Mark & Darci Richardson - Richardson Lending Team

11/03/2026

Check out our November Newsletter!

Email from Richardson Lending Team What's New in the Housing Market?   Your Home Equity: Something to Be Thankful For November is a season of gratitude, and for homeowners, there's one financial benef

11/02/2026

New Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Appraisal System Starting Today, November 2, 2026
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are updating how home appraisals are reported. The new system, called UAD 3.6, replaces several older forms with one flexible report that includes more consistent property details and updated photo requirements.

For buyers and sellers, the biggest change is how information about the home is collected and presented. The new format does not automatically raise or lower a home’s appraised value. Appraisal time frame may have a delay, and we will let you know once we start to see this.

The transition is scheduled for November 2, 2026, with additional time available to lenders granted an exception.

👉What’s changing

🏡What it can mean for buyers and sellers - One flexible appraisal report replaces several older forms.

🏡The report will adapt to the property type, such as a single-family home or condo. It will look different from previous appraisals.

🏡More standardized property details.

🏡Features and characteristics will be documented more consistently, helping lenders review the property information.

🏡Updated photo and image requirements.

🏡Depending on the property and appraisal type, additional photos or documentation may be needed. Sellers should coordinate access with their agent.

🏡More structured reporting of condition and quality.

🏡Accurate information about renovations, repairs, and the home’s condition will help support the appraisal process.

🏡Practical steps for your clients:

🏡Buyers: Ask your lender about appraisal timing and respond promptly to requests for information.
Sellers: Have a list of improvements and repairs available, and make requested areas accessible.
Both: Allow room for follow-up questions during the transition. Extra requests or timing changes are possible, rather than guaranteed.

🏡The new format does not automatically increase or decrease a home’s value. It also does not guarantee a higher appraisal or eliminate the possibility of an appraisal coming in below the contract price.

🏡 Realtors: They may be appraisal delays, but at this time we won't know, but will keep you updated as the new appraisal reports start being received.

Mark & Darci Richardson, The Richardson Lending Team, your go-to Mortgage Brokers for over 30 years!

📲 (805)304-2900
📥[email protected]
💻www.MarkandDarci.com
NMLS #238158 / NMLS #1905147

10/16/2026

Yes, we rank everything like a loan. Halloween never stood a chance.🎃

Full-size bar people, you want one payment for 30 years, and you never want to think about it again.🍫

Fun size people, you figured out that getting in the door beats waiting for perfect.

Candy corn people, you’ve been defending your choices since kindergarten, and as long as you have a plan for when that rate adjusts, respect.

Raisin people, everyone else assumed they didn’t qualify, and you actually asked. Secretly a superpower.

Tell me which one you’re shopping for, and we will run the numbers for you.

– We are Mark & Darci, your mortgage specialists for over 30 years!

Follow along for honest takes on buying, rates, and what nobody explains about getting a mortgage.

P.S. Most of our clients start by sending us a message right here on Instagram, so don’t be shy! Or feel free to reach out by phone or email☺️

📲 (805)304-2900
📥[email protected]
💻www.MarkandDarci.com
NMLS #238158 / NMLS #1905147

10/14/2026

Honestly, our call history would not hold up well in court either. But every strange thing we say gets someone one step closer to their keys.

Thinking about 🏡 buying? Let’s talk before you start touring homes.

— Mark & Darci, your go to mortgage broker for over 30 years!

10/12/2026

Please keep us in your thoughts
Nothing is wrong; we just want you to think about us when “just looking” becomes “what’s my payment 🏡

How many listings are sitting in your camera roll right now? Be honest.

Next time you screenshot one, don’t just wonder. The answer to “could I afford this?” isn’t the list price. It’s the monthly payment and the cash you’d need at closing, and it’s easier to figure out than most people think.

Send us the screenshot, and we will walk you through what that home would actually cost you each month.



— If we haven’t met yet, we are Mark & Darci, mortgage brokers helping buyers plan a payment that fits their budget.

📲 (805)304-2900
📥[email protected]
💻www.MarkandDarci.com
NMLS #238158 / NMLS #1905147

10/10/2026

Closing a loan is one thing, but being there for your clients after the loan closes is another. We are blessed to work with so many wonderful clients and to always be there for them after the closing on their home.

There will always be questions regarding something that comes in the mail: "Is it spam or real?", Do I need to fill out this paperwork? When do I pay my property taxes? Can I purchase a new car now that we have closed escrow? Do you have a recommendation of a contractor? These are all important questions for homeowners, and we will always be there to assist them.

