Jodi Hillmar, Mortgage Advisor - NMLS 173628

08/12/2026

Can you really trust AI to shop your mortgage and guide you through a home purchase?

I worked for a company whose AI could take an application, process, underwrite, and close a loan with almost zero human interaction. The technology is real and it is impressive.

But let me ask you something. What do you actually want when you need a mortgage?

A low rate, yes of course. But also answers to questions like: why do I need to give you that document, is this document okay, who orders the appraisal and when, who do I send my settlement money to and how, where do I go for closing and when, and am I actually approved?

You ask a mortgage advisor a lot of questions when you buy a home. And beyond the process questions there is the advice that matters even more.

Do you pay 25 percent interest on a credit card or 6 percent on a mortgage? Do you put a large down payment down or keep cash for an emergency fund when life throws a curveball? You want to start a family or have parents move in, how does that change the plan? You want to buy an investment property down the road, what do you do now to prepare? Are you putting enough in your 401k? The answer is almost always no. You should be working toward maxing out at $24,000 to $35,000 a year in contributions.

There is a lot more happening in a home purchase than quoting a rate. I help you find solutions, manage communication across your entire team, coordinate with your agent, the listing agent, the title company, and the appraiser, and make sure everything moves forward the way it should.

Here is the smart move. Use AI to learn and explore your options quickly. Then bring in an experienced mortgage advisor to fight for you when it counts. Speed plus a real human in your corner. That is what you get when you work with me.

I am Jodi Hillmar. Reach out and let's talk through your situation.

07/29/2026

5.0 star review received on Experience.com for Jodi Hillmar Mortgage Advisor by Heather M - Working with Jodi was a great experience. She answered any question I had and responded quickly, she helped guide me through the process.

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07/24/2026

Do you think your condo listing is fine because it has always sailed through underwriting? That is about to change and you need to know what is coming before August 3rd.

I wanted to share the details on condo underwriting changes that are either already in effect or hitting the books very soon. This is important for every agent, buyer, and seller involved in condo transactions.

Here is what Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are implementing.

The 50 percent investor cap on condo projects has been removed. This is good news and will open the door for some developments that were previously ineligible. However they still need to pass full review so they may get stuck on other requirements.

Actual Cash Value is now required for roof replacement insurance instead of the previous inflation-coverage requirement. This is designed to help reduce insurance costs.

A new maximum $50,000 per-unit deductible replaces a more complicated calculation that existed before.

The mandatory reserve requirement is moving from 10 percent to 15 percent following reserve study requirements. The official date is January 4th 2027 but many condos are making the change now. Condos with adequate funds already set aside may qualify to hold only 10 percent.

What is a reserve study? Every three years all condos are required to have an in-depth study completed on future repairs, the cost of those repairs, and how much the condo needs to save to cover them.

And the biggest change: Limited Review and Streamlined Review are being retired. This was the fast-track process that let buyers with a higher down payment skip the deep dive into HOA finances. After August 3rd any condo project over 10 units goes through Full Review with no exceptions for down payment size. Underwriters will now be checking reserve funding, insurance, and litigation on every single deal. Projects with 10 units or fewer get a streamlined waiver with fewer requirements.

For FHA and VA buyers: both programs have a master approved condo list with expiration dates. If the development is not on the list a Single-Unit Approval or spot approval may be possible. The building still needs strong reserves, no major litigation, and 50 percent or more owner-occupancy, but it opens doors on complexes that used to be an automatic no. Important note: the appraisal cannot even be ordered until the project clears, so starting early is critical.

Before you say no on a condo deal, call me and let's find a solution. Reach out and let's talk through the possibilities.

07/15/2026

Hey, Jodi Hillmar here. I hear it all the time: I am going to wait to buy when rates come down. Oh really? When exactly are rates coming down? And how do you know? Do you have a crystal ball? Because if you do, let me in on it.

Here is the question that actually matters: should you buy now or keep waiting for rates to come down?

After the Fed's June meeting rates ticked up a bit and the signal was clear: higher for longer. So instead of trying to guess where rates head next, let's focus on something you can actually control right now: your negotiating power.

