Caleb Patton at Broker Brothers Mortgage

04/10/2026

Coming to you from my car today because that is the kind of Friday it is and I just had to share this.

A huge thank you and congratulations to my incredible team over at Broker Brothers. Today we personally closed nine deals in a single day, which is a personal record for me and honestly I am just sitting here feeling incredibly humbled by it.

Nobody does something like this alone. Not even close. It takes an extraordinary group of people working together with the same level of care and commitment to make something like this happen. I genuinely am nothing without my team and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

And to all of our referral partners out there, thank you. The trust you place in us to serve your clients and the people in your network means everything. Today nine families are getting into homes and that only happened because of the relationships we have built together.

Here is to the team, the partners, and the nine families who are getting keys today.

04/08/2026

We have been having a great time with Vinny in the office lately, even when he is not out on the weekends playing banana ball!When he is here though, he is locked in and ready to help. If you have questions about buying a home, refinancing, or anything mortgage related, Vinny is here and ready to take your call. Give us a ring and let's get you taken care of.

Vinny Santarsiero at Broker Brothers Mortgage

04/07/2026

If you’ve been renting and wondering what it’s actually costing you, this is worth your time.

Let’s say your rent is $2,500 a month. Over the next five years, that’s $150,000 going straight to your landlord with zero return. Now imagine buying a $400,000 home today. Your monthly payment might be similar—or even a little higher—but here’s the difference: each payment builds equity that YOU own.

On top of that, homes historically appreciate 3–5% per year. That $400,000 home could be worth $460,000 or more in just five years. That means you could build over $100,000 in wealth through equity and appreciation, while renting builds exactly zero.

And don’t forget: rent almost always rises each year, but a fixed-rate mortgage keeps your payments the same for 30 years. Owning gets more affordable over time, while renting only gets more expensive.

The best time to stop paying someone else’s mortgage is when you’re financially ready to start paying your own. Follow me for more tips on building wealth through homeownership.

04/06/2026

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage feels like the finish line, but it is actually the starting line and there are three things buyers do all the time that quietly wreck their approval before they ever get to closing.

Number one is taking on new debt. New credit cards, a car loan, even opening a line of credit to get a discount on shoes. Do not do it. Lenders are monitoring your credit throughout the entire process and any new inquiry or new account will be found. There is no sneaking it under the rug. New debt changes your debt-to-income ratio and can disqualify you instantly.

Number two is making large cash deposits you cannot document. If you sold a car for cash and do not have the paperwork to prove it, that money may not be usable in your transaction. Lenders need to verify where every significant deposit came from and if you cannot source it, you may not be able to use it.

Number three is switching jobs during the process. This one surprises people the most. Lenders verify not just your employment but how you get paid. Moving from W-2 to 1099, even for a significant pay increase, can mean that new income cannot be counted at all because of how mortgage income calculations work. Well-intentioned promotions and career moves have derailed closings more times than most people realize.

This is so common that I send a video to every single person I pre-approve walking them through these situations specifically. If you want to make sure your approval stays intact from start to finish, reach out and let's make sure you are protected throughout the process.

04/03/2026

Mortgage rates have ticked up slightly over the past few weeks and a lot of buyers are now sitting on the sidelines waiting for the Fed meeting on the 28th and 29th to change things. Let me break down what is actually happening and why that strategy may not work the way most people expect.

Here is something most people do not realize. The Fed does not directly control mortgage rates. The Fed sets the federal funds rate, which is what banks charge each other for overnight loans. That affects things like home equity lines of credit and credit cards. But mortgage rates are largely tied to the 10-year Treasury bond, which moves based on inflation expectations, investor confidence, and global events. Those are very different forces.

The Fed's latest projections still show a possible 25 basis point cut at some point this year, but the market is only pricing in about a 14% chance of that happening at this next meeting. Most forecasts are pushing any cut to the second half of the year. And here is the part that really matters: even if the Fed does cut rates, that does not guarantee mortgage rates will actually go down. There have been multiple instances where mortgage rates held steady or even moved higher after a Fed cut.

So what is the right move? Buy when you are genuinely ready. Work with a great loan officer, think through your budget, figure out what monthly payment you can comfortably afford right now, and let that be the deciding factor. Not a Fed meeting date.

If you want to talk through your numbers, reach out and let's figure out what makes sense for your situation.

04/03/2026

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Easter weekend, and this time of year always takes me back to one of my favorite childhood memories.

Every year after church, my brother and I would come home to find the most over the top Easter basket waiting on the kitchen table. And yes, there was always that giant chocolate bunny that was way too much sugar and would take days to work through. But my absolute favorite part of the basket every year was finding a fresh pair of batting gloves tucked inside. Baseball season was right around the corner and that little gift meant everything to me, not just because I loved the game, but because of what came with it. Playing catch with my brother in the backyard, spending time with my dad, soaking in that spring energy when everything feels new and full of possibility.

