Craig LaBruno - NJ Mortgage and Down Payment Assistance

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Craig LaBruno - NJ Mortgage and Down Payment Assistance

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NJ buyers: you probably need less money down than you think. I'm Craig LaBruno, The Blue Collar Lender — NJHMFA down payment help, even with credit bruises.

You get me, not a call center. NMLS #242811. Start here: https://thebluecollarlender.com/start 🏡 Helping First-Time Buyers Build Legacy Through Homeownership

Hey, I’m Craig LaBruno — Producing Branch Manager @ Guaranteed Rate and Founder of The Impact Lending Team. With 23+ years of mortgage experience, I’m not just here to get you a loan. I’m here to be your Homebuyer Advisor — the trusted guide who walks with you step-by-step through one of the biggest moves of your life. Whether you’re:

A busy mom renting for years, dreaming of a backyard for your kids 🛝

A hard-working tradesman ready to create your family’s forever home 🧰

Or someone who thought you “weren’t ready yet” because of your credit or savings...

We built this team for you.

💡 Our Approach? It’s Called the T.R.U.E. Buyer Formula:

TALK — It starts with a simple, no-pressure conversation. REVIEW — We go deep on your credit, income & goals. UNLOCK — You’ll get a customized, jargon-free roadmap. EXECUTE — We stay by your side, connect you with trusted pros, and close with confidence.

✅ You don’t need to “have it all together.” ✅ You don’t need to do it alone. ✅ You just need a team who truly has your back. We’ve helped hundreds of families stop renting and start building wealth. We specialize in: ✔️ First-Time Buyer Programs (including Down Payment Assisance) ✔️ FHA, VA, and Conventional Loans ✔️ Credit-Boost Coaching via Pivot 2 Purchase ✔️ One-Stop Shopping (agents, insurance, attorneys)

This isn’t about chasing the lowest rate. This is about building your legacy — with clarity, confidence, and care.

📲 Let’s Talk. I’ll meet you wherever you are today, and help you get to where you want to be. Your next chapter starts here.

11/02/2026

If you just won a bidding war and the appraisal came in low, here's the plain-English version.

The appraiser doesn't care what you offered. They look at recent sold homes near yours and adjust them against yours, and your loan is built on the appraised value or your price, whichever is lower. So if you win at $565,000 and it comes back at $530,000 (example), that $35,000 gap doesn't just disappear. You can cover it in cash, ask the seller to come down, split it, ask for a reconsideration with better comps (no guarantee), or walk if your contract protects you.

A heads-up: FHA and VA appraisals follow the house for months. On a conventional loan, switching lenders may mean a new appraisal, a new cost and a new timeline. And the real move is before you bid: ask your agent and lender for the recent sold comps first.

Know someone about to bid over asking? Send them this.

Not a commitment to lend. Loan type and lender rules vary. Results vary.

Craig LaBruno, NMLS #242811 | Guaranteed Rate Inc., NMLS #2611 | Equal Housing Lender

Take the free 60-second quiz: https://thebluecollarlender.com/organic-social or comment START

11/01/2026

If you're in your 20s, living at home, and trying to buy a house in New Jersey, you're in good company. Nearly half of adults under 30 live with a parent, according to the Federal Reserve.

With rent often running $2,000 or more, a year at home can be $24,000 you didn't spend, if it actually lands in the bank. The address isn't the problem. The question is whether that money is still there a year from now.

Three things stand between you and your own front door: your credit, your down payment, and the monthly payment. New Jersey's NJHMFA program can offer eligible first-time buyers up to $15,000 toward a down payment (up to $10,000 in some counties), and more for first-generation buyers. Eligibility rules apply.

Which one is your biggest worry? Tell me below. And send this to a friend or family member living at home.
Not a commitment to lend. Results vary.

Craig LaBruno, NMLS #242811 | Guaranteed Rate Inc., NMLS #2611 | Equal Housing Lender

Take the free 60-second quiz: https://thebluecollarlender.com/organic-social or comment START

10/30/2026

First-time buyer in New Jersey? The state has up to $22,000 in down payment assistance through NJHMFA — a real state program, zero-interest, forgiven after five years.

But the rules changed this month, and buyers are getting disqualified over fine print nobody told them about.

Free live class: Wednesday, November 18 at 6:30pm ET on Zoom. All four qualification gates, the income and credit lines, and the exact steps — plain English, live Q&A.

Craig LaBruno, NMLS #242811 | Guaranteed Rate Inc., NMLS #2611 | Equal Housing Lender.

Not a commitment to lend. Program details subject to change; eligibility must be verified with an NJHMFA-approved lender.

Save your free seat: https://thebluecollarlender.com/webinar-registration — or comment WEBINAR and I'll send you the link

10/30/2026

If you've outgrown your house and every option sounds bad, here's the honest picture.