Here is the good news in today's environment. Less competition means you have real leverage that simply did not exist a couple of years ago. You can ask for price reductions, closing cost credits, and rate buydowns that sellers would not have entertained when the market was running hot. These are meaningful tools that can significantly improve your financial position on any given home.

The strategy that makes sense right now: lock in the home you love and negotiate a strong deal today while you have that leverage. Then refinance later when the market shifts in your favor. You capture the asset at today's price and today's negotiating conditions and you get the rate benefit when it arrives.

Call me today and let's talk about your buying power, walk through the history of rates, and put together a real approach to your home purchase with the tools you need to win.

I look forward to helping you.

06/30/2026

Hey, Jodi Hillmar here with something important you need to know before July 1st.

Student loan repayment changes are coming and what most people do not realize is that the repayment plan you choose could directly affect your ability to qualify for a mortgage and how much home you can actually buy.

Here is why. When lenders review a home loan application they include your student loan payment in your debt-to-income ratio, also known as DTI. That ratio is one of the primary factors determining how much you qualify for. Depending on your income, your loan balance, and the repayment plan you select, switching plans could either increase or decrease the monthly payment that shows up in that calculation and that changes your qualifying power significantly.

So before you make any repayment plan change based purely on what makes sense for your student loans alone, take a step back and look at the big picture. Your student loan decision may also be a homeownership decision and you want to make sure you are making it with full information about both sides of that equation.

Your first step is to speak with both your student loan servicer and a mortgage advisor before making any changes. Student loan repayment options and mortgage qualifying guidelines vary by borrower, loan program, and lender requirements, so getting personalized guidance specific to your situation is essential.

Let's make sure your student loan decision and your homeownership goals are working together rather than against each other. Reach out and let's find the right solution for your home needs.

06/21/2026

A shoutout to all the fathers out there today and a few words about my own dad that I want to share.

He was a quiet soul. He did not need a spotlight or recognition. He quietly kept the house running, day after day, in ways that felt invisible until you stopped to really look. He was passionate about his faith in a way that was genuine and consistent. And he had a laugh that could fill an entire room and change the atmosphere of any moment. I miss him dearly and I feel his absence especially on days like today.

So on this Father's Day here is what I want to say to all of you.

Tell your dad, or the person who fills that role in your life, that you appreciate them. Tell them that you notice the things they do quietly, the things they do without announcement or applause. The ones who keep things running while life happens loudly around them. The ones whose presence you might not fully measure until it is no longer there.

That acknowledgment, that simple act of saying I see you and I am grateful, is the greatest gift you can give today. Not a card, not a gift, not a dinner out. Just the words. Just the honesty. Just the recognition that their quiet work has always mattered more than they know.

Happy Father's Day to every dad and father figure doing the quiet, essential, irreplaceable work of showing up.

03/17/2026

5.0 star review received on Experience.com for Jodi Hillmar by Troy H - Jodi's consistent communication, phone calls, texts, all helped to make the process straightforward while giving me the support I needed to feel confident! Additionally, the teamwork displayed by this team was incredible! Every handoff between each POC was seamless and kept the process rolling! This team should be proud of their chemistry and teamwork. It shows!

Click to see all 388 reviews of Jodi Hillmar, Mortgage Advisor in Annapolis, Md

11/30/2025

5.0 star review received on Experience.com for Jodi Hillmar by Erin O - The team was super communicative and quick at answering any questions I had throughout the entire process.

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11/25/2025

5.0 star review received on Experience.com for Jodi Hillmar by Lawrence B - This is the second time I have used Jodi's service and I highly recommend her. Jodi made the process of buying a home easy and stress free by coordinating each step of the process. She was always accessible and answered text and calls promptly, even on the weekends. Her advice was invaluable and she explained things in layman terms. Jodi and her term are amazing and if you are buying a home I recommend that you use her service.

Click to see all 385 reviews of Jodi Hillmar, Mortgage Advisor in Annapolis, Md