Craig Dowling - Mortgage Originator

09/04/2026

🏡 When it comes to your mortgage, don’t just trust anybody to walk alongside you.

Whether you’re purchasing a new home, refinancing, accessing your home’s equity with a HELOC, purchasing an investment property, or exploring other financing options, having the right mortgage professional in your corner can make all the difference.

I’m incredibly proud to have earned 100% recommendation ratings across my review platforms, including Google, Facebook, and Experience.com. More importantly, I’m grateful for the clients who have trusted me to guide them through some of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.

My goal is simple: provide honest advice, communicate every step of the way, and work hard to find the financing strategy that makes sense for you.

If you’re thinking about making a move, let’s start with a confidential review of your goals and options. No pressure. No obligation. Just a conversation to see what may be possible.

📲 Reach out today and let’s get started!

08/13/2026

Mortgage Market Update 📈🏡

This afternoon at 1:00 PM ET, there will be a 30-year Treasury bond auction that could impact the markets depending on the level of demand.

Wholesale inflation, much like the consumer inflation report we saw yesterday, came in tame and is helping bonds continue to move higher.

The July Producer Price Index (PPI) showed headline inflation was flat at 0.0%, significantly better than the 0.2% expected. Year-over-year headline producer inflation fell from 5.5% to 4.7%, also coming in cooler than the 4.9% estimate. A 5.7% drop in gasoline prices helped keep the headline number in check.

The core rate, which excludes food and energy, rose just 0.2%, a tenth lower than market expectations. Year-over-year core producer inflation fell from 4.7% to 4.2%, right in line with expectations and another positive improvement.

Bottom line: This was another good inflation report for July. After the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported job losses along with cooler CPI and PPI readings, some of the more hawkish Fed members may have to reconsider their stance.

Fed futures are now pricing in only a 32% chance of a September rate hike, down from roughly 50% just two days ago before the latest inflation reports.

Initial jobless claims rose 9,000 to 209,000, while continuing claims fell 22,000 to 1.78 million. The labor market continues to show a relatively low level of unemployment claims, but we're also seeing signs of moderation.

Mortgage rates are now working on their third consecutive day of improvement. 📉

The 1:00 PM Treasury auction will be the next big thing to watch. Strong demand could provide another boost to bonds and potentially give mortgage rates another opportunity to improve.

As always, I'll be watching the markets closely and keeping you updated.

08/11/2026

Here’s a quick update on some of the economic data released this morning and what it could mean for the housing and mortgage markets.

Existing Home Sales

Existing home sales in July increased 1.7% to an annualized pace of 4.06 million units, slightly better than the 4.05 million units economists were expecting. June’s report was also revised higher, from 4.09 million to 4.13 million units.

On a year-over-year basis, sales are up 0.7%, while they are up 2.4% year-to-date. Sales increased in the Northeast, were essentially unchanged in the West, and declined in the Midwest and South.

While overall home sales remain much lower than we would like to see, they have been remarkably stable around these levels despite higher mortgage rates. That shows there is still underlying strength in the housing market. If mortgage rates were to move lower, we would likely see considerably more activity.

Housing Inventory & Home Values

Inventory fell nearly 2% last month to 1.54 million homes, and is down 0.6% from a year ago. Inventory remains relatively tight, which continues to provide support for home values.

Homes spent an average of 29 days on the market, compared with 28 days last month and at this time last year.

About 19% of homes sold above the asking price, down from 21% last year.

First-time buyers, who had shown considerable strength over the past two months at 35% and 33% of purchases, fell back to 29% in July.

Cash buyers accounted for 26% of transactions, down from 31% last year, while investors represented 14% of sales, down from 20% last year.

We also received home-value data from ICE showing that home values increased 0.2% in July after seasonal adjustments. On a year-over-year basis, home values are now up 1.5%, marking the fifth consecutive month of acceleration and the strongest annual growth rate in 14 months.

