Tyler Stephenson, Loan Officer

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Tyler Stephenson, Loan Officer Licensed loan officer servicing all of Michigan NMLS # 1469388 Stephenson Mortgage NMLS # 2471300

10/13/2026

🏡 MORTGAGE MYTHS THAT ARE KEEPING PEOPLE FROM BUYING A HOME! 🚫

Let’s clear up a few things I hear all the time. You might be closer to homeownership than you think! 👇

❌ MYTH #1: You need 20% down.
✅ FACT: Many buyers qualify for programs with as little as 0–3.5% down. Some programs even offer down payment assistance to eligible buyers.

❌ MYTH #2: You need perfect credit.
✅ FACT: Perfect credit isn’t required. Depending on the loan program, buyers with less-than-perfect credit may still qualify.

❌ MYTH #3: You need to make a huge salary.
✅ FACT: It’s not just about how much you make. Your debts, monthly obligations, credit profile, and the price of the home all play a role.

❌ MYTH #4: You need a ton of money saved.
✅ FACT: You need a realistic plan for your down payment, closing costs, and emergency savings. There may be options to help reduce your upfront expenses.

❌ MYTH #5: You should find a house before talking to a lender.
✅ FACT: Start with your budget! Knowing what you’re comfortable paying BEFORE you fall in love with a house can save you a lot of headaches.

❌ MYTH #6: The bank approves you for $300,000, so you should spend $300,000.
✅ FACT: Just because you qualify for a payment doesn’t mean it’s the right payment for your life. You still have bills, savings goals, repairs, and emergencies to plan for.

❌ MYTH #7: You should wait until interest rates drop to buy.
✅ FACT: The right time depends on your finances, the home, and your long-term plans. Waiting isn’t automatically better, and buying isn’t right for everyone. Run the numbers before making a decision.

💡 Here’s the truth: You don’t need to fit into some perfect financial box to explore homeownership. You need the right information, the right loan strategy, and a plan that makes sense for YOUR life.

My job isn’t to get you approved for the biggest loan possible. It’s to help you understand your options and find a path that makes financial sense.

📲 Have questions about buying a home? Let’s talk before you count yourself out!

Tyler Stephenson | Stephenson Mortgage
📞 810-391-8018
NMLS #1469388 | NMLS #2471300
Equal Housing Lender 🏡

Loan programs, credit requirements, down payments, and assistance eligibility vary by borrower and program.

10/05/2026

You can still win in a high-rate market — but you better have the right people in your corner.

A higher-rate environment doesn’t mean you have to sit on the sidelines.

It means you need a team that knows how to work the deal.

✅ Permanent rate buydowns when the numbers make sense
✅ Sticking to a comfortable payment, not whatever the lender says you qualify for
✅ Finding cost-saving options so you can keep money in your emergency fund
✅ Looking at the entire loan instead of just obsessing over the rate

And it doesn’t stop with the mortgage.

Who you choose to show you the house matters too.

You need someone who knows how to negotiate.

If their idea of negotiating is calling the listing agent and asking, “What number will it take to get this accepted?”…

Run.

That’s not negotiating. That’s asking the other side to tell you how much more you’re supposed to pay.

Your agent should be looking at the property, the market, the seller’s situation, comparable sales, inspection issues, concessions and everything else that gives you leverage.

Your lender should be looking for ways to structure the financing around your actual budget and goals, not simply max out your approval.

The goal isn’t to see how much house you can qualify for.

The goal is to put together the right deal.

You don’t need people who are just there to get the transaction closed.

You need people who are willing to work for you.

Because even in a high-rate market, the right team can help you win without putting you in a payment that keeps you up at night.

Don’t just hire people who can get you to the closing table. Hire people who know how to get you there the right way.

Tyler Stephenson
Stephenson Mortgage
📞 810-391-8018
NMLS # 1469388
Equal Housing Lender
NMLS # 2471300

10/02/2026

🏠 The right people in your corner matter.

Buying a home is a BIG financial decision. You shouldn’t just have someone helping you get approved—you should have someone helping you understand the entire picture.

Your payment.
Your cash to close.
Your monthly costs.
The loan program.
And what this decision looks like a few years down the road.

That’s why I don’t believe in putting someone into the biggest loan they qualify for just because the computer says they can afford it.

Sometimes the right move is buying less.
Sometimes it’s using seller concessions strategically.
Sometimes it’s choosing a different loan program.
And sometimes, the best advice is simply “let’s wait.”

You’re not just getting a mortgage.

You’re making a financial decision that can affect you for years.

Make sure you have the right people in your corner.

— Tyler Stephenson
Stephenson Mortgage
📞 810-391-8018
NMLS # 1469388
Equal Housing Lender
NMLS # 2471300

10/01/2026

You don’t date a rate. You make a smart mortgage decision.

A few years ago, everyone was saying:

🏠 “Marry the house, date the rate.”

But here’s the thing…

If you bought a home with the right strategy — including something like a temporary buydown — you could potentially have been sitting in a payment that looks a lot more like today’s market.

So maybe you didn’t “date the rate.”

Maybe you just got bad dating advice. 😂

This is why having the right people in your corner matters.

Your lender should be looking at more than just:

❌ “What’s the lowest rate I can quote you?”

They should be asking:

✅ What payment are you actually comfortable with?
✅ How long do you expect to own the home?
✅ What does the total cost look like?
✅ Would a temporary buydown make sense?
✅ What happens when the buydown ends?
✅ What is your long-term plan?

