Judy Meredith - PRMG Area Manager

Judy Meredith - PRMG Area Manager Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc • NMLS # 75243 |
Hawaii Area Manager • NMLS # 716323 PRMG can help you in all 50 states.

Judy Meredith, "The Mortgage Professor" is PRMG Expert Loan Officer & Hawaii Area Manager. Whether you are a first time Homebuyer or seasoned Investor, I will custom tailor your financial opportunities to result in unsurpassed value. Serving all Islands including Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai & the Big Island of Hawaii. Specializing in Conventional, VA, FHA, USDA, Renovation loans, HECM (rever

se mortgage) & “out of the box” home loan options, for Homeowners requiring creative approaches. As the daughter to a WW2 Veteran, I serve the military community through the Veteran’s Assn of Real Estate Professionals, Hawaii & National Assn of Mortgage Brokers. I am focused on your Homeownership Success!

Most buyers negotiate the purchase price. Far fewer negotiate who pays the closing costs. 👀That difference alone can dra...
06/24/2026

Most buyers negotiate the purchase price. Far fewer negotiate who pays the closing costs. 👀

That difference alone can dramatically change how much cash you need on closing day.

A seller credit is a negotiated contribution from the seller that helps cover your closing costs at settlement. The funds come from the seller’s proceeds at closing — not an extra check written out of pocket.

Here is how buyers commonly use seller credits:

✔️ Reduce upfront closing costs and preserve more cash savings
✔️ Buy down the interest rate using discount points to lower long-term monthly payments
✔️ Structure the offer so some costs are financed into the loan rather than paid fully upfront

For many buyers, this strategy can make the upfront cash requirement far more manageable.

Seller credits are allowed on FHA, conventional, and VA financing, with different limits depending on the loan type and down payment.

Most buyers never realize this option exists until someone explains it to them.

Talk with your real estate agent and lender to learn what options may be available for your specific situation.

Save this post and share it with someone actively looking to buy a home.



seller credits | closing costs | home buying tips | first time home buyer | mortgage education | rate buydown | discount points | home financing | negotiation strategy | down payment help | buying a home | FHA loan | conventional loan | VA loan | real estate tips

The down payment is the reason most buyers think they cannot buy a home.And honestly? Most have never been shown all the...
06/22/2026

The down payment is the reason most buyers think they cannot buy a home.

And honestly? Most have never been shown all the ways to make it possible. 👀

The idea that you need 20% down saved entirely on your own is one of the biggest myths in homebuying. It is not required, and it has stopped too many qualified buyers from even exploring their options.

Here is what many buyers do not realize:

✔️ Down payment assistance programs exist in almost every state, county, and city
✔️ Many buyers may qualify for thousands in assistance and never apply
✔️ Gift funds from family can often be used for the entire down payment
✔️ Seller credits can help cover closing costs and preserve your cash
✔️ Some employers offer homebuyer benefits through workplace programs
✔️ VA and USDA financing may offer zero-down options for eligible buyers

Not every option will apply to every buyer. But most buyers have more paths to homeownership than they think.

The buyers who stay stuck are usually not the ones who cannot afford it. They are the ones who stopped looking before finding the strategy that fit their situation.

Save this for later and share it with someone planning to buy a home.



down payment assistance | first time home buyer | home buying tips | homeownership | mortgage education | gift funds | seller credits | VA loan | USDA loan | down payment help | closing costs | buying a home | DPA programs | real estate tips | home financing

Two buyers walk into the same house. Same offer price. Same down payment.One chooses FHA. One chooses conventional.The d...
06/19/2026

Two buyers walk into the same house. Same offer price. Same down payment.

One chooses FHA. One chooses conventional.

The difference over the life of the loan could be tens of thousands of dollars. 👀

Most buyers choose a loan because someone told them to. The informed buyers understand the differences and compare the long-term impact before making a decision.

