Would you like to take advantage of the many reverse mortgage loan benefits available? Do you think you qualify for a reverse mortgage? 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.

Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker.  Let me be your realtor for life.

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.

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.

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.

What Home Sales Slump?

Miami Home Sales

What Sales Slump?

Courtesy of Reuters

U.S. home resales rose more than expected in March to the highest level in more than a decade, The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced on Friday.  Miami home sales remain strong.

Existing home sales climbed 4.4 percent for the month, while economists were expecting a smaller increase of 2.5 percent, according to Thomson Reuters consensus estimates.

While the number of homes on the market rose 5.8 percent to 1.83 million units last month, housing inventory was down 6.6 percent from one year ago, implying that demand is outweighing supply.
Properties typically remained on the market for 34 days in March, compared to 45 days in February, the NAR added.

“The early returns so far this spring buying season look very promising as a rising number of households dipped their toes into the market and were successfully able to close on a home last month,” Lawrence Yun, a chief economist for the industry group, said in a statement. “Sales will go up as long as inventory does.”

U.S. home resales fell more than expected in February amid a shortage of houses on the market, which pushed prices up and sidelined potential buyers.

The NAR’s existing home sales data measures sales and prices of existing single-family homes for the nation overall.  These figures also include condos and co-ops.

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

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.

Have You Recently Forgotten Your Password? How about a life-changing password?

Forgotten Passwords

Forgotten Passwords

Several years ago, a young man named Maruicio Estrella had one of those inspirational moments that makes so much sense in hindsight.

Due to a recent divorce in his life, he found himself in an angry depression. The final straw seemed to be one day when he walked into his office and was faced with a “Your Password Has Expired” message on his computer.

Remembering that a former boss had combined to-do lists with passwords, he had a sudden insight. He would use a password to change his life.

He came up with the password Forgive@h3r. The constant reminder over the next 30 days as he typed in his password every morning seeped into his subconscious. It had a healing effect on him.

At the end of 30 days, he changed his password to Quit@smoking4ever. According to Estrella, he quit smoking overnight.

Here are some other passwords he has used since, and his results:

• Save4trip@thailand. I went 3 months later.
• Sleep@before12. It worked. Got lots of sleep.
• No@drinking2months. It worked, felt great!
• Eat2times@day. Never worked, still overweight.
• Get@c4t! It worked…we have a cat.
• Facetime2mom@sunday. It worked. I talk with my mom every week.

What kinds of goals can you put into your passwords, and possibly into your life?

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

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.