Jeff Ohm Home Loans

08/26/2026

08/18/2026

08/10/2026

08/03/2026

07/29/2026

07/23/2026

07/15/2026

04/15/2026

Sellers can pay your closing costs.

Most first-time buyers have no idea this is even an option.

Here's the math.

Closing costs run 2-5% of the loan amount. On a $400K home? That's $8,000 to $20,000. Out of pocket. At closing.

Most buyers drain their savings just to get the keys. Then they have nothing left for repairs, furniture, or emergencies.

It doesn't have to work that way.

It's called a seller concession. Completely normal. Completely legal. Happens every day.

Here's how.

Option one: Offer slightly above asking price. Ask the seller to credit you back the difference at closing to cover your costs.

Seller gets their number. You keep your cash. Everyone wins.

Option two: In a slower market, skip the price adjustment. Just ask for the concession directly.

Seller wants to move the house. You want to keep cash in your pocket. It's a negotiation.

Your realtor and loan officer should be discussing this before you ever write an offer.

If they're not? Ask them directly.

"What seller concession options make sense for my situation?"

You don't have to show up to closing broke.

Structure the deal so you walk in with keys and walk out with cash still in the bank.

04/13/2026

The rate on their website is not your rate.

It never was.

Here's how advertised rates work.

They're based on a perfect scenario. 760+ credit score. 20% down. Primary residence. Loan amount in the sweet spot.

Hit every checkbox? That's your rate.

Miss one? Higher.

Lower credit score? Higher rate.

Less than 20% down? Higher rate.

Investment property? Way higher.

Cash-out refi instead of purchase? Higher.

Two-unit instead of one? Higher.

But they don't tell you that upfront. They show you the best possible number because it gets you in the door.

By the time you find out your real rate, you've already given them your information. You're already emotionally invested.

That's not an accident. That's the strategy.
Here's what we do differently.

Forward Loans has a real-time rate tool. You build your own scenario. Your credit. Your down payment. Your property type.

You get your rate. Not theirs. Not the billboard number. Yours.

No bait. No switch. No "perfect borrower" fantasy.

Just the actual number you'll pay based on your actual situation.

In real time. Before you talk to anyone.

Stop chasing rates that were never meant for you.

See what you actually qualify for.

04/10/2026

The last 6 months matter more than the last 6 years.

One small move can cost you thousands.

Here's what lenders actually look at.

They pull two years of financial history. But the six months before you apply? That's under a microscope.

And most buyers have no idea what triggers a red flag.

Large cash deposit you can't explain? Flagged.

Changing jobs, even for more money? If you switch industries or go from salaried to self-employed, that complicates everything.

Opening a new credit card? Score drops. Debt-to-income rises.

Taking out an auto loan? Same problem. Worse timing.

Co-signing for someone else? That debt is now yours on paper.

Even moving money between your own accounts can trigger documentation requests that slow your approval.

These moves seem harmless. You're just living your life.

But to an underwriter, each one is a question mark that needs answering.

And if those answers push you into a worse rate tier?

That's tens of thousands over the life of your loan.

Gone. Because of something you did six months ago without thinking.

The fix is simple.

Talk to a loan officer before you make any financial moves. Six months out minimum.

One question: "What should I avoid doing between now and closing?"

The deal you lose isn't always the one you can't afford.

Sometimes it's the one you accidentally disqualified yourself from.