Cheree, the Money Lady

10/27/2026

Buyers are in a great position right now to get a great home at the monthly payment you want.

10/26/2026

The best way to go far is with a group of like minded people.

10/24/2026

10/22/2026

Need money for your business, to hire new people, to replenish savings, or for those much-needed repairs? Business owners can get HELOC based on income coming into their business bank accounts. DM me for more info.

10/22/2026

Here’s your post:

Want to buy a home but the monthly payment is making you nervous? 😬 Let’s talk about a strategy that can help.

It’s called a **temporary rate buydown**, and here’s a quick example I ran.

🏡 $500,000 home with 5% down
📈 Note rate: 7.5%

With a 2-1 temporary buydown:
✅ **Year 1:** Your payment is figured at 5.5%, which saves about **$624 a month**
✅ **Year 2:** Your payment is figured at 6.5%, which saves about **$319 a month**
✅ **Year 3 and beyond:** Your payment goes back to the full 7.5% rate

And here’s the best part. 👀 The seller can pay for the buydown through a seller credit, so the savings don’t have to come out of your pocket.

Before year three, the goal is to see if a refinance into a lower rate makes sense for you, if rates and your situation allow it.

Buydowns can be temporary, like this one, or permanent for the life of the loan. The right choice depends on your goals.

💬 Want to see what this could look like for you? DM me or call 571-583-4600 and let’s talk.

HarfordCounty BaltimoreCounty MarylandRealEstate MarylandHomeBuyers MortgageTips BuyersMarket

*Example is for illustration only and shows principal and interest only. It does not include taxes, insurance, or mortgage insurance. Rates and payments are hypothetical and not a quote or offer. A refinance is not guaranteed and depends on future rates and borrower qualification. Seller credits are subject to negotiation and program limits.*

NMLS 2493922 | Licensed with Envoy Mortgage, Ltd. NMLS 6666 | Equal Housing Lender

10/20/2026

Ever wanted to buy a mixed-use building but weren’t sure how to finance it? 🏢🏡

Picture this: commercial space on the bottom floor and two apartments upstairs. That’s a lot of options in one building.

Here are a few ways to use it:
🔑 Run your own business downstairs, live in one apartment, and rent out the other
🔑 Live upstairs, rent the commercial space to a business, and rent out the other unit
🔑 Buy it as a pure investment property

This one used to be a salon, but you could run a restaurant, a tax office, a studio, you name it. And if you love working close to where you lay your head like I do, you’d just walk downstairs. ☕

So how do you finance it?

To get residential financing, the property generally needs to qualify as residential. One of the big factors is square footage. When the living space is larger than the commercial space, I have lenders we can work with.

From there, it depends on your situation:
💼 W-2 earner with enough qualifying income? We may be able to go conventional
📊 Business owner, or you write off a lot on your taxes? We can look at 12 months of bank statements instead of your tax returns

A few general guidelines:
✅ Credit around 660 or higher is usually the safe zone (sometimes a little lower can work)
✅ Down payment can range from 5% to 20%, depending on the loan program
✅ Buying as a pure investment? Plan on about 20% down

Bonus: you may also be able to close in a trust, which can help keep your name more private if that matters to you.

💬 Thinking about a mixed-use property? DM me or call 571-583-4600 to set up a loan consultation and let’s talk through your options.

BaltimoreCounty MarylandRealEstate BusinessOwners SelfEmployed BankStatementLoan HouseHacking RealEstateInvesting InvestmentProperty LiveWorkSpace

NMLS 2493922 | Licensed with Envoy Mortgage, Ltd. NMLS 6666 | Equal Housing Lender. Credit, down payment, and program eligibility vary by borrower, property, and loan program. Not a commitment to lend.

10/20/2026

Warren Buffett said to be greedy when others are fearful and fearful when others are greedy. 👀

Right now? We’re in the fearful season.

Here’s what I’m seeing:
🏡 More homes are sitting on the market
🤝 Buyers who are putting in offers are getting better deals
📉 I talked with realtors in several markets today, and their listings are selling for a little less than expected, or getting just one offer, and sellers are taking it

So if you’ve been wanting to buy, whether that’s a primary home you plan to house hack or an investment property, this could be your window.

And if the monthly payment is what’s holding you back, there are ways to work on that. One option is a rate buydown, which means paying upfront to lower your interest rate, either temporarily for the first few years or permanently for the life of the loan. There are strategies all around it, and we can walk through which one makes sense for you.

Here’s my homework for you. Grab a pen and write a short bullet list that finishes this sentence:

“If this specific deal came across my desk, I would jump on it.”

Because real estate is cyclical. If you were around in 2007 through 2010, you saw the valley. We all saw the peak in 2021 through 2024. Valleys and peaks. That’s it.

The people who build wealth are the ones who know what they want before the opportunity shows up.

💬 So tell me, what’s on your list? DM me and let’s talk about what a “can’t pass it up” deal looks like for you.

BaltimoreCountyMD MarylandRealEstate MarylandHomeBuyers HouseHacking RealEstateInvesting InvestmentProperty BelAirMD TowsonMD MortgageTips BuyersMarket

NMLS 2493922 | Licensed with Envoy Mortgage, Ltd. NMLS 6666 | Equal Housing Lender

10/15/2026

Had a conversation today that I can't stop thinking about. 👇

A client told me she wants to wait until next year to buy because she's hoping rates come down.

I hear that a lot, and I get it. But here's what I told her, because she thinks like an investor:

Savvy investors make money no matter what rates are doing. They don't wait for the "perfect" market. They look for the right deal.

So instead of waiting, here's the game plan I gave her:

✅ Write down 5 to 6 bullets of exactly what you want: the type of property, the area, the number of units, and the monthly payment you're comfortable with
✅ Send that list to every realtor you know, and let them know you're already preapproved
✅ Let the deals come to you

Here's why this matters right now. In a lot of places, there are more homes for sale than there are buyers. That puts a prepared buyer in a strong position to negotiate seller credits, which is money the seller puts toward your purchase.

That seller credit can be used to:
💰 Buy down your rate temporarily, so your payment is lower for the first year or two
💰 Buy down your rate permanently, for the life of the loan
💰 Cover closing costs, so you get in with less money out of pocket

Now think about what happens when rates do drop. Everybody who's been sitting on the sidelines jumps back in at the same time. More buyers means more competition, higher prices, and less room to negotiate.

The buyer who moves strategically now may get a better overall deal than the one who waits for a lower rate. And if rates fall later, refinancing is always an option to explore.

Bottom line: Don't wait to buy real estate. Get clear, get preapproved, and get your list in front of the right people.

If you're a business owner or investor in Harford County or Baltimore County and want help building your game plan, text READY to 703-260-9674 to book a loan consultation with me.

Cheree the Money Lady 💚

NMLS # 2493922 | Licensed with Envoy Mortgage, Ltd. NMLS #6666 | Equal Housing Lender. Seller credits and buydown options are subject to negotiation, loan program guidelines, and qualification. Refinancing is not guaranteed and depends on future market conditions and qualification.

10/15/2026

Should you buy in today’s high interest rate market? Here’s what I think…

10/14/2026

Another great networking event today.