Brian the Mortgage Guy - NMLS 228373

04/11/2026

I have enjoyed tooling around perplexity.ai

03/28/2026

Veterans: Discover how a VA IRRRL could help you refinance your home at a potentially lower rate. There's no need for an appraisal or for employment verification. Reach out today to explore your options and benefits!

03/25/2026

Medal of Honor Day is a national observance that honors the courage, sacrifice, and selfless service of the men and women who have received the nation’s highest military award. It is observed each year on March 25 to remember extraordinary acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty.

03/20/2026

Chuck Norris approved.

🚨 WHOA, VA BUYERS, SELLERS, AND AGENTS — GET READY TO CELEBRATE! 🚀

A HUGE VA appraisal update drops May 1, 2026, and it’s seriously game-changing!

This is the kind of common-sense win we’ve all been waiting for — fewer ridiculous repair demands, smoother closings, and way less stress for everyone involved. VA loans were already awesome for Veterans, and now they’re about to get even BETTER! 🇺🇸🏡

Here’s the exciting scoop on the key changes circulating in the new guidance:

✅ No more mandatory peeling paint repairs on homes built after 1978 — that’s right, it’s treated more like cosmetic (just like conventional loans)! Kiss those unnecessary touch-ups goodbye! 🎨✨
✅ Sheds and outbuildings? They no longer have to jump through their own separate MPR hoops — huge relief for properties with extra structures! 🏠🛖
✅ Radon requirements for builders? GONE — no more holding things up over that! ☢️🚫
✅ Oxygen depletion sensors or fireplace certifications? P**f — those outdated requirements are history! 🔥

This means fewer deal-killers, faster timelines, and more homes actually closing without pointless back-and-forth. The VA is finally ditching some of those old-school assumptions that frustrated everyone — and it’s a massive step toward making the process fairer and easier for Veterans!

If you’re a Realtor, builder, or Veteran buyer hunting for your dream home — mark your calendars and get prepped NOW! Don’t get caught using the old rules after May 1. This could be the boost that makes your next VA purchase a total breeze.

Who’s ready to buy (or sell) with way less headache? Let’s go get those keys! 🗝️🔥 Drop a comment if this fires you up — time to make homeownership dreams happen faster! 💥

02/27/2026

Don’t believe everything you read. Can you say click bait?!!

02/25/2026

Converting your current home to a rental property..

02/20/2026

There isn't much I wouldn't do to help our Veteran community. And frankly, I'm feeling a bit spicy tonight..

Not coincidentally, I have put in years of work to educate myself and gain more experience than 95+% of LOs out there. Some ask why I dedicate so much time to loan types used for only 6.5% of my market purchases with financing. The answer is simple: they deserve it and I got what they don't realize they need.

I'm not one to intentionally bash another lender, but this article makes me smile.

For years, myself and the other 225 Veteran Mortgage Advisors throughout the US have had to clean up a mess that the company couldn't get to the closing table. They constantly print PreApproval letter on Scott tissue, aka toilet paper. Seriously, they often don't have the Veterans Certificate of Eligibility and haven't looked at a single pay stub, tax return, W2 or bank statement before issuing a PreApproval story. Moral of the story, if a Veteran comes to you with a VU Preapproval, please insist they have a conversation with me, and NOT a loan officer that says "Ya, I can do VA," but a loan officer that truly knows the VA mortgage benefit as well as their best friend.

If you're looking for a wealth of knowledge in your phone, aside from my phone number, download my personal VA Educator app here (BrianTheMortgageGuys VA app), if you're a bit old school, you can visit my VA Educator website that mirrors the app ([valoaneducator.tv/brianphillips-228373]BrianTheMortgageGuy VA website).

If I have ever worked with one of your Veteran clients, or helped you get a Veteran to the closing table, and I wasn't the loan officer, please leave me a Google Review. Those 5star reviews help me compete with the big call centers out there hacking up our VA mortgages.

A lawsuit claims Veterans United Home Loans misled homebuyers about VA affiliation and steered them to higher-cost loans.

02/13/2026

Did you know that any lender can help a Veteran restore their VA entitlement after a property has been sold?

Even though the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will have a record showing the VA loan was paid off, in some cases, the VA will still ask for documentation confirming the final closing/deed transfer.

That typically means providing the buyer- and seller-signed final closing statements.

Here’s how it works:

The restoration request is submitted through Web LGY.
In many cases, Web LGY actually provides an option to restore without uploading documents — so always start there first just as if we were requesting a new COE.
If documentation is required, upload the executed final closing statements along with VA Form 26-1880.
🔑 Best Practice:
Whenever one of your Veteran clients sells a VA-financed home, proactively offer to help them restore their entitlement — even if they don’t plan to use it right away.

And don’t forget… You can (and should) assist with entitlement restoration even after a new loan has already closed. Helping Veterans maximize and clean up their entitlement is simply part of taking great care of those who served.

Serve well. Educate often, and ALWAYS call me to serve your Veteran clients.

02/12/2026

VA Tip of the Day

Did you know that Loan Officers, Real Estate Agents, and Veterans can all call the VA Regional Loan Center (RLC) for help?

📱 Save this number in your phone:
VA Regional Loan Center: 877-827-3702

Common reasons to call the RLC include (but are not limited to):
✅ Questions about VA underwriting guidelines — LO’s & Underwriters
✅ Appraisal turn time or status updates — LO’s, Agents & Veterans
✅ Help for Veterans having trouble making payments — Veterans
✅ Condo approval process questions — LO’s, Processors & Underwriters
✅ Reconsideration of Value (ROV) questions — LO’s, Agents & Veterans
✅ Property condition questions — Appraisers, LO’s, Agents & Veterans

🖥️ Pro Tip:
In addition to calling the RLC, you can also get answers in writing OR timeline help by submitting a ticket through the VA ServiceNow system (commonly called SNOW).

This is a great way to document and receive guidance directly from the VA, when the loan officer doesn't have answers.

I PROMISE you I will have all those answers, every single time.

01/23/2026

Here I provide numbers showing in a comparison with your 401(k) loan and the potential loss versus purchasing a house showing your potential gains.

01/23/2026

01/22/2026

Who you work with a truly matters. Here’s reason # 1776 why the VA mortgage benefit is bad ass.