COMortgageGal

09/01/2026

A client tells you she just needs to keep the house. It usually arrives before the intake is even finished, and it sounds like a clear instruction rather than a question.

The Divorce Lending Association's September briefing argues that it is the wrong question, and I think the argument is right.

Not because keeping the home is a bad outcome. Because "how do I keep the house" has a binary answer, and a yes gets recorded as a win. The briefing's point is that yes is not one answer. It is at least three:

Yes, you qualify. That is not the same as yes, you can carry it. Yes, you can keep it. Here is what keeping it costs. Yes, and here is what the same dollars would have done instead.

In my experience only the first one gets tested before signing. The other two show up in year two.

The better question the piece proposes is forward-facing: how does this house fit into the life I am about to live? That one does not resolve to a yes or a no. It resolves to a design, and it opens four inquiries that determine whether a settlement holds.

Worth reading if you have housing questions open on a current file. It also covers how to raise the reframe in the room without it sounding like a refusal.

https://divorcebriefings.com/4yedAmL

If you have a file where the housing question is still open, I would rather look at it now than after the decree is entered.

08/28/2026

Louisville, Colorado has that rare combination that’s getting harder to find. Small-town charm, a walkable historic downtown, great restaurants and local shops, all while keeping Boulder and Denver within easy reach.

But what really makes Louisville stand out is the lifestyle. It feels connected, established and distinctly Colorado without giving up the conveniences of the Front Range.

If Louisville has been on your radar, I took a closer look at what makes this community such a compelling place to call home, including the housing market, lifestyle and what buyers should know before making a move.

Read the full post here
Louisville, Colorado: Small-Town Charm Meets Big-League Livability

Louisville, Colorado: Small-town charm meets big-league livabilitytiffany8246a few seconds ago1 min readHistoric downtown Main Street in Louisville, Colorado New suburban lifestyle neighborhood in Louisville CO. Photo courtesy of IRES.

08/27/2026

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.

08/25/2026

If you've hesitated to bring a CDLP® into a case because you weren't sure it was big enough to warrant it, this is for you.

There is no minimum. A case can be one question about whether your client can qualify on their own income. It can also be months of analysis ending in testimony. Same credential, same standard of care, entirely different work.

You are not expected to scope the engagement before you refer. Scoping it is what I do first.

What I'd rather avoid is the version where the question goes unasked because the case didn't seem to justify a call.

08/21/2026

Waiting for mortgage rates to drop before you buy?

You may be watching the wrong number.

In today’s market, the opportunity isn’t always about waiting for a lower rate or negotiating the biggest price reduction. Sometimes, it’s about negotiating seller concessions and using those funds strategically.

Depending on the loan and transaction, seller concessions may help cover closing costs or fund an interest rate buydown, potentially making a bigger difference in your monthly budget than a price reduction alone.

Every situation is different, which is why I believe in running the numbers before deciding whether to buy, wait or negotiate.

If you’re thinking about buying a home in Colorado, ask me to show you what different seller concession strategies could look like for your numbers.

Sometimes the better deal isn’t the lower price. It’s the smarter structure.

08/20/2026

This is where I see most divorce settlements go wrong.

The terms are negotiated.
The agreement is signed.
And everyone assumes the outcome will work.

But no one verified whether it could.

In divorce, there’s a critical gap between what is agreed to and what is actually executable—especially when it comes to mortgage financing.

Refinancing timelines, income qualification, debt allocation, and title structure are often treated as future steps instead of being evaluated before the settlement is finalized.

And when those assumptions don’t hold?

The result is an agreement that looks solid on paper—but creates real challenges in ex*****on.

This article breaks down why hypotheticals often turn into unworkable outcomes—and what’s missing from the conversation: https://bit.ly/3RlyZKB

If it can’t be executed, it wasn’t a strategy—it was a hypothetical.

As a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®), I evaluate the feasibility of settlement outcomes before they’re finalized—so the structure actually works in the real world.

08/19/2026

Your income doesn’t have to fit neatly into a W-2 box to qualify for a mortgage.

If you’re self-employed, earn 1099 income, invest in real estate, or are going through a divorce, your financial picture may look very different from a traditional salaried borrower.

And that’s okay.

Non-QM lending gives us additional ways to evaluate income and structure a mortgage. Depending on your situation, options such as bank statement loans and DSCR loans may make sense when traditional financing doesn’t tell the whole story.

These aren’t simply “fallback” loans. For the right borrower, they can be smart mortgage planning tools.

The key is figuring out which strategy actually fits your financial picture.

If you’ve been told you don’t qualify, or you’re wondering what options might be available, send me a message. Let’s take a look before you assume the answer is no.

08/19/2026

This scenic road trip leads to nine tranquil lakes perfect for kayaking and fishing. Link in comments to find out more. ⬇️

08/18/2026

An engagement with me can take twenty minutes. It can also run for months and end with expert testimony.

Same credential. Same standard of care. Entirely different work.

The work is built in layers: from a few answers early, before assumptions harden, all the way to testimony on the stand. Which layer a case calls for is set by the circumstances of the divorce, not by the credential.

What damages clients isn't starting small. It's the mismatch: a quick answer standing in where the case needed full mortgage capacity analysis, or a trial fought over housing feasibility with no qualified expert in the record.

You don't have to figure out which layer your client's case needs before you call me. That's my job.

Send me the case at whatever layer it's in.

Read the full article: https://divorcebriefings.com/Layers

08/17/2026

Buying or refinancing a Colorado condo? There’s an important change you need to know about.

As of August 3, many condo projects now face a more detailed review during the mortgage process. That means qualifying for the loan yourself is only part of the equation. The condo project also has to meet financing requirements.

Lenders may now take a closer look at:

• HOA reserves and the reserve study
• Master insurance coverage
• Pending litigation
• Owner occupancy
• The overall financial health of the association

For Colorado buyers, this makes getting the HOA documents early more important than ever. For current condo owners considering a refinance, your association’s finances and insurance could affect your loan too.

The good news? A little homework upfront can help uncover potential problems before they become closing problems.

I broke down the changes, what they mean for Colorado condo financing, and what buyers, owners, HOA boards and real estate professionals should know in this week’s blog.

Read the full article at www.newchaptersco.com

Colorado condo financing changed on August 3. New Full Review requirements mean HOA reserves, insurance coverage, litigation, and owner occupancy can now play a bigger role in whether a condo qualifies for financing. Here’s what Colorado condo buyers, owners, and real estate professionals need to ...