Labor Market

On the employment front, ADP’s weekly employment data showed an average of only about 8,000 jobs being created per week over the past four weeks. At that pace, it would translate to roughly 35,000 jobs over a full month.

The report has been consistently weakening over the past two months, which points toward a labor market that is softening rather than strengthening.

Tomorrow’s CPI Report

And then, of course, all eyes will be on tomorrow morning’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation report.

The market is expecting the core CPI reading to come in at approximately 0.2% for the month, with the year-over-year figure declining from 2.6% to 2.5%.

Shelter will be an especially important component to watch because it makes up roughly 45% of the core CPI index. The last shelter reading was very tame at just 0.1%.

If we get another cooler-than-expected inflation reading tomorrow, that would likely be friendly for the bond market and could help mortgage rates make some progress within their current range. It could also potentially allow yields to test some important technical levels.

As always, mortgage pricing can change throughout the day based on market movement, so if you're considering buying, refinancing, or simply want to know where rates stand, I'm always happy to run updated numbers based on the most current pricing.

08/06/2026

What an incredible journey this one has been!

A huge congratulations to my buyers on their beautiful new home! They were absolutely amazing throughout this entire process. Not only were they fantastic to work with, but they also went above and beyond to get their current home sold so we could keep this transaction moving forward. Their determination and commitment made all the difference.

One of the best parts of this transaction was being introduced to an exceptional real estate agent in North Carolina. It’s not often you come across someone who is as genuine, honest, hardworking, and dedicated to their clients as she is. She truly goes the extra mile, and I’m grateful to now have someone I can confidently refer my clients to without a second thought.

This business is all about relationships, and this transaction was a perfect reminder of that. Congratulations again to my buyers! Wishing you many years of happiness and wonderful memories in your new home. 🏡❤️

🎉🏡 C L O S E D in Fayetteville!! 🔑✨

DJ Khaled said it best...
"Another one." 🎤😂

Another set of keys. 🔑 🏡 Another finish line crossed. 🏁 This chapter wasn't nearly as "thrilling" as the last, but it's still special.

Helping my buyers get to closing day never gets old. From the first showing (we had quite a few😉) to the final signature, every transaction has its own story, and I'm so thankful to be part of each one. ❤️

🎉 Thank you for trusting me to guide you through another purchase. It was an honor to help you find the place you'll call home. 🏡💙 A huge thank you to your amazing lender Craig Dowling for being such an important part of this journey! 🤝✨ The right lender can make all the difference, and having someone who communicates, works hard and truly cares about the client helps make the path to closing that much better. 🙌 Teamwork makes the dreamwork!

Now it's time to unpack those boxes 📦, make new memories ✨ and enjoy your new home! 🥂

Renee Lee, Realtor
Keller Williams Fayetteville
919-634-0363
[email protected]
*Each office is independently owned and operated.

07/30/2026

Helping clients navigate the unique complexities of real estate purchases, especially second homes and investment properties, is what it's all about! 🌊🏠

A huge thank you to Jan B. for the trust and kind words. In competitive markets, going above and beyond to give sellers complete confidence in our buyers' strength makes all the difference in getting an offer accepted.

As Jan mentioned, this was an investment property purchase involving 'rolling over the money from a sale.' We specialize in navigating specialized investment strategies like the 1031 exchange. For investors, a 1031 exchange is a powerful tax-deferment tool that allows you to sell an investment property and reinvest the proceeds into a new, 'like-kind' investment property, potentially deferring all capital gains taxes.

Thinking about purchasing a beach house, utilization a 1031 exchange for an investment property, or your next primary residence? Let's talk timeline, strategy, and getting your offer to the top of the stack! 📲

Craig Dowling
Mortgage Loan Originator | NMLS #132605
First Pryority Bank
📞 443-255-0181. ✉️ [email protected]

07/29/2026

🤯 SIX YEARS…

Yep, you read that right.