Here is what actually matters:

FHA financing is government-backed, which is why buyers may qualify with lower credit scores and smaller down payments. But that flexibility comes with mortgage insurance that can last for the life of the loan if you put less than 10% down.

Conventional financing has stricter qualification standards, but PMI can eventually cancel once you reach enough equity. That difference alone can significantly impact your long-term monthly costs.

FHA may make more sense for buyers with lower credit scores, higher debt-to-income ratios, recent credit events, or limited cash upfront.

Conventional may make more sense for buyers with stronger credit, larger savings, and long-term plans focused on reducing overall costs.

There is no universal “better” option. There is only the option that fits your financial situation best right now.
The smartest buyers ask to compare both scenarios side by side before making a move.

Save this post and share it with someone getting ready to buy a home. Follow for more homebuyer education. 🏡



FHA loan | conventional loan | first time home buyer | home buying tips | mortgage education | PMI vs MIP | down payment options | credit score requirements | debt to income ratio | FHA vs conventional | home financing | pre approval | buying a home | mortgage insurance | loan comparison

POV: You’re about to buy a home and nobody explained THIS part yet 👀🏡There’s a lot lenders don’t talk about upfront…Like...
06/18/2026

POV: You’re about to buy a home and nobody explained THIS part yet 👀🏡

There’s a lot lenders don’t talk about upfront…
Like how shopping rates won’t destroy your credit, why your monthly payment matters more than your max approval, or how closing costs can sometimes be negotiated. 👏

The truth?
An informed buyer makes better decisions, and saves more money long term.

Before you sign anything, make sure you understand:
✔️ APR vs interest rate
✔️ Loan estimates
✔️ Debt-to-income ratio
✔️ Down payment strategy
✔️ What pre-approval actually means

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make. You deserve transparency through the entire mortgage process. 🤝

Save this for later, share with someone house hunting, and DM with your questions anytime. 📩



first time home buyer | mortgage tips | home buying process | pre approval | mortgage education | home loan | closing costs | debt to income ratio | loan estimate | house hunting | mortgage lender | homeownership | real estate tips | APR vs interest rate | down payment tips

06/18/2026

The average first-time homebuyer used to be 29.
Today, that number is 40.

That is not laziness. That is not a generation that does not want to own.
That is a market that has made the path longer for millions of people.

Student debt. Stagnant wages. Rising prices. Competing with cash buyers.
Being told "not yet" for years, until they stopped asking.

But here is what the data also shows.
People are still buying. Every single year.
Many of them were told it was not possible for them either.
They found a way anyway.

If you are in your 30s, 40s, or beyond and you still have not bought yet, this market is not too late for you.
In a lot of ways, you are more ready now than you would have been then.

Save this. Share it with someone still sitting on the sidelines.

Source: National Association of Realtors, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.



first time homebuyer | buying a home | home buying tips | mortgage advice | housing market | real estate | late buyer | homeownership goals | first home | mortgage tips

Parents want to take care of their kids. That instinct is everything.But gifting your home to your children while you ar...
06/17/2026

Parents want to take care of their kids. That instinct is everything.

But gifting your home to your children while you are alive, without a strategy, can cost your family more than most people make in a year.

Here is the part nobody talks about:

When your children inherit a home after your death, they receive what is called a stepped-up basis. They only owe capital gains tax on appreciation that happened after they inherited it. If you bought your home for $80,000 and it is worth $450,000 when you die, they owe nothing on that $370,000 gain.

If you gift it to them while you are alive? They inherit your original cost basis. That $370,000 gain becomes fully taxable. At a 15% capital gains rate, that is a $55,500 tax bill. At 20%, it is $74,000.

On top of that: if you ever need Medicaid-funded nursing home care, gifts made within five years can disqualify you. The home you gave away could come back to haunt your eligibility for the care you need.

And once you sign that deed, it is their home. Their creditors. Their divorce. Their estate if they pass before you do.

A revocable living trust, a life estate deed, or a transfer-on-death deed can give your family the exact same outcome with a fraction of the risk.

