1st Choice Lending

1st Choice Lending Mortgage | Mortgage Lending | Mortgage Broker | Home Loans | San Fernando | CA | 91340 1st Choice Lending Inc.

is a full-service mortgage lending firm in San Fernando a Valley, CA . Our commitment to high quality client service and customer satisfaction has made us a leader in the San fernando Valley Mortgage Industry. Believing in having clients for life has been the foundation of our success.

1st Choice Lending has become an expert in working with the 1st time home buyer from government financing, Conve

ntional to Private money our staff is committed to tailoring the right loan for you. The mortgage ompany offers personalized services at no cost including a three year rate protection guarantee. This allows past clients to take advantage of a lower rate at no cost if interest rates were to go down within the first 36 months

History

Established in 2007

Anthony Barcenas the broker/owner of 1st Choice Lending graduated from Cal-State Northridge in 2001, since then he has helped many homeowners purchase their first home. Standing behind his mission statement of having clients for life he has built a successful mortgage company where 80% of all business is by referrals from past clients, CPA's, insurance agents and realtors. Mortgage Services

We are a full service mortgage broker offering diverse range of products

- Traditional 30 years, 15 years and ARM products
- Fixed ARM products-interests only 3,5,7,10 year ARM
- Jumbo fixed and ARM products
- FHA loans with credit loans as low as 560
- FHA streamline loans
- VA loans to $1,000,000
- FHA short refinance
- Private funding( No Income loans)

The questions you're afraid to ask are the ones you need answered most.Am I too old at 45? Is 590 credit too low? Can my...
06/01/2026

The questions you're afraid to ask are the ones you need answered most.

Am I too old at 45? Is 590 credit too low? Can my parents help with the down payment? What if I had a bankruptcy? What if I'm self-employed?

Every Valley buyer we've closed had a question they thought would disqualify them. It didn't. The past isn't a verdict — it's context we build around.

Nobody is born knowing how a mortgage works. If your lender makes you feel dumb for asking, the problem is the lender. Not you.

Call Anthony at First Choice Lending — San Fernando branch. Bring the question you've been holding back.

No shame. No judgment. Just math.

We make it easy.

05/29/2026

$700K Valley home. Your lender quotes you $4,315/month.

But that's only principal and interest. Your real monthly payment adds property taxes ($730), homeowners insurance ($200), PMI if you're under 20% down ($300), and HOA if applicable ($0-650).

Real number: $5,545/month. Not $4,315.

That's $1,230 more every month. $442,800 over a 30-year loan. Real money, not rounding.

The Mortgage Clarity Method means you see the real number before you tour the house.

Call Anthony at First Choice Lending — San Fernando branch.

We make it easy.

05/27/2026

What your mortgage payment actually includes — the full math on a $700K Valley home.

When a lender quotes you a monthly payment, most of them only show you one number: principal and interest. On a $700K San Fernando Valley home with 5% down at 6.75%, that's roughly $4,315/month. That's not your payment. Your real payment has four more parts — and they add up to real money.

Principal and Interest — $4,315/month.
What the bank charges you for the loan itself. This is what your lender quotes. This is the number in ads. This is not your payment.

Property Taxes — about $730/month.
Los Angeles County property tax runs around 1.25% of the purchase price annually. On a $700K home, that's $8,750/year. Collected monthly through escrow so you're not hit with a big bill. Non-negotiable, but tax-deductible up to the SALT cap.

Homeowners Insurance — about $200/month.
Standard Valley coverage runs $1,800-$3,600/year. Higher in fire-zone areas like the hills, Porter Ranch, parts of Chatsworth. Lender-required. We help you shop insurance before closing so it's not a last-minute surprise.

PMI — about $300/month (if under 20% down).
Private Mortgage Insurance when you put less than 20% down on a conventional loan. $30-$400 per month per $100K borrowed, depending on credit. Drops off automatically at 22% equity — usually 4-6 years in. Factor it in, plan to remove it.

HOA — $0 to $650/month (if applicable).
Condos, townhouses, and many planned communities in Studio City, Woodland Hills, and Porter Ranch have HOA dues. Single-family homes without an HOA: zero. We factor this in before you love the house.

Your real monthly payment: $4,315 + $730 + $200 + $300 = about $5,545/month. Not $4,315.

That's a $1,230/month difference. Over a 30-year loan, that's $442,800 — real money, not rounding.

Most buyers find out these numbers one by one, usually after they've already offered. The Mortgage Clarity Method means you know them first. Before you tour. Before you fall in love.

Call Anthony at First Choice Lending — San Fernando branch — and we'll run your real numbers on any Valley home you're considering. No guessing. No "roughly." The actual payment.

We make it easy.

What a $700K Valley home actually costs you — the full math on your monthly payment.Most lenders quote one number: princ...
05/27/2026

What a $700K Valley home actually costs you — the full math on your monthly payment.

Most lenders quote one number: principal and interest. That's only about 78% of your real payment.

Swipe through for the full breakdown:

P&I: $4,315
+ Property taxes: $730 (LA County 1.25%/yr)
+ Homeowners insurance: $200
+ PMI (if under 20% down): $300
+ HOA (if applicable): $0–$650
= Real monthly payment: ~$5,545

That $1,230/month difference is $442,800 over 30 years. Real money.

