Will Merritt Group NLMS #241583

Will Merritt Group NLMS #241583 As a loan officer my goal is to assist you make the right choice for you mortgage needs
NMLS #241583 Loan Depot company NMLS #174457

Interest rates and products are subject to change without notice and may or may not be available at the time of loan commitment or lock-in. Borrowers must qualify at closing for all benefits. Nine Street Mortgage, LLC supports Equal Housing Opportunity | NMLS # 2444126, FL # MBR6671, GA # 2444126, NC # B-219162, TN # 2444126, TX # 2444126 and NMLS # 2602836, GA # 2602836, FL # MBRB1814 and NMLS # 2

747611, FL # MBRB1799 and NMLS 2770202, NC # B-219162-102 and NMLS # 2745244, TN # 2745244 | MLO NMLS # 241583, FL # LO9760 | (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) | 229-355-2877 and 470-572-8113 and 727-421-7517 and 919-438-9918 and 704-501-4829 | 575 Lynnhaven Pkwy, Ste 100, Virginia Beach, VA 23452 and 260 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 2200, Atlanta, GA 30303 and 8270 Woodland Center Blvd, Office 105, Tampa, FL 33614 and 8024 Glenwood Ave, Suite 305, Office 335, Raleigh, NC 27612 and 128 S Tryon,18th and 19th Fls, Office 1849, Charlotte, NC 28202

09/09/2026

Week one of a four-week VA home loan education series with Will Merritt at Lone Depot and Shannon Stelton at LPT Realty. There is so much misinformation out there about VA loans and these two are here to set the record straight.

Will served in the US Navy from 1989 to 1996 as an avionic technician and has done over 360 VA refinances in a single year. He knows this benefit inside and out.

Here is what they covered in episode one.

Who qualifies and how to check eligibility. It is not just the DD214. The Certificate of Eligibility is the key document and the new COE now includes funding fee exemption status, current loan information, and monthly benefit details all in one place.

Does VA really allow zero down? Yes. It is one of only two loan programs that allows 100 percent financing. Buyers should expect roughly two to three percent of the purchase price for closing costs covering appraisal, title, insurance, and tax setup.

What can the seller pay? VA guidelines allow the seller to contribute up to four percent toward closing costs plus an additional two percent that can be used to buy down the rate, pay off debt, or cover other buyer expenses. That is effectively six percent in total seller contributions available.

How does VA compare to conventional and FHA? On a $500,000 purchase the VA rate advantage is significant. Will is currently seeing VA rates around 5.75 percent compared to 6 percent for FHA and 6.75 percent for conventional with great credit. No down payment required, smaller loan amount, lower payment, and zero PMI. The difference in PMI alone between VA and conventional is roughly $260 per month. Invested over 30 years at an 8 percent return that gap becomes $823,000.

This benefit was earned. Make sure veterans know how to use it.

Week two covers pre-approval and knowing your budget.

Will Merritt, Lone Depot. 727-421-7517.
Shannon Stelton, LPT Realty. 727-390-7080.

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day everyone.

As we celebrate this special weekend I wanted to take a moment to share what this day truly means to me beyond just a long weekend.

Labor Day is about honoring the incredible spirit of hard work, dedication, and dreams that so many families pour their lives into every single day. Every early morning. Every late night. Every extra shift. Every sacrifice made with a bigger purpose in mind.

All of it adds up to something truly meaningful.

And one of the most beautiful expressions of that hard work is building a home for yourself and your family. A place that is yours. A foundation for everything you are working toward.

If you are one of the many amazing people working hard toward homeownership right now I want you to hear this clearly.

Keep going. You are closer than you think.

Your consistency matters. Your patience matters. Your commitment to the goal matters. And the dream of owning your own home is absolutely worth every step of the journey to get there.

As your trusted mortgage advisor I would be honored to walk this path with you. Run the numbers, answer your questions, and design a real plan that gets you into your dream home on a timeline that works for your life.

Text, call, or email me anytime for a free consultation. Follow along for more tips that help you make smart moves with your money.

727-421-7517 or [email protected].

Happy Labor Day. Keep building.

This Labor Day, we celebrate the dedication and contributions of workers everywhere. Thank you to all who work hard to m...
09/07/2026

This Labor Day, we celebrate the dedication and contributions of workers everywhere. Thank you to all who work hard to make a difference every day.

09/04/2026

A message I truly believe every service member and their family needs to hear.

Life after the military can change what feels normal in ways that are hard to put into words. So many veterans live with things like chronic pain, anxiety, hypervigilance, and sleep disorders long after their service ends. And what often happens is we get used to those symptoms. We push through them. We start to see them as just part of daily life.

Family members often notice those changes first. And those changes can quietly affect relationships, work, and social life in ways that deserve real attention, not just toughing it out.

Here is the heart of this message.

Just because something has become part of your daily routine does not mean it should be ignored. Understanding how your service has shaped you and your family is one of the most powerful steps toward finding real support, real healing, and real answers.

You have already given so much. You deserve to feel supported in every chapter that comes next. Not just during service. After it too.

Text, call, or DM me anytime. Follow along for more encouragement that helps veterans and military families thrive in the next season of life.

09/04/2026

This week's housing market update is focused on something every buyer and seller is watching: inflation and what the Federal Reserve does next.

Recent economic data continues to show that inflation remains a major factor influencing the Fed's decisions. Policymakers are balancing the goal of keeping inflation under control while supporting a healthy economy. That balancing act is producing uncertainty in the rate environment and that uncertainty is trickling down directly into buyer and seller behavior.

But here is the thing about uncertainty in real estate that most people miss.

For consumers uncertainty feels like a reason to wait. For real estate professionals uncertainty is an opportunity to become the most trusted voice in the room.

Your clients do not need someone who can predict exactly what the Fed will do next or where rates will land in six months. Nobody can do that reliably. What they need is someone who can clearly explain what is happening right now and help them understand what their actual options are in this specific environment.

That is the value you can provide that no algorithm or headline can replace.

This is a great time to reconnect with your database. Check in with past clients who may be watching the news and wondering what it means for them. Educate buyers who have been waiting for the perfect moment that may never arrive exactly as they imagined it.

The agents and lenders who consistently provide real value and help people make informed decisions will be the ones who stay top of mind when opportunities arise. And opportunities are arising right now for buyers who understand how to use the current market.

09/03/2026

Veterans, this is a big one and it is in your favor.

If collections on your credit report have had you thinking a VA loan is off the table reach out before you assume that is still true. Because the rules changed.

The VA updated how collections are handled and here is what that means for you.

Medical collections and charged-off medical accounts are no longer counted against you. Not in your qualifying ratios. Not in your residual income calculation. Gone. If medical debt has been the thing standing between you and a VA loan that barrier may no longer exist.

For non-medical collections without a set monthly payment lenders now use 5 percent of the balance in the ratios rather than the full balance. That is a significant reduction in how much those collections weigh against your qualification.

And here is the part that surprises most veterans: the VA does not require you to pay off collections to qualify. Your full credit picture is what matters. Not just the negative items.

If you were told no years ago based on collections on your credit report that answer may be completely different today. The guidelines changed and a denial under the old rules is not a denial under the current ones.

Veterans do not let an old no be your final answer. Reach out and let's find out what you actually qualify for right now.

And realtors this is one you need to know too. Share this with your veteran buyers.

Address

1000 South Pine Island
Plantation, FL
33324

Telephone

+17274217517

Website

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