Theresa Jones, Mortgage Lender NMLS #785569

11/03/2026

"Just offset the house with retirement" sounds clean at the settlement table.

The Divorce Lending Association's November issue of Divorce Mortgage Insights takes a closer look. In its illustrative example, the spouse keeping the house gives up $100,000 of their share of a retirement account to keep a 3 percent mortgage. Left to grow at 6 percent for 20 years, that $100,000 could be about $320,000.

The article makes a second point that often gets missed: a dollar in a pre-tax retirement account is not the same as a dollar of home equity. How much they differ is a question for the case's tax professional, but it belongs in the conversation before the offset is agreed.

That's not an argument against the offset. Selling and refinancing carry their own costs, and the article compares all three side by side. The point is that each path should be priced before one is chosen.

As a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®), I work alongside attorneys, mediators, and financial professionals on exactly this kind of comparison.

Read the full article here: https://divorcebriefings.com/4BFYwB7

11/02/2026

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧'𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗘𝗧? 𝗜𝗧 𝗠𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗕𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬.

Not every home sells right away, and that can actually work in your favor as a buyer.
When a home has been on the market for a while, the seller may be more willing to negotiate. That could mean a lower purchase price, help with closing costs, or even a temporary mortgage rate buydown to reduce your initial monthly payments.

The right financing strategy can make a big difference in what you pay upfront and over time.
Before you pass on a home that's been sitting on the market, let's take a look at the numbers. You might be surprised at what's possible.

https://bit.ly/4sWplND

11/02/2026

Check back with me every week to see what's affect the real estate and lending world right now.

A weekly email detailing the weeks mortgage, real estate and business news.

10/31/2026

Approvable, sustainable, and affordable are three different questions — and a settlement that only answers the first one often produces a client back in court 18 months later.

This piece explains how one structured report evaluates all three before the decree, and how it's designed to be used by the attorney, the mediator, and the financial neutral on the same case.

If you've ever watched a housing term unravel post-decree, this will resonate: https://bit.ly/49cE665

10/31/2026

Not saying that any of my friends did/did not do any of tour, it just raises questions for all of my friends and their friends of friends to consider the nuances:

You didn't lose the argument. It was never meant to be won.

You bring up one thing — the missed pickup, the lie, the broken promise. And suddenly you're defending your tone, something you said three years ago, and your entire character. He changes the subject. He drags in an old mistake. He attacks how you said it instead of what he did.

That's word salad. A flood of words designed to do one job: exhaust you until you say "Fine. Whatever." — and he walks away looking calm while you feel crazy.

Here's the truth that sets you free: when an argument leaves you confused, blamed, and apologizing for bringing it up at all, that wasn't a conversation. That was the tactic working.

⚖️ And in divorce, this is why you stop arguing in messages. One calm line, about the kids or the plan, in writing. No defending, no explaining, no 10-paragraph reply. A judge reads the record — and the record shows who stayed factual and who spun in circles.

Save this for the next time he turns one question into a three-hour argument.

10/31/2026

I'm not saying, just repeating myself because it's important

If your divorce involves the marital home, the decisions made today must be based on lending facts—not assumptions.
Many settlements outline terms that sound workable but cannot be completed under actual mortgage guidelines. This can prevent you from keeping the home, refinancing, or qualifying for a new property.

As a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®), I help you understand:
✔️ Whether you can qualify to keep or refinance the home
✔️ How support or employment income must be structured
✔️ How debt division affects your mortgage approval
✔️ Whether a buyout is realistically affordable
✔️ What timelines lenders require for refinancing
✔️ What title changes lenders will and won’t allow

Your settlement should support your long-term housing goals—not limit them.
If you’re unsure what’s financially possible or what housing options you should consider, I’m here to help you make informed decisions.

10/29/2026

If your divorce involves the marital home, the decisions made today must be based on lending facts—not assumptions.
Many settlements outline terms that sound workable but cannot be completed under actual mortgage guidelines. This can prevent you from keeping the home, refinancing, or qualifying for a new property.

As a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®), I help you understand:
✔️ Whether you can qualify to keep or refinance the home
✔️ How support or employment income must be structured
✔️ How debt division affects your mortgage approval
✔️ Whether a buyout is realistically affordable
✔️ What timelines lenders require for refinancing
✔️ What title changes lenders will and won’t allow

Your settlement should support your long-term housing goals—not limit them.
If you’re unsure what’s financially possible or what housing options you should consider, I’m here to help you make informed decisions.

10/27/2026

The house is on the table in almost every divorce. Who keeps it, how the buyout is structured, and whether the loan can be refinanced. Attorneys, mediators, and financial neutrals each bring something essential to those decisions.

Is your divorce team complete?

As a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®), I practice Divorce Mortgage Planning as an integral member of the professional divorce team. My role is to help test whether the housing plan being negotiated is one the parties can actually carry out.

I’m not there to replace anyone at the table. I’m there to work alongside you, so the decisions about the house are built on a clear understanding of what is financially feasible.

If you work with divorcing clients, I’d welcome a conversation about how we can work together.

10/24/2026

If you're thinking about divorce — or already in one — here's a question most people don't think to ask early enough:

*Can I actually afford to keep the house on my own?*

Not "do I want to keep it." Not "can we negotiate that I get it." But, when the dust settles and I'm the only name on the mortgage — will the math actually work?

There's no shame in not knowing the answer. Most people don't, because mortgage qualification after divorce involves things you've never had to think about:

How long you've been receiving support payments. How a buyout affects your equity position. What debts get reassigned to you. What your income looks like *on paper* to a lender after the marriage ends.

A Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®) is specifically trained to walk you through all of it — in four phases, starting with a Discovery conversation that costs you nothing but might save you a lot of heartache later.

If you want clarity before you sign anything, reach out. It's what I'm here for.