There isn’t one mortgage strategy that works for everyone.

The goal isn’t to win the rate conversation. It’s to put you in a mortgage that makes sense for YOUR situation.

That’s why who you have in your corner matters.

Tyler Stephenson | Stephenson Mortgage
📞 810-391-8018
NMLS # 1469388
NMLS # 2471300
Equal Housing Lender

09/30/2026

🏡 Seller concessions can be more valuable than you think.

When a seller is willing to give you a credit toward closing costs, you don’t always have to look at that money as simply “money toward closing.”

Depending on the loan program and the amount of the concession, it may be possible to use seller-paid concessions toward a rate buydown.

For example:

Instead of the seller simply covering some of your closing costs, a portion of that money could potentially be used to reduce your interest rate and lower your monthly payment.

💰 Same house.
💰 Same purchase price.
💰 Different strategy for using the seller’s contribution.

And in the right situation, that can make a meaningful difference over the time you own the home.

There are limits and rules depending on the loan program, so it’s important to have your lender run the numbers before deciding how to structure the deal.

Don’t just ask, “Will the seller give me concessions?”

Ask:

👉 “What’s the smartest way to use them?”

Tyler Stephenson | Stephenson Mortgage
📞 810-391-8018
NMLS # 1469388
Equal Housing Lender
NMLS # 2471300

09/28/2026

🏠 Don’t let today’s interest rate make the decision for you.

Yes, rates are higher than they were a few years ago. That doesn’t automatically mean buying a home doesn’t make sense.

The bigger question is:

Can you buy comfortably within your budget and means?

Don’t max yourself out just because a lender says you qualify for a certain amount.

Look at the payment. Look at your other bills. Look at your savings. Look at the overall cost of the loan.

And remember — the rate you get today doesn’t necessarily have to be the rate you keep forever. Your purchase needs to make sense for your situation today, while keeping your future options open.

That’s where having someone look at the entire picture—not just the rate—can make a difference.

If you’re thinking about buying but aren’t sure whether the numbers work, let’s run them.

Tyler Stephenson | Stephenson Mortgage
810-391-8018
NMLS # 1469388
Equal Housing Lender
NMLS # 2471300

09/23/2026

🏡 5 THINGS I WISH EVERY HOME BUYER KNEW

Before you start looking at houses, keep these five things in mind:

1️⃣ Your approval amount isn’t your budget.
Just because you qualify for it doesn’t mean you should spend it.

2️⃣ You don’t necessarily need 20% down.
There are multiple loan programs, and the right one depends on your situation.

3️⃣ The lowest rate isn’t always the lowest-cost loan.
Look at the entire picture — fees, payment, mortgage insurance, and the long-term plan.

4️⃣ Don’t wait for the “perfect” market.
Focus on finding a payment and home that fit your budget and your life.

5️⃣ Talk to your lender BEFORE you fall in love with a house. 😂
Knowing your numbers first can save you a lot of headaches later.

Buying a home should fit your life — not force your life to fit the mortgage.

📲 810-391-8018
NMLS # 1469388
NMLS # 2471300
Equal Housing Lender

09/21/2026

SELF-EMPLOYED? YOUR TAX RETURN ISN’T ALWAYS THE WHOLE STORY.

If you’re self-employed, own a business, or have income that doesn’t fit neatly into a traditional W-2 paycheck, getting a mortgage can sometimes feel like a headache.

But there are loan options that may allow lenders to look at business or personal bank statements to help document income.

That doesn’t mean everyone will qualify, and it doesn’t mean you can just show up with a bank account and buy a house. 😂

It means there may be more options than you realize.

So if you’re self-employed and you’ve been told,
“You probably can’t qualify,”

let’s look at the actual numbers before you count yourself out.

📲 810-391-8018
NMLS # 1469388
NMLS # 2471300
Equal Housing Lender

09/17/2026

HIGHER RATES DON’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO STOP BUYING.

But they do mean you need to be smart about what you buy.

You might qualify for a $350,000 house…

That doesn’t mean you should spend $350,000.

Your approval amount and your comfortable budget are two completely different things.

I’d rather see you buy a home where you can still:

✅ Pay your bills comfortably
✅ Keep money in savings
✅ Handle the unexpected expenses
✅ Enjoy life after the mortgage payment comes out

You don’t have to wait for the “perfect” interest rate to buy a home.

Buy the house that fits your budget and your means — not the biggest house the bank will approve you for.

And if rates improve down the road, you can always look at your options then.

The goal isn’t to stretch yourself as far as possible.

The goal is to buy a home you can actually enjoy owning. 🏡

📲 810-391-8018
NMLS # 1469388
NMLS # 2471300
Equal Housing Lender

09/16/2026

🌾 THINK YOU NEED A HUGE DOWN PAYMENT TO BUY A HOME?

Not necessarily.

If you’re looking at a home in a rural area, a USDA Rural Development loan may be an option worth looking into.

Depending on the situation, you may be able to buy with little to no down payment while still getting a competitive mortgage.

The important part is making sure the property, income, credit, and overall situation actually fit the program.

And no — “rural” doesn’t necessarily mean you have to live in the middle of nowhere. 😂

If you’re looking at a property outside the city, let’s check the options before you assume you need 20% down.

📲 810-391-8018
NMLS # 1469388
NMLS # 2471300
Equal Housing Lender

Address

3716 Lake Lapeer Drive
Metamora, MI
48455

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