We treat our clients as clients for life, and look forward to helping their friends and family along the way❤️

We pride ourselves on being available 7 days a week, and evenings too. Your time matters, and we want to make everything less stressful for you. Thinking of purchasing a home, or considering a reverse mortgage? Let us help you.

Mark & Darci, your mortgage brokers for over 30 years and counting. We love what we do!
📲 (805)304-2900
📥[email protected]
💻www.MarkandDarci.com
NMLS #238158 / NMLS #1905147

10/08/2026

Some people call us "Mark & Darci"
Some people call us "The Richardson Lending Team"
Some people call us Maurice- no, just kidding 😅

We just want you to call us before you start touring houses, not after

Most people call a mortgage broker after they have already found the house.

By then they are guessing at a budget, rushing a pre-approval, and hoping the payment still works once taxes and insurance show up.

Call before that part. A first conversation with us is short, and here is what it actually gets you: what your payment looks like at the price you are eyeing, all in, what needs to happen with your credit, savings, or paperwork before you are ready, and a straight answer on whether now makes sense for you, or whether a few more months puts you in a stronger spot.

And if the numbers do not work yet, we will tell you that too, even when it means no loan for us today.

Send us a message with “just curious” or “ready,” and we will take it from there. Both are good places to start.



🔑Mark & Darci, your mortgage brokers for over 30 years, helping first-time buyers understand their financing options.

📲 (805)304-2900
📥[email protected]
💻www.MarkandDarci.com
NMLS #238158 / NMLS #1905147

10/06/2026

Down payment help isn’t always free money, here’s how to tell 👇



👉GRANT

Money toward your down payment or closing costs that usually does not have to be paid back.

Ask: Are there any conditions, like living in the home for a set time?



👉FORGIVABLE LOAN

A loan that goes away over time if you follow the rules, usually by living in the home for a set number of years.

Ask: What happens if I sell or refinance before it’s forgiven?



👉DEFERRED LOAN

No monthly payment now. The full amount comes due later, usually when you sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage.

Ask: When exactly is it due, and does the amount grow over time?



👉SECOND MORTGAGE

A second loan with its own monthly payment, on top of your first mortgage.

Ask: What is the payment, and what does it do to my total monthly cost?

The one question to ask before you accept any of them:

“Do I ever have to pay this back, and if so, when?”

Send me the name of the program you are looking at, and I will tell you in plain English which of these four it is.



— Mark & Darci, your go-to mortgage brokers for over 30 years 😍

09/30/2026

These are the messages we save. 🤍

Not because they praise a closing, but because they show what happened before it.

Being recommended to someone you care about is never a small thing to us.

It means you trusted us enough to put our name in front of someone you love.

To every client who has sent our name into a family group chat, thank you.



— If we haven’t met yet, we are Mark & Darci Richardson, your go-to mortgage broker for 30 years and serving 48 states.

📲 (805)304-2900
📥[email protected]
💻www.MarkandDarci.com
NMLS #238158 / NMLS #1905147

09/28/2026

Your pre-approval can be current on paper but outdated in practice.

Before your next offer, run this 15 minute refresh:

1️⃣ Check the letter

Find the issue date and any expiration date. Ask your lender what becomes stale first for your loan: credit, income, asset statements, or the letter itself. Do not assume they all follow the same clock.

2️⃣ Rebuild the payment for the actual address

Ask for principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, and HOA dues. Your original approval may have used an older rate or a generic tax and insurance estimate.

3️⃣ Report what changed

New job? Different hours? Smaller bonus? Higher card balance? New car loan? Student loan payment changed? Money moved between accounts? Tell your broker before it is discovered during an offer deadline.

4️⃣ Recheck your cash cushion

Verified funds today
Minus estimated cash to close
Minus the reserve you refuse to spend
Equals your real cushion after closing

5️⃣ Build the offer plan

Ask whether credit needs to be reviewed again, which documents to upload now, how fast a letter can be updated, and who can help if the offer happens at night or on a weekend. We work 7 days a week, and evening too 😉

Then get these four numbers in writing:

• Maximum price

• Full estimated monthly payment

• Estimated cash to close

• Cash expected to remain after closing

Save this for later.

Send it to someone who needs to see this.



— Mark & Darci, your go-to mortgage broker!

📲 (805)304-2900
📥[email protected]
💻www.MarkandDarci.com
NMLS #238158 / NMLS #1905147