Shachi Bhardwaj - NMLS #200704 - BankSouth Mortgage

10/30/2026

Georgia Real Estate Agents: Learn. Connect. Explore! 🏡

Looking to check off your License Law CE requirement while making valuable industry connections? We've got an opportunity for you!

Join Empire Homes and BankSouth Mortgage for a two-hour License Law Continuing Education class designed with busy real estate professionals in mind.

Refresh your knowledge, connect with fellow agents, enjoy a midday lunch break, and get an inside look at an Empire Communities model home!

📅 Wednesday, November 4, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM
📍 100 Pinecone Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30022

BankSouth Mortgage's Brian Williams and Shachi Bhardwaj, along with Austin Duriez of Empire Homes, look forward to connecting with you!

No need to wait to make plans! Reserve your spot here: https://bit.ly/4A2a7bW

We look forward to seeing you there!



Equal Housing Lender. This is an advertisement. Intended for real estate professionals.

10/27/2026

A little Halloween fun is coming to Johns Creek! 🎃 Empire Homes Georgia is hosting a Halloween Open House on Friday, October 30th, from 5–7 PM at the Hayden model.

BankSouth Mortgage is proud to sponsor the event. Stop by and join the fun!

10/26/2026

Empire Homes Georgia is celebrating the Grand Opening of Tableau at Medley in Johns Creek on Thursday, October 29th.

BankSouth Mortgage is proud to sponsor this special occasion. Come tour the model homes and enjoy the festivities from 10 AM to 6 PM!

09/23/2026

Appraisal changes are coming. Are you ready?

The transition to UAD 3.6 will bring some important changes to the appraisal process—and real estate professionals should know what to expect before those changes start showing up in their transactions.

Join us Thursday, September 24 at 10:00 AM for a conversation about:
• What’s changing with appraisals
• Why UAD 3.6 matters
• What it could mean for your buyers, sellers and transactions
• How to better prepare your clients for the appraisal process

We’ll have a great panel of industry experts from BankSouth Mortgage and MVS sharing their insights and answering your questions.

📅 Thursday, September 24
⏰ 10:00 AM
Be informed. Be prepared. Know what to expect.

https://trst.in/SZN2kD

09/18/2026

The Fed changed rates this week. But does that mean mortgage rates changed too?
Not necessarily.

This week’s Weekly Update explains what the Fed actually controls—and why mortgage rates don’t always follow.

What the Fed does matters. But what the market expected matters too.

Every few weeks, you’ll hear something on the news like: “The Fed meets this week.” And suddenly everyone is talking about interest rates. But have you ever wondered what actually happens at those meetings? Who is making the decisions? What rate are they changing? And does that mean mortgage r...

09/15/2026

Notes like this mean more than my clients probably realize.

For me, being a loan officer has never been just about the numbers or getting to the closing table. It’s about being available, answering the questions, working through the challenges, and helping people feel supported along the way.

Thank you for your incredibly kind words and for trusting me. It was truly a pleasure working with you both, and I’m grateful our paths crossed.

09/11/2026

“I just received my property tax bill. I thought this was included in my mortgage payment. Do I need to pay it?”

I get this question every year—especially from first-time homeowners.

If your property taxes are escrowed, don’t panic. Your mortgage servicer is responsible for paying the bill from your escrow account.

But particularly during your first year in the home, don’t assume your servicer received a copy just because you did.

Give them a quick call, ask for the escrow department, and confirm they have the bill scheduled for payment. If they don’t, ask where to send them a copy.

A five-minute phone call can give you a lot of peace of mind.

09/04/2026

“We can put 20% down.” My next question is often: “But should you?”

Putting more money down can lower your payment and, on a conventional loan, 20% down generally means avoiding private mortgage insurance.

But there’s another number I think is just as important: How much money will you have left after closing?

After all, there are moving expenses, furniture, repairs, family obligations—and inevitably something you didn’t plan for.

Sometimes the better financial decision isn’t making the biggest possible down payment. Sometimes it’s keeping a little more breathing room.

Your down payment gets you into the house. Your savings help you sleep at night once you’re there.

When I talk with buyers about how much they want to put down on a home, I sometimes hear: “We can put 20% down.” My next question is often: “But should you?” There are certainly advantages to putting more money down. You borrow less, your monthly payment is lower, and on a conventional loan,...

08/28/2026

“There are cash offers on the table.”

For the past several years, those words have made many financed buyers feel like they didn’t stand a chance. But today’s market is changing.

Cash still has advantages, but sellers are also looking for something else: certainty that the transaction will actually close.

That’s where pre-contract underwriting can help—having much of your income, assets, credit and qualifying documentation reviewed by an underwriter before you find the home.

It doesn’t turn your mortgage into cash. But it can give the seller greater confidence in your ability to close the deal.

So if you hear there’s a cash offer on the table, don’t count yourself out.

For the past several years, many homebuyers have heard the same discouraging words: “There are cash offers on the table.” And if you needed a mortgage, it was easy to assume you didn’t stand a chance. But something interesting is happening in the housing market. According to new data reported ...

08/21/2026

“What’s your rate?”

It’s usually one of the first questions homebuyers ask me—and it’s a perfectly reasonable one.

But there isn’t just one mortgage rate.

Your credit score, down payment, loan program, property type, and whether you’re paying points can all affect the rate and the overall cost.

And that 2.75% rate your friend got in 2021? 😊 Great for them—but not a useful comparison for someone buying a home today.

When shopping for a mortgage, absolutely compare rates. Just make sure you’re comparing the entire loan—not just one number.

Almost every conversation I have with a prospective homebuyer usually starts with the same question: “What’s your rate?” And it’s a perfectly reasonable question. If you’re borrowing hundreds of thousands of dollars, of course you want to know what it’s going to cost you. But before I an...