The intention behind this is love. But love without strategy can cost your family everything you worked for.

Save this. Share it with any parent who owns a home.

*We are not attorneys or tax professionals. This content is for educational purposes only. Please consult with a qualified estate planning attorney and tax professional for advice specific to your situation.

estateplan | homeownership | gifttax | capitalgains | livingtrust | realestate | familywealth | mortgagetips | parentfinance | protectyourhome

Nobody told you this: you do not need 20% down.That number has been the single biggest myth keeping buyers on the sideli...
06/15/2026

Nobody told you this: you do not need 20% down.

That number has been the single biggest myth keeping buyers on the sidelines for years.

At median income in San Francisco, saving a 20% down payment takes roughly 14 years. In Columbus, Ohio? Under 4 years.

But here is what actually matters: most loan programs require far less than 20%.

FHA: 3.5% down. Conventional: as low as 3% down. VA: zero down. USDA: zero down. And there are down payment assistance programs that can cover part or all of that depending on where you live and what you earn.

The myth of the 20% down payment has kept millions of qualified buyers renting for years longer than they needed to.

If you are waiting until you have 20% saved: please, let us show you what you actually need.

Follow for more mortgage education.

Source: Zillow Research and ATTOM Data Solutions.

downpayment | housingmarket | homebuying | realestate | savingmoney | downpaymentassistance | mortgagemyths

The American Dream didn't disappear. It just stopped looking the same for everyone.A suburban house on one income was ne...
06/12/2026

The American Dream didn't disappear. It just stopped looking the same for everyone.

A suburban house on one income was never the dream itself, stability, community, and ownership were. And 65% of Americans still believe homeownership is part of the American Dream, even after everything the last few years threw at the market.

The path is harder now. But the buyers winning aren't waiting for perfect conditions. They're relocating strategically, co-buying with family, choosing multi-family properties, and getting creative with financing.

The market moved the door. It didn't close it.

Nobody teaches you this stuff until it's too late.Most homeowners with a mortgage assume their family is covered when th...
06/10/2026

Nobody teaches you this stuff until it's too late.

Most homeowners with a mortgage assume their family is covered when they die. The house will just pass to them. Someone will figure it out.
That is not how it works.

The loan still exists. Payments still need to be made. And if there is no legal plan in place, probate court gets involved, the process can drag on for months or years, and even close families can end up in conflict over a home they all love.

A will helps, but most people do not realize a will still goes through probate.

A properly funded living trust avoids it entirely.
The key word is funded. We see it all the time, people set up a trust and never actually put the house in it. That is like buying a safe and leaving your valuables on the kitchen counter.

Estate planning is not just for the wealthy. It is for every homeowner who wants to protect their family and the home they worked for.

Save this post and share it with someone who owns a home and does not have a plan yet. It might be the most important thing they read this year.

*We are not attorneys or tax professionals. This content is for educational purposes only. Please consult with a qualified estate planning attorney and tax professional for advice specific to your situation.

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Everyone is watching mortgage rates. But most buyers are focused on the wrong thing.The rate matters. It absolutely does...
06/08/2026

Everyone is watching mortgage rates. But most buyers are focused on the wrong thing.

The rate matters. It absolutely does. But it is one variable in an equation with a lot of moving parts.

Here is the part most people miss: waiting for rates to drop is not free. Every month you wait, rents keep going. Prices can keep moving. The equity you could be building keeps going to someone else.

There is a reason real estate professionals have been saying "date the rate, marry the house" for the last two years. You can refinance a rate. You cannot refinance the purchase price you missed.

What you actually can control: your credit score (which directly affects your rate), your down payment (larger down often means better rate), your loan type (FHA, conventional, VA, USDA each have different rate structures), and your lender (not all lenders offer the same rates).

Rates are a piece of the puzzle. Strategy is the puzzle.

What's your biggest question about rates right now? Drop it in the comments.

mortgagerates | homebuying | realestate | mortgagetips | interestrates | refinance | housingtips
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