That is what Easter means to me. The meaning, the depth, the time with the people you love most. And honestly, even the real estate market comes alive this time of year, which I always love.

What is a great Easter memory for you? I would love to hear it in the comments. Happy Easter everyone!

04/01/2026

There is something genuinely unfair happening in real estate right now, and most people have not heard it explained this clearly.

We are in a K-shaped housing market, and the two ends could not be more different. In the middle market, buyers are dealing with high monthly payments, rising living costs, and real affordability pressure. They are negotiating hard for concessions and rate buydowns, and homes are sitting longer because of it. At the top of the market, luxury buyers are largely paying all cash or putting enormous amounts down. Interest rates are simply not part of their equation, and in markets like New York cash transactions have been hitting records. Those properties move fast while regular homes feel stuck, not because of demand but because of who the buyer is and how they are financing.

So what does this mean for you? If you are buying in a normal price range, your superpower is how you structure the deal. Ask for credits, ask for repairs, ask for a rate buydown. Those concessions can meaningfully change what your monthly payment looks like. And if you are selling, you do not get luxury market rules. Your buyer is payment-sensitive, which means the right price and the right presentation matter more than ever.

Comment K-SHAPED below and I will tell you exactly what is working right now to win deals in the regular market.

03/26/2026

The Fed kept rates unchanged again, and while most people hear that and think nothing happened, the real story underneath is actually pretty encouraging for buyers.

This is the second consecutive meeting with no change, and the Fed is still projecting at least one rate cut later this year. The direction is still pointing toward lower rates. They just want more clarity before making their next move. But here is what most people are completely missing while everyone watches the Fed. Affordability has been quietly improving in the background. A new Zillow analysis found that a median income household can now afford a home priced around $331,000, which is over $30,000 more in buying power compared to just a year ago. That is the strongest buying power we have seen since early 2022.

Three things are driving it at the same time: mortgage rates are down from their peak, incomes are rising, and home price growth has flattened. All three are working in favor of buyers right now.

The market does not send you a notification when it is time to move. But the data is telling a clear story. Follow along for more updates on what the Fed and the housing market mean for your homebuying plans.

03/23/2026

Big news from Broker Brothers Mortgage: we are now officially licensed in Texas, and this one is personal.

Before we planted roots in Indiana, my brother and I actually spent our younger years in Texas. Getting licensed there is not just a business milestone, it feels like coming full circle. We are incredibly excited to bring the same level of service we provide across our other states to the people of Texas.

If you know anyone looking to buy or refinance in Texas, we would love to help. Send them our way and we will take great care of them.

03/18/2026

I cannot begin to explain how proud and personally challenged I am by this man's story and resilience. I look forward to seeing Jesse Cano - Broker Brothers Mortgage press that same great character into this new chapter of his career!

🚨Huge News!!🚨

Help us welcome to Broker Brothers Mortgage Jesse Cano - Broker Brothers Mortgage!! Jesse brings and incredible wealth of experience, and bleeds our culture and values. Welcome to the family!!

03/18/2026

A lot of people are asking me right now whether this is actually a good time to buy a home. Here is exactly what I am telling them.

Yes, there is a lot happening at once. Global events are affecting energy prices, inflation data keeps shifting in both directions, and tariff related cost pressure is real. That combination is pushing some buyers and sellers to the sidelines and making everyone a little more cautious. But here is what most people are completely overlooking. The government just passed one of the biggest housing bills in a generation. It is called the ROAD Act and it passed with massive bipartisan support.

It restricts large Wall Street investors from buying up single family homes and streamlines the permitting process so that more homes can actually get built. That is a direct and meaningful win for everyday home buyers. Less competition from institutional money means a more level playing field for you and your family when you are making offers.

On top of that, low inventory continues to keep home values stable, which is excellent news whether you are buying now or already own.

The headlines may sound alarming but the opportunity underneath them is genuinely real. The buyers who move with the right strategy this spring are going to look back and be very glad they did. Reach out and let's talk about what that strategy looks like for your specific situation.

03/18/2026

If you have owned your home for a long time, this is the one conversation happening in Washington right now that could directly determine how much of your profit you actually get to keep when you sell.

The capital gains exclusion on home sales has not been updated since 1997. Single homeowners can currently exclude up to $250,000 in profit tax free and married couples up to $500,000. The problem is that home values have exploded since then, and a large and growing number of long term owners are sitting on equity that pushes well beyond those limits. Many of them want to move but are staring at a significant tax bill and concluding that staying put is simply the more financially sensible choice. Lawmakers are now actively discussing raising that cap and potentially indexing it to inflation, with the explicit goal of encouraging more long term owners to list and bringing much needed supply into constrained markets across the country.

Is it guaranteed to change? No. But is it being discussed seriously and persistently enough that homeowners with significant equity should be paying very close attention right now? Without question yes.

If you are sitting on big equity and thinking about moving in the next one to three years, comment "CAP GAINS" and I will explain the basic rules and the biggest planning mistakes I see sellers make when they wait too long to have this conversation.