Empire Home Loans - Brad Payne NMLS# 2366717

07/20/2026

If your lender doesn’t have access to Vantage Score, it could cost you serious money!

07/13/2026

Does your lender offer Vantage score mortgages? If not, why not?

06/24/2026

"Would you buy a beach condo that paid you $139/month?"

Most investors would say no.

What if that same condo generated a $64,000 paper loss through cost segregation and bonus depreciation?

For the right investor, the tax savings can dwarf the cash flow.

I ran the numbers on a real Hilton Head property and was surprised by the result.

Full breakdown in the article below.

The OBBBA permanently restored 100% bonus depreciation. Two real Hilton Head Island STR properties, full Schedule E breakdowns, permit requirements, and how active self-management creates a W-2 income offset strategy.

06/18/2026

Why did my family choose Oldfield?

It wasn't the golf course.

It wasn't the clubhouse.

And it wasn't even the beautiful live oaks.

What sold us was something that's surprisingly hard to find in private communities today: a true mix of families and retirees.

There are kids riding bikes after school, families gathering at the pool, neighbors fishing at the Outfitters Center, and retirees enjoying everything the Lowcountry has to offer.

As both an Oldfield resident and mortgage broker, I recently put together a guide to living in Oldfield and what makes it different from other Bluffton communities.

What's your favorite thing about living in Oldfield?

Thinking about moving to Oldfield in Bluffton, SC? An Oldfield resident and local mortgage broker shares insights on homes, costs, golf, river access, schools, amenities, and community life.

03/24/2026

A rule that blocked a lot of Lowcountry condo deals just went away.

Fannie Mae eliminated the investor concentration limit on established condo buildings. That means buildings where more than half the units are investor-owned — think resort communities, vacation condos, properties near the water — are no longer automatically disqualified from conventional financing.

If you've ever had a buyer fall in love with a condo and then found out it was "non-warrantable," this change is worth knowing about. Some of those buildings may now qualify.

Happy to run a quick check on any building you're working with.

Brad Payne | Edge Home Finance | (404) 398-9991 | NMLS # 2366717

03/19/2026

One of the more common reasons home deals fell apart at closing in the Lowcountry just got fixed.

Fannie Mae no longer requires roofs to be insured at full replacement cost. Older roofs — think 14+ years — can now be covered at actual cash value and still qualify for conventional financing. No replacement required before closing.

This is a big deal in coastal markets where insurers have been refusing to offer full replacement cost coverage on older roofs. If you've had deals die because of a roof issue, that roadblock may be gone.

Brad Payne | Edge Home Finance | (404) 398-9991 | NMLS # 2366717

12/03/2025

Somehow, I was nominated for Best Loan Officer in Bluffton. I would love for your vote! You can vote 1x per day from now till Christmas!

08/07/2025

More 5 star reviews and wonderful families served!