Barb Patterson - Mortgage Specialist - NMLS #1589106

Home
United States
Libertyville, IL
Barb Patterson - Mortgage Specialist - NMLS #1589106

Call Directions Website Contact the business

Leading Mortgage Lender 🏦💰🏡
with solutions for residential and commercial buyers. Ease Mortgage | NMLS #2273319
Sr. Equal Housing Lender.

Loan Officer | CDLP | NMLS #1589106
LoansByBarb.com
©2026 Ease Mortgage, LLC.

11/03/2026

"Just offset the house with retirement" sounds clean at the settlement table.

The Divorce Lending Association's November issue of Divorce Mortgage Insights takes a closer look. In its illustrative example, the spouse keeping the house gives up $100,000 of their share of a retirement account to keep a 3 percent mortgage. Left to grow at 6 percent for 20 years, that $100,000 could be about $320,000.

The article makes a second point that often gets missed: a dollar in a pre-tax retirement account is not the same as a dollar of home equity. How much they differ is a question for the case's tax professional, but it belongs in the conversation before the offset is agreed.

That's not an argument against the offset. Selling and refinancing carry their own costs, and the article compares all three side by side. The point is that each path should be priced before one is chosen.

As a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®), I work alongside attorneys, mediators, and financial professionals on exactly this kind of comparison.

Read the full article here: https://divorcebriefings.com/4BFYwB7

10/27/2026

Do you know how much equity you have in your home today?

With home values changing, it's worth keeping an eye on what your biggest investment may be worth.

I offer a free monthly Home Report that provides personalized insights into your estimated home value, equity, and future value projections.

No obligation. Just useful information to help you make informed decisions about your home.

You can get yours here: https://lstrep.co/4e25g_YJj

Or feel free to message me with questions!

10/27/2026

The house is on the table in almost every divorce. Who keeps it, how the buyout is structured, and whether the loan can be refinanced. Attorneys, mediators, and financial neutrals each bring something essential to those decisions.

Is your divorce team complete?

As a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®), I practice Divorce Mortgage Planning as an integral member of the professional divorce team. My role is to help test whether the housing plan being negotiated is one the parties can actually carry out.

I’m not there to replace anyone at the table. I’m there to work alongside you, so the decisions about the house are built on a clear understanding of what is financially feasible.

If you work with divorcing clients, I’d welcome a conversation about how we can work together.

10/23/2026

More than 6 in 10 Americans think they have to put 20% down to buy a home, but that misconception could make homeownership feel further away than it actually is. 🏡

There are loan programs with a variety of down payment requirements, and knowing what options you may qualify for can give you a much clearer picture of your path to buying.

10/20/2026

"Is this loan assumable?"

It's one of the most common questions I hear in divorce cases, and it often gets an accurate answer to the wrong question.

When someone calls the servicer and asks, the answer usually comes from the note, which covers selling the house to a buyer. But a transfer between spouses under a divorce decree follows a different set of rules. A correct "no" can still close a door the case never looked behind.

And even when the answer is yes, "assume the mortgage" can mean three very different outcomes. Only one of them actually releases the spouse who is leaving.

This article walks through the four questions that matter before a settlement agreement is signed.

Read it here: https://www.divorcelendingassociation.com/blog/is-the-mortgage-assumable-in-a-divorce-ask-this-instead.cfm

If you have a case where the house and the mortgage are part of the settlement, let's talk while the agreement is still a draft. As a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®), this is exactly the work I do.

10/07/2026

Will Baby Boomer homes coming onto the market make buying a home more affordable?

What stood out to me in this Realtor.com report: most of the homes expected to become available will have three or more bedrooms—not smaller starter homes.

My takeaway is that move-up buyers could get more choices, while first-time buyers may see less immediate relief. More inventory helps, but the type of inventory matters. Read the full article here: https://www.realtor.com/research/generational-housing-succession-2026/

10/06/2026

One spouse keeps the house. But who pays for the repairs needed to refinance it?

When I review a divorce mortgage plan, that’s one of the questions I want addressed before the settlement is signed.

The lender’s appraisal may happen months later. If it identifies repairs required before closing—and the agreement doesn’t say who pays—the refinance can stall while the spouses negotiate again.

For known issues, the settlement might address an adjusted property value, a credit against the buyout, or repairs completed before the transfer. A written acknowledgment of the home’s condition can document what’s known, but it won’t override a lender’s repair requirements.

There also needs to be a plan for unexpected repairs: who pays, how costs are split, whether there’s a cap, and what happens if the work delays the refinance deadline.

My goal is to help identify these financing questions while there’s still time to address them in the settlement.

Attorneys and mediators: if one spouse plans to keep the home, I’m happy to talk through how the refinance requirements could affect the proposed terms.

This article takes a closer look:
https://www.divorcelendingassociation.com/library/who-pays-for-repairs-marital-home-divorce.cfm

09/29/2026

I’ve seen divorcing clients make plans to keep the house, only to discover later that the mortgage doesn’t fit the settlement they agreed to. Who gets the home is one decision. How that person will qualify to keep it is another.

I’ve seen questions like these make a difference:
• Can one spouse qualify for the mortgage on their own?
• When can support income be used to qualify?
• Can the proposed equity buyout actually be financed?
• Will the way the settlement is written make financing harder later?

These questions are much easier to address while the agreement is still taking shape.

As a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®), I work with divorce professionals and their clients to evaluate the mortgage options for the marital home before decisions become final. My goal is to help the team spot financing obstacles early and make decisions with a workable mortgage plan in view.

If you’re an attorney, mediator, financial professional, or real estate professional working with a divorcing client, I’m happy to be a resource when the home is part of the conversation.

09/23/2026

You don’t have to own a home to have a Home Report. 🏡

There’s now a version designed for first-time buyers—people who know they want to buy but aren’t sure where to start.

It helps you explore what may fit your budget, set a savings goal, and see the steps between “someday” and shopping for a home.

An online estimate is a starting point, not a loan approval. But a clearer picture of your budget and savings goal can make that first conversation a lot easier.

Explore your First-Time Buyer Home Report here: https://lstrep.co/MTsb3Cs-a

09/23/2026

Realtors . . . have a listing with a guest house? Don’t assume conventional financing is off the table.

Fannie Mae has expanded its rules for primary residences with accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Depending on the property, an ADU could be a guest house, a backyard cottage, or an apartment over the garage.

The expanded rules allow:
• A 1-unit home with up to 3 ADUs
• A 2-unit home with up to 2 ADUs
• A 3-unit home with 1 ADU

That’s a maximum of four dwelling units total.

These options are available now through lenders using Fannie Mae’s UAD 3.6 appraisal policy. That appraisal format becomes mandatory on November 2, 2026.

A guest house still has to meet the requirements to be classified as an ADU, and the loan must meet Fannie Mae’s other requirements.

If you have a listing with a guest house, send me the details. I’ll help you find out whether this opens up a financing option for your buyers.

Address

Libertyville, IL

Telephone

+18476509228

Website

http://loansbybarb.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Barb Patterson - Mortgage Specialist - NMLS #1589106 posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.