Stephen R. Harless, Mortgage Lender - First Federal Community Bank

10/13/2026

10/06/2026

Backward hat. Straight answers.

Your lender and Realtor should be more interested in educating you than influencing you.

“Marry the house, date the rate.”
“Rates were higher in the ’80s.”

Neither of those tells me whether YOU can comfortably afford the home.

A future refinance isn’t a financial plan. And what someone paid in 1985 doesn’t tell us what works for your household today.

Before encouraging you to buy, we should be talking about your full payment, cash to close, taxes, insurance, maintenance, repairs, and the money you’ll have left to actually live your life.

We should explain your options and the tradeoffs. Give you room to ask questions. And be willing to say, “Let’s build a plan before you move forward.”

If your lender and Realtor are handing you slogans without analyzing your situation or explaining the costs of homeownership, you might be working with the wrong “professionals.”

You deserve enough information to make your own decision—and a team that respects it.

Stephen Harless | First Federal Community Bank
NMLS #197171

09/13/2026

Not sure which mortgage option or appointment is right for you? Start here and schedule the conversation that best fits your needs.

I help homebuyers, homeowners, and investors understand their financing options before making a major decision. As a local community-bank lender with access to additional correspondent lending options, I can help with:

• Buying or building a home
• Refinancing or accessing home equity
• Bridge and renovation financing
• Investment-property financing
• General mortgage questions

Choose the conversation that best fits your needs and schedule a time here:

https://calendly.com/stephen-harless

There is no pressure to apply. The first step is simply understanding your options.

Stephen Harless
First Federal Community Bank
440-364-0323

08/14/2026

Just had the chance to watch Courtney present, and WOW.

When you're teaching something valuable, people pay attention. When you're passionate about helping others, people engage.

The screenshot says it all. ❤️

Courtney absolutely crushed today's presentation, and I couldn't be more grateful for the shout-out as a resource. It's a privilege to work alongside professionals who truly care about educating and serving others.

Great job, Courtney!

05/22/2026

✅ Friday Quick Tip: Don’t Skip the Sewer Scope

A standard home inspection is important — but it doesn’t show what’s happening underground.

👉 Always add a sewer line camera inspection (aka a sewer scope)

No matter:

-The age of the home
-Whether there are trees in the yard (root intrusion is common)
-Even if the seller says they’ve “never had issues”

Why this matters:

A sewer scope typically costs a few hundred dollars, but it can uncover:

---Root intrusion
---Collapsed or cracked lines
---Blockages or improper connections

💸 Sewer line backups and repairs can cost thousands — even tens of thousands.

This small upfront step can help you avoid a major surprise after closing.

Bottom line:
It’s one of the cheapest inspections you can add — and one of the most valuable.

05/21/2026

📊 A HOME'S LIST PRICE IS NOT ALWAYS IT'S VALUE...

It's simply an indication to the seller's strategy!

Not every home is priced the same way — and understanding the seller’s strategy can save buyers time, money, and frustration.

What we’re seeing in today’s market:

⬇️ Price Low Strategy
Some sellers intentionally price below market value to:

Create urgency
Attract more showings
Spark multiple offers
Drive the price up through competition

➡️ If a home is priced low, buyers often need to be prepared to offer more than list to win.

⬆️ Price High Strategy

Other sellers price high to:

“Test the market”
Leave room to negotiate

➡️ These homes may sit longer, giving buyers the opportunity to:

Offer at list price
Or potentially below asking, depending on demand and condition

🛡️ How Buyers Defend Themselves
The biggest mistake buyers make is using the same strategy for every house.

✅ The strongest buyers:

Work with a lender willing to run numbers before the showing, so they know their real comfort zone

Work with a realtor who studies comparables upfront to identify the seller’s pricing strategy

Why this matters:

If you assume every house requires over‑asking, you may overpay or stretch too far
If you assume every house can be negotiated down, you may lose good homes and burn out

📌 Smart offers are strategic — not emotional.

🧠 Bottom Line
Every home requires a different approach.
The goal isn’t to always win — it’s to win the right house, at the right price, with the right terms.

05/20/2026

Now THAT’S a text I love getting!! 🥹

05/20/2026

🏡 Offer Accepted… Now What?

Once your offer is accepted, the real process begins — and knowing the steps helps everything feel less stressful.

Here’s what happens next:

1️⃣ Loan moves to processing
Your file is reviewed for accuracy and prepared for underwriting.

2️⃣ Appraisal is ordered
An independent appraiser confirms the home’s value for the lender.

3️⃣ Underwriting review
The underwriter verifies income, assets, credit, and guidelines.

4️⃣ Conditional approval
You may be asked for updated documents (this is normal).

5️⃣ Clear to Close ✅
Loan docs are finalized and closing is scheduled.

6️⃣ Closing day 🎉
You sign final loan documents with a notary and officially become a homeowner.

Most delays happen when buyers don’t know what to expect. A smooth closing starts with understanding the process and having a lender who’s planning ahead.

05/19/2026

"Offering an appraisal gap always means you pay more money out of pocket.”

✅ THE TRUTH:
An appraisal gap doesn’t automatically mean more cash to close — it depends on how much you’re putting down.

First, what is an appraisal gap?

When you make an offer on a home, the appraisal gap is the difference between the purchase price and
the appraised value (what the appraiser says the home is worth)

If the appraisal comes in low, the lender bases the loan on the appraised value — not the offer price.

Here’s how the math can work in your favor 👇

💰 Example:

Purchase price: $400,000
Buyer plans: 10% down ($360,000 Loan Amount)
Appraisal comes in at: $379,000

$360,000 / $379,000 = 94.99% Financed

If the buyer can be approved at 95% financing, the loan can simply be structured off the lower appraised value instead of requiring extra cash.

✅ Result:

No increase to cash to close
Buyer can still move forward
Buyer effectively offered a $21,000+ appraisal gap in their offer

📌 The trade‑off?
Financing a higher percentage may slightly increase monthly PMI, but it typically does NOT increase the interest rate.

Why this matters in competitive markets 🏡
Understanding how appraisal gaps really work can:

Make your offer stronger
Reduce unnecessary fear around “low appraisals”
Help you compete without draining savings

Bottom line:

Appraisal gaps aren’t one‑size‑fits‑all. With the right strategy, the math can absolutely work in a buyer’s favor.

MYTH BUSTED!

05/18/2026

“What do closing costs actually include?”

Short answer: they’re the fees required to finalize a home purchase or refinance—beyond the down payment.

Closing costs typically include:

Lender Fees
-Loan origination
-Processing and/or underwriting
-Admin Fees

Third‑Party Services
-Appraisal
-Credit report
- Title search & title insurance
- County Recording Fees

Prepaid Items (not really fees, but money collected upfront)
-Homeowners insurance
-Property taxes
-Prepaid interest (from closing date to month‑end)

💡 The big takeaway:

Closing costs vary by loan type, interest rate, transaction size, credit rating and other factors. Talking to a lender EARLY gives you time to figure out what you can expect once you start the process.