Jeff Verry Senior Mortgage Banker

10/05/2026

You can have a GREAT mortgage on a house that no longer fits your life.

Maybe you need more space. Maybe you need less. Maybe the commute is wearing you out, you want to be closer to family, or you're simply ready for a different chapter.

And sitting right in the middle of that decision may be an interest rate you don't want to give up. That's worth something. A LOT, actually.

But so is your time. So is being close to family. So is having the space you need - or less house to take care of.

There isn't one right answer.

Just don't get so focused on protecting a great mortgage that you forget to ask whether the HOME attached to it still fits the life you want to live.

Educational only. Not financial advice.

Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, L.L.C. NMLS #72043 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is an Equal Housing Lender.

09/16/2026

The Fed raised rates today, and I know that sounds like bad news at first.

But here is the part that matters for mortgage rates: the mortgage market does not move only because the Fed raises or lowers its short-term rate. Mortgage rates are more closely tied to the bond market, inflation expectations, and what investors believe may happen next.

So far, the mortgage market appears to be taking this news better than many people might expect.

Why?

Because a rate hike can sometimes be viewed as a sign that the Fed is serious about fighting inflation. And when the market believes inflation may be better controlled over time, that can actually help longer-term rates, including mortgage rates.

That does not mean mortgage rates are guaranteed to drop. They are not. And one Fed meeting does not decide the whole market.

But it does mean today’s headline is not as simple as “Fed hikes rates, mortgage rates go up.”

In this case, at least so far, the early mortgage market reaction has been more positive than the headline might make people think.

The big takeaway: do not make homebuying decisions based on headlines alone. The details matter, the market reaction matters, and your actual numbers matter most.

Educational only. Not financial advice.

Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, L.L.C. NMLS #72043 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is an Equal Housing Lender.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved its first interest rate hike since 2023 and indicated another to come.

09/11/2026

"What are you waiting for?"

I think that's one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves when we're putting off a big decision.

Not because waiting is bad. Sometimes waiting is absolutely the smartest decision you can make.

But there's a big difference between waiting because you have a plan and waiting because you're hoping something outside of your control eventually changes.

None of us knows exactly where home prices or mortgage rates will be six months or a year from now. I certainly don't.

What we CAN know is what the numbers look like today.

And once you know that, you can make an educated decision. Move forward. Wait six months. Save more money. Pay something off. Change the price range. Create a plan for next year.

You don't need to predict the future.

You just need enough information to make a good decision about yours.

Educational only. Not financial advice.

Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, L.L.C. NMLS #72043 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is an Equal Housing Lender.

09/10/2026

PSA: You can check your credit reports for FREE.

Did you know you can currently get a free credit report from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion every week?

Go to AnnualCreditReport.com, the federally authorized website for free credit reports, and you can review one, two, or all three of your reports.

Why does this matter? Your credit report contains the information lenders may use when you apply for a mortgage, car loan, credit card, and other types of credit. Reviewing it gives you a chance to spot errors, accounts you don't recognize, or information that may need to be corrected.

And here's another important piece: checking your own credit report does NOT hurt your credit score.

If buying a home might be somewhere in your future, I would much rather you know what's on your credit report before you need it than discover a surprise when you're ready to make an offer.

Knowledge gives you options.

Get your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com

Educational only. Not financial advice. Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, L.L.C. NMLS #72043 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is an Equal Housing Lender.

09/09/2026

You don't live in an interest rate. You live in a home.

You live in the kitchen where everyone somehow ends up talking at the end of the day. You live in the backyard where the dog runs around. You live in the neighborhood where your kids make friends. You live close to work, close to family, or close to the life you want to build.

Does the interest rate matter? Absolutely. So does the payment. So does the price of the home. The numbers HAVE to make sense.

But the numbers are only part of the decision.

Sometimes the right decision is to wait. Sometimes the right decision is to move forward. The important thing is making that decision based on YOUR life and YOUR numbers - not simply what you heard about interest rates on the news.

Maybe the better question isn't, "What's today's rate?"

Maybe it's, "What am I trying to accomplish with my life, and can we make the numbers work?"

That's a conversation worth having.

08/31/2026

Most loan officers are standing at the top of the mountain, waiting for someone to raise their hand and say, “I’m ready to buy a house. I need a mortgage.” And yes, we absolutely want to help that person. But there is a much bigger group of people still somewhere on the trail.

They’re wondering if they could ever afford a home. They assume they need 20% down. Their credit may need some work. They want to buy someday, but they have no idea where to begin. Or they’re simply overwhelmed by everything they hear about rates, prices, down payments, credit scores, and monthly payments.

That is where I believe a great mortgage professional should be. We shouldn’t just stand at the finish line waiting for people who already know they need us. We should be willing to walk down the mountain, meet people where they are, answer questions before they’re ready to apply, and help them understand what their path could look like without pressuring them to take the next step before they’re ready.

Sometimes the greatest value we provide isn’t getting someone a mortgage today. It’s helping someone move from “I wonder if I could…” to “Now I know what I need to do.” Serve first. The business has a funny way of following.

07/11/2026

Home Inspection vs. Appraisal

One misconception I hear is that a home inspection and an appraisal are the same thing.

They're not.

A Home Inspection answers the question: "What's the condition of the home?"

An inspector looks for things like structural concerns, roofing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and other items that could affect the home's safety or require future repairs.

An Appraisal answers a different question: "Is the home worth what you're paying?"

The appraiser evaluates the home's market value using recent comparable sales, market conditions, and the property's overall characteristics.

Both are important, but they serve very different purposes.

A home inspection helps protect you.

An appraisal helps protect both you and your lender.

Understanding the difference can make the home buying process a little less confusing.

Educational only. Not financial advice.

Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, L.L.C. NMLS #72043 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is an Equal Housing Lender.

07/03/2026

Happy 250th America! Best wishes on a safe and happy 4th of July!

05/30/2026

The “20% rule” is, in fact, not a rule.

It’s a myth that’s kept a lot of people renting longer than they needed to.

Find out what your actual number looks like by messaging me.

NMLS # 115209

04/03/2026

There’s a group of people no one is really talking to right now…

Not because they don’t want to buy a home.
But because they think they’re not ready.

They say things like:
• “I need to save more”
• “My credit probably isn’t good enough”
• “I’ll wait until rates drop”

And on the surface, that sounds responsible.

But after 20+ years in this business, I can tell you this:

👉 A lot of people are a lot closer than they think.

The biggest gap I see is not money.
It’s not credit.
It’s clarity.

Most people aren’t stuck…
they just haven’t had the right conversation yet.

If you’ve ever wondered where you stand, let’s find out.

No pressure. Just clarity. 🏡

Educational only. Not financial advice.

Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, L.L.C. NMLS #72043 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is an Equal Housing Lender.