Sell first, and you're on a clock: renting between houses, or settling for a house you don't love. Try to buy first, and before your house is under contract a lender usually counts both payments, so the numbers often don't work. There can be a third path, and it starts with the equity you already have. It depends on your equity, your reserves and your file, and owning two homes for a while has real costs and risks.

My advice: before a sign goes on your lawn, ask any lender, "Can you approve me to buy before I sell, and what do you need from me to do it?" If they can't answer clearly, that's your answer.

Know someone in a house they've outgrown? Send them this.

Not a commitment to lend. Costs and terms vary. Results vary.

Craig LaBruno, NMLS #242811 | Guaranteed Rate Inc., NMLS #2611 | Equal Housing Lender

Take the free 60-second quiz: https://thebluecollarlender.com/organic-social or comment START

10/29/2026

If you saw "inflation hot, Fed holds" and figured your rate was about to jump, here's the honest version.

The Fed held yesterday, and two members wanted a hike. Inflation (PCE) came in at 3.6%, and the economy grew at a 3.4% annual pace. Strong economy, sticky prices. But mortgage rates follow the bond market, and the 10-year Treasury barely moved. Freddie Mac's weekly average actually fell to 7.24%, the second straight dip.

Don't get carried away. One morning isn't a rescue, and markets still lean toward a December hike. But a headline isn't your rate. If you're buying in New Jersey, run your real payment, taxes and insurance included. Comment START and I'll send you the 60-second quiz.

Market snapshot as of Oct 29, not a prediction. National average, not a quote. Results vary.

NMLS #242811 | Equal Housing Lender

10/28/2026

If your lender just said "approved with conditions" and your stomach dropped, take a breath. It's very common, and it's not bad news.

It isn't final approval yet. It means the underwriter has reviewed your file and has a checklist: updated bank statements, a letter explaining a deposit, a fresh pay stub, proof of homeowners insurance. A lot of the rest happens on the lender's side. Once the list is cleared, you're close to clear to close, often within a few days to a couple of weeks.

The thing that can derail it: changing something financial before the keys are in your hand. New card, big purchase. Call me first.

Know someone buying soon? Send them this. Want to know what to expect? Comment START and I'll send you the 60-second quiz.

Education, not a commitment to lend. Timelines vary. Results vary.

NMLS #242811 | Equal Housing Lender

10/27/2026

If you're saving for a house in New Jersey, here's the part nobody tells you about NJHMFA down payment assistance.

It's not a check you apply for after you find a house. It's a second loan built in with your mortgage, set up through a lender who offers it. Up to $15,000 in 12 counties and up to $10,000 in the other 9. No interest, no monthly payment, and forgiven if you live there five years and don't refinance.

The mistake: getting pre-approved the regular way, picking a house, then asking about it. Switching mid-deal costs time you may not have. Flip the order and get the assistance lined up first.

Know someone saving for a house the slow way? Send them this. Want to see where assistance may fit for you?

Comment START and I'll send you the 60-second quiz.
Eligibility rules apply.

Education, not a commitment to lend. Results vary.

NMLS #242811 | Equal Housing Lender

10/26/2026

If you're house hunting in New Jersey and waiting on the Fed, here's the honest version.

The Fed raised rates in September, and the market expects it to hold this Wednesday. But the Fed doesn't set your mortgage rate. Investors do, based on where they think rates are going. That's why rates moved this month without a Fed meeting. And the press conference after Wednesday's announcement can move them, even if nothing changed.

A quarter-point is about $60 a month on a $360,000 loan, over $700 a year. That's the size of the bet you're placing by waiting.

Build your plan around a payment you can carry, not a Fed meeting. Want to run your numbers first? Comment CHECKUP and I'll send you the checklist.

Market snapshot as of Oct 26, not a prediction. Not a rate quote. Results vary.

NMLS #242811 | Equal Housing Lender

10/25/2026

Sunday is spoken for. 🥯

Every week Aiden and I make the bagel run — same drive, same spot, same order. A dozen for the house. His pork roll, egg & cheese on an egg bagel. Mine on a roll, SPK.

It's not much. It's everything.

Now settle the most important debate in New Jersey: pork roll or Taylor ham? 👇

10/25/2026

A self-employed buyer asked me this week: "Why am I treated so different than W-2 people?"

Here's the honest answer. A W-2 buyer has an employer who vouches for them. You don't. So a regular loan falls back on your tax return, and your accountant spent all year making that number as small as legally possible. Write-offs and expenses lower it. Some things, like depreciation, get added back, but a lot of your real income still doesn't show.
A bank statement loan reads 12 to 24 months of your deposits instead. It's a Non-QM loan, so the requirements are different and it usually costs more. Check with your CPA before you change anything about your taxes.

Self-employed and stuck? Drop your question below. The best one becomes Part 2.

Education, not a commitment to lend. Terms vary. Results vary.

NMLS #242811 | Equal Housing Lender

Address

350 Main Road Suite 203
Melville, NY
07045

Website

http://thebluecollarlender.com/start

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