The Mortgage Clarity Method means you see this number on day one, not at the closing table.

Call Anthony at First Choice Lending — San Fernando branch.

We make it easy.

The number on your quote isn't the number you pay.Your lender shows you principal and interest. Your actual payment has ...
05/25/2026

The number on your quote isn't the number you pay.

Your lender shows you principal and interest. Your actual payment has four more parts: property taxes, homeowners insurance, PMI (if under 20% down), and HOA (if applicable).

Most Valley buyers learn this at the closing table. We think that's backwards — you should know it before you tour the house.

A $700K Sherman Oaks home isn't a $4,300 payment. It's $5,500.

Same house. Same loan. Just the full math. That changes what you buy.

Call Anthony at First Choice Lending — San Fernando branch — for your real numbers.

We make it easy.

05/22/2026

Quote A says 6.5% rate. Quote B says 6.6%. Most Valley buyers pick A. Most Valley buyers pick wrong.

The trap: rate is only half the story.

Rate = what the bank charges for the money.
APR = rate + fees rolled in.
APR is always higher than rate. Always.

A 6.5% rate with a 7.2% APR is a worse deal than a 6.6% rate with a 6.8% APR — because APR captures the full cost, including origination, discount points, and certain closing costs.

Always compare APR. Not rate.

Call Anthony at First Choice Lending — San Fernando branch — and we'll itemize every fee before it shows up.

We make it easy.

Downey's quietest Memorial Day moment is on Gardendale Street.Every May, the Downey Cemetery District places flags at th...
05/21/2026

Downey's quietest Memorial Day moment is on Gardendale Street.

Every May, the Downey Cemetery District places flags at the graves of the more than 9,000 souls resting at Downey City Cemetery — including veterans from the Civil War through the Gulf War.

If you live in Downey or anywhere nearby, the Memorial Day observance there is worth your morning.

A few notes:

- Downey Cemetery — 9073 Gardendale Street.
- American Legion Post #270 supports the observance each year.
- Call the cemetery district at (562) 904-7238 to confirm Monday's program time.

We're proud to call Downey home — one of three offices, alongside San Fernando and Reseda. Memorial Day reminds us why the families we work with here mean so much.

Thank you to every service member who shaped this community.

Memorial Day morning at the Los Angeles National Cemetery is one of the quietest, most powerful moments in the city.The ...
05/21/2026

Memorial Day morning at the Los Angeles National Cemetery is one of the quietest, most powerful moments in the city.

The cemetery in Westwood hosts an annual commemoration — one of the largest in Southern California, open to the public.

If you're planning to attend Monday, May 25, a few notes:

- Get there early. Parking fills fast, and the surrounding streets fill faster.
- Bring water and something to sit on. The lawn is full sun by mid-morning.
- The ceremony is open to the public. No ticket needed.
- Check the VA's National Cemetery Administration site for the official program time before you go.

We'll be thinking about every name on every stone — and every family carrying their memory forward.

To the vets and active-duty service members in the Valley, Downey, Reseda, and everywhere in between: thank you, today and every day.

Call (818) 837-6600 if you'd like to talk about VA home benefits after the weekend.

Your DD-214 still opens doors in 2026's housing market. Most vets we meet don't realize how many.A few things worth know...
05/21/2026

Your DD-214 still opens doors in 2026's housing market. Most vets we meet don't realize how many.

A few things worth knowing if you served:

- $0 down still applies. No PMI.
- A service-connected disability rating? The VA funding fee is waived. Real money back at closing.
- In LA County, the VA loan limit follows the conforming limit — you can buy more home than you think before "jumbo VA" enters the picture.
- Condos are eligible. The VA-approved list has grown. We can check a specific building in one phone call.

Twenty years guiding families home — across the Valley, Downey, and Reseda. If your DD-214 has been sitting in a drawer, this is a good week to dust it off.

Call (818) 837-6600 or DM us. We'll pull your benefit summary together.

Mortgage terms decoded — no jargon, just plain English.Every week we meet San Fernando Valley buyers who've been quoted ...
05/20/2026

Mortgage terms decoded — no jargon, just plain English.

Every week we meet San Fernando Valley buyers who've been quoted a "good rate" — but can't explain what half the terms actually mean. Here are the six that matter most.

→ APR vs Rate — always compare APR, not rate
→ PMI — insurance when you put under 20% down
→ Escrow — a neutral third party holds funds
→ DTI — debts ÷ income, capped around 43-50%
→ Closing Costs — 2-5% of home price
→ Discount Points — pay upfront to lower rate

Swipe for the full breakdown, then save this for your move.

Every term you'll see at signing shows up in our first conversation. That's the Mortgage Clarity Method.

Call Anthony at First Choice Lending — San Fernando branch.

We make it easy.

Address

1027 N Maclay Avenue
San Fernando, CA
91340

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 7:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 7:30pm
Thursday 9am - 7:30pm
Friday 9am - 7:30pm

Telephone

+18188376600

Website

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