Mark DeVita NMLS: 69892

10/26/2026

09/28/2026

Why can higher interest rates sometimes create an opportunity for buyers?

When rates rise, some buyers decide to wait. That can mean fewer people competing for a home, and some sellers may be more open to negotiating on price or offering help with closing costs.

A seller’s contribution may also be used toward a mortgage buydown, depending on the loan program and the details of the deal:

• Temporary buydown: Can lower your payment for an introductory period, before it returns to the regular payment.
• Permanent buydown: Pays upfront costs to lower your interest rate for the life of the loan.

When you combine the right home price with seller-paid costs or a buydown, it may be possible—in some situations—to get a lower payment than you’d have had buying a more expensive home when rates were lower. The only way to know is to compare the full numbers for your situation.

And if you’re not ready yet, you have time to make a plan without feeling rushed.

Higher rates don’t automatically close the door. Let’s look at your options and figure out a strategy that fits.

Send me a DM when you’re ready to talk.

Mark DeVita | Mortgage Branch Manager
Cornerstone Home Lending | NMLS #69892

Payment examples depend on purchase price, loan terms, taxes, insurance, eligibility, seller contributions, and program limits. A temporary buydown payment increases to the regular payment after the buydown period.

09/16/2026

🏡 ZERO DOWN. ZERO STRESS. MORE OPPORTUNITY!
Think you need a large down payment to buy a home? You may have more options than you realize.
I have a down payment assistance program available with FHA & USDA financing that can help qualified buyers finance up to 100% of the purchase price.
Some highlights:
🔑 No first-time homebuyer requirement
💰 No income restrictions on FHA loans
🏠 No minimum investment requirement
📚 No mandatory homebuyer education course
📉 First mortgage buydowns are allowed
💵 Assistance options of 3.5% or even 5% depending on the program and qualification.
BUYERS: If the down payment has been the thing holding you back, let's talk. You may be closer to homeownership than you think.
REALTORS: This could be another tool to help turn a renter or hesitant buyer into a homeowner. If you have clients struggling with the upfront cash needed to purchase, send them my way and I'll run the numbers.
📲Mark DeVita | Mortgage Branch Manager
NMLS #69892
704-996-2079
LoansWithMarkDeVita.com
More Buyers. More Opportunities. More Homeowners. 🏡
Program qualifications, credit requirements and restrictions apply. Not all borrowers will qualify.

09/14/2026

🎉 Please join us in welcoming Alan Morimoto to the Cornerstone Home Lending family as a Loan Officer serving the Pacific Northwest and California! 🚀

Alan brings a wealth of experience, a passion for helping families achieve homeownership, and a commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of his clients.

A few fun facts about Alan: 🎣 He loves fishing and could talk about it for hours. 🥋 He holds a second-degree black belt in Kyokushin Karate. 🏕️ His hobbies include camping, boating, skiing, and martial arts. 📚 His favorite book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. 🌺 Although raised in Northern California, he considers Hawaii home. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 He is married and has three grown children.

We're excited to have Alan on the team and look forward to seeing the impact he'll make for homebuyers and referral partners throughout the region.

Please help us give Alan a warm welcome! 👏

09/10/2026

📈 Mortgage Market Update — Rates Are Feeling the Pressure

The 10-Year Treasury has broken into a higher range, and that means continued pressure on mortgage rates. With inflation concerns, oil prices, Iran tensions, and tomorrow’s CPI report all in play, this is not a market where I’d be aggressively floating rates.

🔒 Current bias: LOCK — 80/20

But here’s what I want buyers and Realtors to remember: a higher-rate environment doesn’t mean you stop buying homes. It means you need a better strategy.

Seller-paid buydowns, closing-cost strategies, and structuring the financing correctly can make a BIG difference.

🏡 Realtors: If you have a buyer sitting on the sidelines because of rates, send them my way. I’ll run the numbers and show them their options.