These buyers have been searching for the perfect home for over SIX years. My incredible Realtor partner, Sandra, has been walking this journey with them for more than six years as they searched for the right home to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Then came Sunday.

Sandra called and said, “We’re writing an offer… but the house has multiple offers.”

Immediately, we knew the stakes were high. After six years of waiting, there was no way we were going to let this opportunity slip away without putting every strategy we had into play.

We took the information available to us and strategically structured both the offer and the financing to give our buyers every possible advantage. I’ll keep the details to myself 😉, but here’s one thing I’ve learned after 25 years in the mortgage business:

Winning isn’t always about offering the highest price.

The next day, the listing agent came back asking for everyone’s highest and best.

While the pressure was definitely on, we believed we had already submitted the strongest offer. We trusted our strategy and stood pat.

I’ll admit… even with all the confidence in the world, there’s always that little voice in the back of your mind wondering, “Did we do enough?”

The truth is, I was going to be genuinely disappointed if they lost this one because every box had been checked.

Throughout the process, Sandra and I kept the communication flowing with the listing agent, stayed available, and never stopped advocating for our clients.

Then, about 24 hours later…

📞 “Your offer has been accepted.”

I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever been happier for clients I’ve never met in person.

Moments like this are exactly why I love what I do.

When you work with me and my team, you’re never just another loan file or transaction. You get:
✅ A personalized financing strategy.
✅ Honest advice and complete transparency.
✅ Constant communication.
✅ Accessibility when you need us.
✅ A team that’s fully invested in helping you accomplish your goals.

Who you choose to work with matters.

Whether you’re buying your first home, your next home, or another investment property, our goal is simple: deliver an experience that makes you wonder why you ever worked with anyone else.

If buying a home is even remotely on your radar, don’t wait until you’re ready to make an offer. The best time to start preparing is now.

Congratulations to our amazing buyers! We couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead. 🏡❤️

07/28/2026

U.S. home prices increased 0.6% from April to May, bringing the three-month gain to 2.1%. After adjusting for seasonal trends, however, prices were essentially flat. Even so, home values remain 1.1% higher than they were a year ago.

07/24/2026

Cotality released their homeowner equity insights for quarter one 2026, showing that home equity for those WITH a mortgage has almost reached 18 trillion. The home equity for all owned homes is roughly 34 trillion.

Most American homeowners have a very comfortable home equity cushion. Across 56.7 million owned mortgage properties. The average borrower has $311,000 in home equity.

Mortgage properties with negative equity now stands at only 1.9% or a little over 1 million homes. For perspective, this peaked at 26% in quarter four of 2009 and shows the magic of home price appreciation and amortization. 

07/21/2026

ICE reported their home price index for July, showing that Home values nationwide rose by 0.26%. Since the beginning of the year, they are running at a 3% annualize rate, which is pretty strong and meaningful for wealth creation.

Year-over-year, looking backwards, Home values are up 1.7%, which is an increase from 1.3% in June.

07/21/2026

There was an interesting story on CNBC breaking down how many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. The survey found that 64% of households earning between $50,000 and $100,000 and 41% of those earning between $100,000 and $250,000 are living paycheck to paycheck, defining it as having less than $500 left over each month after expenses.

That means many families have very little financial cushion if an unexpected expense comes up.

Higher oil prices continue to put pressure on inflation, leading some Federal Reserve members to discuss raising interest rates again. The challenge is that higher rates won’t bring down the price of oil or groceries. Instead, they can increase the cost of variable-rate debt like HELOCs, credit cards, and other loans, putting even more strain on household budgets.

If you’re starting to feel the pinch, don’t wait until it becomes overwhelming. There may be options available to improve your monthly cash flow or reduce your financial stress.

If you’d like to have a private, confidential conversation about your mortgage or overall financial situation, I’m always happy to help. There’s never any pressure—just honest advice to help you understand your options.