G. Steven Bray - Loan Originator

10/14/2026

10/08/2026

One thing I've come to believe after years in the mortgage business is that people shouldn't have to know which questions to ask.

Buying a home isn't something most people do very often. There's a lot of unfamiliar terminology, and things that seem obvious to those of us in the business may be completely new to someone buying a home.

Closing costs are a good example. A buyer might know there's a down payment, but not realize how many other expenses are involved. And if nobody brings it up, they may not think to ask until much later.

I think part of doing this job well is explaining things people don't yet know they need to understand.

That's how people make better decisions.

09/23/2026

Excellent credit absolutely matters.

But the rate you saw advertised probably already assumed excellent credit - which means your good credit may be what gets you that pricing in the first place.

09/22/2026

One thing buyers often misunderstand about mortgage insurance: its purpose isn’t simply to add another fee to a mortgage.

Mortgage insurance allows lenders to make loans with smaller down payments.

That means a buyer may be able to purchase with 3%, 5%, or another relatively small down payment rather than waiting until they have 20%.

Mortgage insurance can be a useful financing tool rather than something that automatically should be avoided.

09/16/2026

Switching jobs? Don’t assume you have to put your home search on hold.

09/15/2026

Buying your first home is easier when you know what to do **before** you start looking at homes.

This Thursday's free online workshop is **Where Do I Start?**

We'll talk about the five early decisions that can make everything that follows a lot easier: credit, budget, cash, preapproval, and your home-search priorities.

Bring your questions. That's what the workshop is for.

🔗 Register here → https://www.LoneStarLending.com/ConsumerWorkshops

09/09/2026

Thinking about buying your first home but not sure what you're supposed to do first?

Credit. Budget. Cash. Preapproval. Finding an agent. Looking at homes.

There's no shortage of information out there. The hard part is knowing what matters **now** and what can wait.

That's what we'll sort out in **Where Do I Start?**, part of our free First-Time Homebuyer Workshop Series.

We'll put the early decisions in a practical order so you'll know what to do before you start seriously shopping.

Learn more and register through the event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/19MJtEHGBo/

09/01/2026

One thing we talked about in this week's 5-Point-5 is that a mortgage payment is more than just a housing expense.

Obviously, part of that payment goes toward interest, taxes, and insurance. But part of it also pays down what you owe on the home. Month by month, you're gradually increasing the portion of the home that you own.

That doesn't mean buying is always better than renting, and it doesn't mean home values always go up.

But when homeownership fits your situation, that's one of its important long-term benefits: some of the money you're spending on housing is also helping you build an asset for the future.

08/25/2026

Buying your first home is easier when you know what to do **before** you start looking at homes.

This Thursday's free online workshop is **Where Do I Start?**

We'll talk about the five early decisions that can make everything that follows a lot easier: credit, budget, cash, preapproval, and your home-search priorities.

Bring your questions. That's what the workshop is for.

Register here: https://www.lonestarlending.com/ConsumerWorkshops

Join Texas Lone Star Lending mortgage workshops to learn about buying a home, refinancing, home equity, first-time homebuyer questions, and investment property loans.

08/17/2026

Credit. Budget. Cash. Preapproval. Finding an agent. Looking at homes.

There's no shortage of information out there. The hard part is knowing what matters now and what can wait.

That's what we'll sort out in Where Do I Start?, part of our free First-Time Homebuyer Workshop Series.

We'll put the early decisions in a practical order so you'll know what to do before you start seriously shopping.

Learn more and register through the event link:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Ed9dg6RGb/