Tonja Showalter Armentrout, Mortgage Advisor with F&M Mortgage NMLS# 510632

Tonja Showalter Armentrout, Mortgage Advisor with F&M Mortgage NMLS# 510632 Competitive Rates & Quick Approvals with in house processing and underwriting. Let me help you with your homebuying needs.

F&M Mortgage is proud to serve you locally in Rockingham County, Shenandoah County, Augusta County, Fredrick County, and the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro. We are licensed in the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina as well. We have the ability to offer a wide variety of mortgage products to meet your individual needs.

Some chapters ask for patience… and whew, some chapters REALLY test it. 😂The waiting.The wondering.The “are we there yet...
09/17/2026

Some chapters ask for patience… and whew, some chapters REALLY test it. 😂

The waiting.
The wondering.
The “are we there yet?” feeling.

Whether you’re buying a house, building one, waiting on rates, working toward a goal, or just trying to figure out what’s next — sometimes the hardest part is trusting the process.

You may not be where you want to be yet… but that doesn’t mean you aren’t getting there. ❤️

Anybody else currently in their “patience” chapter? 🙋‍♀️

💰 Purchase a Pleasant Hill Townhome and finance with me at F&M Mortgage, and you’ll receive a lender credit equal to .50...
09/16/2026

💰 Purchase a Pleasant Hill Townhome and finance with me at F&M Mortgage, and you’ll receive a lender credit equal to .50% of your loan amount toward eligible closing costs!

For example, a $325,000 loan = $1,625 lender credit 🙌

Pleasant Hill is a brand-new, 16-unit townhome community built by a local builder with quality local craftsmanship.

✨ Open floor plans
✨ Each bedroom has its own private full bath
✨ Convenient to JMU 💜💛
✨ Close to public transportation
✨ Easy access to shopping, dining & everyday necessities

📲 Want to know what your payment could look like or how much you may qualify for? Message me and I’ll run the numbers.

Tonja Armentrout | Senior Mortgage Advisor
F&M Mortgage

🏠 For information or to tour Pleasant Hill Townhomes: contact:

📲Gail Mitchell, Realtor | 540-810-2983

📲 Colton Mitchell, Realtor | Old Dominion Realty | 540-820-2001

Know someone looking for a new home in Harrisonburg? Share this with them! 🏡

http://www.pleasanthilltownhomes.net/

* Loan amount referenced is for example purposes only and is not a commitment or promise to lend

09/16/2026

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Shenandoah Valley, VA, a parent is saying:

“We bought our first house for $20,000. Why can’t you just save more?” 😂

Different house prices. Different rates. Different everything.

And thankfully, today’s buyers may have more options than the family group chat realizes when it comes to down payment, gift funds, assistance programs, and how much cash they actually need upfront.

So yes, listen to your parents.

Just maybe not for mortgage math. 😂

Send this to the family member still using 1981 as the benchmark.



— Tonja Armentrout, your go-to mortgage advisor in the Shenandoah Valley, VA





Buying on one income is not risky because you have one paycheck.It gets risky when the plan uses nearly all of it.Before...
09/15/2026

Buying on one income is not risky because you have one paycheck.

It gets risky when the plan uses nearly all of it.

Before you choose a price range, build your own payment ceiling with five numbers:

1️⃣ Monthly take home pay. Use what actually lands in your account after taxes, insurance, and retirement deductions.

2️⃣ Fixed obligations. Include car payments, student loans, credit card minimums, child care, support, insurance, and anything else that has to be paid.

3️⃣ Normal life. Use real averages for groceries, gas, health costs, subscriptions, and personal spending. Do not use your best month.

4️⃣ Future homeowner costs. Estimate utilities, routine maintenance, and a repair buffer. These are separate from the loan payment.

5️⃣ Savings target. Decide how much you want to keep saving each month and the minimum cash you refuse to go below after closing.

Now calculate:

💰 Take home pay
💰 Minus fixed obligations
💰 Minus normal life
💰 Minus future homeowner costs
💰 Minus your monthly savings target
🟰 Equals your personal ceiling for the total housing payment

Ask your loan officer to price the home using the full payment: principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance when applicable, and HOA dues.
If the verified payment is above your ceiling, the home is too expensive for your plan even if the loan is approved.

Save this for later.

Send it to someone who needs to see this.



— Tonja Armentrout, your go-to mortgage advisor in Harrisonburg, Staunton, & Waynesboro



• buying a home on one income • mortgage payment planning





Here’s the simplest way to route common homebuying questions:☎️ Ask your Realtor about the property, offer, negotiations...
09/14/2026

Here’s the simplest way to route common homebuying questions:

☎️ Ask your Realtor about the property, offer, negotiations, inspection strategy and transaction timeline.
☎️ Ask your mortgage professional about qualification, loan options, payment estimates and financing documents.
☎️ Ask the title company or attorney about ownership records, title issues, closing documents and legal questions within their role.
☎️ Ask your insurance professional about coverage, premiums, deductibles and insurability.
A strong team coordinates closely without pretending every question belongs to one person.

Save this contact map for later.

Send it to someone who needs to see this



— Tonja Armentrout, your go-to mortgage broker in Harrisonburg, Staunton, & Waynesboro, VA





🏡 A lower price isn’t always the best deal. 👀Buyers have more negotiating power right now, but here’s where a good strat...
09/13/2026

🏡 A lower price isn’t always the best deal. 👀

Buyers have more negotiating power right now, but here’s where a good strategy can make a BIG difference.

If a seller is willing to give up $10,000, automatically asking for $10,000 off the price may not save you nearly as much as you think.

That same $10,000 could potentially:
• Cover closing costs
• Buy down your interest rate
• Keep more cash in YOUR bank account

Sometimes the better deal isn’t getting the seller to come down in price…it’s knowing what to ask for instead.

Before you write the offer, let’s run the numbers. That’s where I come in. 😉

📲 Tonja Armentrout | Senior Mortgage Advisor
F&M Mortgage

Address

2040 Deyerle Avenue, Ste 207
Harrisonburg, VA
22801

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