Katz Mortgage Team NMLS #69623

08/28/2026

Can you recast a jumbo mortgage? Probably — but there’s a catch.

You may hear a mortgage broker say, “You can’t recast a jumbo loan.”

That’s not necessarily true.

The issue is that recasting is ultimately up to the company that services your loan. With a jumbo mortgage, your broker may not know at closing exactly who will ultimately own or service the loan — so they can’t promise you 100% that a recast will be allowed.

But in my experience, most jumbo servicers will allow it.

And it makes sense. When you make a large principal payment and recast:

✅ Your loan balance goes down
✅ Your loan-to-value improves
✅ The lender’s risk decreases
✅ Your monthly payment is recalculated based on the lower balance

The lender bought a loan priced for a certain level of risk. After you put a big chunk of money toward the principal, they now own a lower-risk loan. That’s generally a good thing for them.

So if your strategy is to buy now and make a large principal payment later, a jumbo recast may very well be an option.

Just understand the fine print: your mortgage broker can explain how it works, but they can’t guarantee the future servicer will approve it.

That’s an important difference between “you can’t recast” and “we can’t promise you can recast.”

08/23/2026

08/21/2026

Can someone making $150,000 a year qualify to buy an $800,000 home?

It might sound like a stretch—but the numbers may surprise you.

In this video, I put pen to paper and break down exactly how a mortgage lender looks at a $150,000 annual income and whether it can support an $800,000 purchase.

One important thing many buyers don’t realize: Fannie Mae uses your GROSS monthly income—before taxes, insurance, 401(k) contributions, and other deductions—to calculate your debt-to-income ratio.

But income is only part of the equation. Your existing monthly debts, down payment, interest rate, property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, and credit profile can all affect how much you can qualify for.

So can $150,000 of income get you into an $800,000 home?

Watch me run the numbers. 👆

And if you’re thinking about buying a home and want to understand the process from start to finish, I have a FREE Homebuyer’s Guide that walks you through it.

📩 Just DM me the word HOME — H-O-M-E and I’ll send you a copy.

08/19/2026

Buying a brand-new home? Make sure you’re planning to stay awhile.

New construction can be a great purchase—but I generally wouldn’t recommend buying from a builder if you think you may need to sell again in just a year or two.

Here’s why…

Builders often offer big incentives: closing-cost credits, rate buydowns, free upgrades, design-center allowances and other perks. Those incentives can make the deal attractive, but they can also help support a higher sales price.

Now fast-forward two years and you need to sell.

You may not have owned the home long enough for normal appreciation to build enough equity to cover your selling costs. Even worse, if the builder is still selling homes in your neighborhood, you’re competing directly against brand-new homes.

And the builder can offer your potential buyer a $20,000 incentive, a below-market interest rate or money toward closing costs.

You probably can’t.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy new construction. It means you should think of it as a longer-term purchase. If you can see yourself living there for five years or more, you’re giving appreciation and equity a much better opportunity to catch up.

🏡 New construction can be a great deal. Just make sure the builder’s incentives today don’t become your competition tomorrow.

📘 Thinking about buying a home? I’ve put together a FREE Homebuyer’s Guide that walks you through the process and helps you avoid some of the most common—and expensive—mistakes buyers make.

Just text me the word HOME and I’ll send you a copy. No obligation, no pressure—just good information to help you make a smarter home-buying decision.

Send a message to learn more

08/17/2026

Could your 401(k) or IRA help you buy your first home?

There’s a new proposal in Congress that could make it easier for first-time homebuyers to use money they’ve already saved for retirement to help purchase a home — without getting hit with the normal 10% early-withdrawal penalty.

Under current law, first-time buyers can withdraw up to $10,000 from an IRA without the 10% penalty, but that exception generally does not apply to 401(k)s. (IRS)

New legislation being considered would expand the ability to tap retirement savings for a first-home purchase — potentially giving buyers access to significantly more of their own money without that additional penalty.

And I think there’s a strong argument for it.

For many younger buyers, the biggest obstacle isn’t making the monthly mortgage payment — it’s coming up with the down payment and closing costs.

If someone has spent years responsibly saving money in a retirement account, why shouldn’t we make it easier for them to use some of those savings to purchase another long-term asset — a home?

Of course, taking money out of retirement has consequences. You’re giving up future tax-deferred growth, so this isn’t automatically the right move for everyone.

But giving buyers another option could help more people get into homes sooner and begin building equity instead of waiting years to accumulate a separate down payment.

One important point: this is proposed legislation, not current law.

Would you use part of your retirement savings to buy a home if you could do it without the 10% penalty?

08/15/2026

Mortgage insurance gets a bad rap… but it can actually be a powerful homebuying tool.

On a conventional loan, mortgage insurance can allow you to buy a home with a much smaller down payment — which could mean buying years sooner instead of waiting to save 20%.

And here’s what many buyers don’t realize: there are strategies for mortgage insurance.

You may be able to:
✅ Pay less for mortgage insurance
✅ Get rid of it sooner
✅ Structure the loan differently to reduce the cost
✅ Or even buy with less than 20% down without monthly mortgage insurance

The key is knowing your options before you choose your loan.

I put together a simple Smart Guide to Mortgage Insurance that explains how mortgage insurance works and some of the strategies you can use to potentially save money.

📩 Want a FREE copy?

DM me the letters “MI” — for Mortgage Insurance — and I’ll send it to you.

08/14/2026

Mortgage insurance gets a bad rap… but it can actually be a powerful homebuying tool.

On a conventional loan, mortgage insurance can allow you to buy a home with a much smaller down payment — which could mean buying years sooner instead of waiting to save 20%.

And here’s what many buyers don’t realize: there are strategies for mortgage insurance.

You may be able to:
✅ Pay less for mortgage insurance
✅ Get rid of it sooner
✅ Structure the loan differently to reduce the cost
✅ Or even buy with less than 20% down without monthly mortgage insurance

The key is knowing your options before you choose your loan.

I put together a simple Smart Guide to Mortgage Insurance that explains how mortgage insurance works and some of the strategies you can use to potentially save money.

📩 Want a FREE copy?

DM me the letters “MI” — for Mortgage Insurance — and I’ll send it to you.

Send a message to learn more