Mark DeVita | “Dr. Mortgage”
Mortgage Branch Manager
Cornerstone Home Lending | NMLS #69892

08/26/2026

👀 Still Waiting for a Breakout…

The 10-year Treasury continues to hang right in the middle of its recent range, currently around 4.65%.

This morning’s inflation and consumer data didn’t give the bond market much reason to move, so attention now turns to Jackson Hole and what Fed Chair Kevin Warsh has to say.

📉 Below 4.60% could open the door for some mortgage rate improvement.
📈 Above 4.75% could bring additional pressure.

For now, we’re staying patient, watching the numbers, and waiting to see which direction the market finally breaks.

As always, if you have buyers wondering what all of this means for mortgage rates and their purchasing power, I’m happy to help.

Mark DeVita | Mortgage Branch Manager
Cornerstone Home Lending
NMLS #69892

08/21/2026

🎵 Stuck in the Middle With You 🎵

That’s pretty much where the bond market is right now.

The 10-Year Treasury is sitting at 4.716%, near the upper end of our current 4.60%–4.75% range, but we still don’t have enough momentum in either direction to establish a real trend.

Thin summer trading, mixed economic data, inflation concerns, oil, geopolitics and uncertainty about the Fed are all keeping the market stuck in neutral.

Lock/Float: Neutral with a slight bias toward locking. If you have some time, floating may be worth the risk, but I’d view any meaningful improvement as an opportunity to lock.

Sometimes the best move is simply not getting too greedy when the market isn’t giving us a clear direction.

08/19/2026

After 33 years in the mortgage business, I know how important it is to have the right company, the right support, and the right people around you.

I’m excited to be building our team at Cornerstone Home Lending in Charlotte, and I’m looking to connect with experienced Loan Officers who are ready for their next chapter.

If you’re looking for strong operational and marketing support, competitive products, a great culture, and an opportunity to grow your business, I’d love to have a confidential conversation.

No pressure. No sales pitch. Just a conversation about where you are, where you want to go, and whether Cornerstone might be the right fit.

📩 Message me directly to learn more.

Mark DeVita
Mortgage Branch Manager
Cornerstone Home Lending
NMLS #69892
Equal Housing Lender

08/14/2026

Friday, August 14, 2026 — Week in Review & Week Ahead

This morning gave the bond market two more reasons to believe the economy may be losing some momentum. July retail sales fell 0.6% versus expectations for a 0.1% increase, while the important control group fell 0.4%. Then University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment came in at just 51.0 versus 54.5 expected and 55.2 last month. That is a significant deterioration in consumer attitudes and reinforces the message from retail sales that the consumer may be becoming more cautious.

Taken together, let’s score this week as positive for bonds and somewhat positive for mortgage rates. CPI was relatively cooperative at 0.1% month over month and 3.4% year over year, PPI was softer at the headline level, and we finished the week with weaker retail sales and consumer sentiment. The 10-year continues to tread water, trading around 4.66%, but importantly, we still haven't convincingly broken our 4.60% floor.

Next week shifts the focus from inflation toward housing, growth and the Fed. Tuesday brings housing starts, building permits, industrial production and pending home sales, while Wednesday's FOMC minutes should give us a better look at the debate inside the Fed. The question will be whether the Fed views this week's softer inflation and consumer data as the beginning of a trend or simply another set of numbers in an economy that remains resilient.

Lock/Float Recommendation

Bias: Cautiously Float. With the 10-year around 4.66%, but slowly trending towards our 4.60% resistance/support level to give floating a little more room. The economic data are increasingly leaning in our favor, and today's weak retail sales and consumer sentiment strengthen the case for lower yields. However, 4.60% remains the line in the sand. If we can break through 4.60% and hold below it, I would become more aggressive about floating because that could open the door to another leg lower in yields and better mortgage pricing.

If the 10-year rejects 4.60% and starts moving back toward 4.67%–4.70%, I would use that as the signal to lock rather than give back this week's improvement.

My Conclusion: Float cautiously while we're testing 4.60%, but don't confuse a test with a breakout. Let the bond market prove it can get through the floor before getting too aggressive.