Sheila Merrill

05/06/2026

If you’re holding off because it’s not the dream house… we get it.

But here’s what most people learn after they buy:
Your starter home isn’t supposed to check every box.
It’s supposed to change your position.

A starter home can do 3️⃣ powerful things:

1. Gets you out of “waiting mode” and into ownership
2. Helps you build equity over time instead of paying a landlord
3. Gives you options later (sell, rent it out, or use the equity to move up)

And no, this isn’t permission to buy something you’ll regret…
It’s a reminder that “perfect” is often the enemy of “possible.”

If you’re a buyer right now, which one feels like your biggest hang-up?
Price, location, layout, or condition?

Comment one word and we’ll give you a smart way to think about it.

05/04/2026

🍎 Teacher Appreciation Week Reminder:
Before you fall in love with a house, ask these two questions:

1) Does our state HFA have a “community heroes” option?
That’s where a lot of educator-specific help lives, and it can include down payment help.

2) Is there an educator rate benefit available in-state?
Some programs offer a modest rate reduction, but eligibility can depend on income, location, or property type.

Teacher programs aren’t one-size-fits-all. They’re location-driven and often require the right setup from the beginning.

If you want, we’ll help you create a simple “teacher eligibility checklist” before you start shopping so the financing matches the home you choose.

Just shoot us a message and we’ll be happy to help!

Share with a teacher you know!

05/01/2026

🎓Graduation season brings a lot of big questions.

New job.
New city.
Student loans.
Rent.

And for some families, a new question:
Should we help them buy a home? 🏡

For many parents, the instinct is generous but the strategy is unclear.

Helping a soon-to-be college graduate does not always mean buying the home for them...

Sometimes it means helping with down payment funds.
Sometimes it means covering closing costs. Sometimes it means helping them improve credit, reduce debt, or make a smart plan for the next 12 to 24 months.

✅ The key is this:
Just because a parent can help does not mean buying now is automatically the right move.

The best conversations look at the full picture:
- income
- monthly comfort
- job stability
- debt
- timeline
- and whether homeownership supports the next chapter of life

The goal is not just to help them buy.
It is to help them buy well.

Because the best gift may not be money alone.
It may be a strategy they can build a future on.

04/29/2026

A lot of people look at a mortgage payment and only see what it costs today.

The better question is what that same payment may feel like over time.

If inflation keeps doing what inflation does, the dollars you use to make that payment 10 years from now may not carry the same weight they do today.

That means a fixed mortgage payment can become easier to carry relative to future income and future prices, even though the number itself never changed.

That does not mean buying a home is always the right move.
It does mean the conversation should be bigger than rate alone.

The smartest buyers and homeowners do not just ask:
“What is the payment?”

We help them discover the answer to this ask instead:
“What is this payment doing for me over the next 10 years?”

That is what makes us different. We help buyers unpack a real mortgage strategy in a world with so much noise and confusion.

The easiest first baby step is a 15-minute “dreams and goals” call. No credit pull, no application, and zero pressure.

Ready when you are. 😃

04/27/2026

A lot of serious buyers are still asking the same question:

🙋 “Should I wait?”

The problem is, waiting for the perfect rate does not automatically create the perfect outcome.

A smart move is not about guessing the market.
It is about knowing your numbers, your timeline, your comfort level, and your options.

The buyers who move with clarity usually feel better than the buyers who wait with anxiety.

The goal is not to rush. The goal is to make a decision with a strategy.

If buying is on your mind this spring, start with the strategy before the search.

04/24/2026

🌷Spring buyers don’t win by guessing right. They win by preparing right.

Every spring, the market speeds up.
More listings, more movement, and yes, more competition.

And when things feel uncertain, most people do the same thing: they scroll homes first… and figure out financing later.

That’s backwards.

If you want to compete without overpaying or panicking, you need 3 things before you tour:
• Clarity on what you can comfortably afford
• A real cash plan (not a rough estimate)
• An approval and offer strategy that makes sellers feel confident

We just published a full step-by-step plan for buying this spring, including how to move fast without rushing into the wrong decision.

If you want the full version, comment SPRING and we’ll send it.

04/22/2026

Mortgage rates move. Headlines promote clickbait. And that’s exactly when people make expensive decisions.

But here's what I wish more people understood... A lower payment doesn’t automatically mean a better mortgage.
Sometimes it just means you changed the math in a way that looks good monthly… but costs more long-term.

That's why, before you refinance, we like to check 3 things:

1) Your break-even point
How many months does it take for the monthly savings to cover the closing costs?
If you’re not staying in the home long enough, the “win” can disappear fast.

2) Whether you’re resetting the clock
Refinancing back into a new 30-year term can lower the payment, but it can also increase the total interest you pay over time.

3) Whether your balance is creeping up
If fees get rolled into the loan, your balance can grow even while your payment drops. That’s not always wrong, but it should be a conscious choice, not an accident.

And this matters right now because the market has been bouncing around, and rate shifts can make people feel like they have to act fast.

Freddie Mac’s weekly survey even noted a recent dip after several weeks of increases, which is usually when “panic refis” spike.

This is what makes us different. We help you make mortgage moves based on a plan, not a headline.

If you want, message us “snapshot,” and we’ll map out the three numbers for your mortgage so you can decide with confidence.

04/20/2026

Graduation season is exciting… and financially noisy.

The biggest trap we see with new grads isn’t “bad money habits.”

It’s no system. So every raise disappears into lifestyle creep.

Here’s a simple setup we tell families to use for a first paycheck:

1) Safety comes first
Start an emergency fund. Not huge. Just enough to keep surprises from turning into debt.

2) Future You gets paid automatically
Even a small recurring amount into a Roth IRA or retirement account can build momentum. The habit is the win.

3) Freedom gets a plan
This is your down payment fund, plus the real costs of adulthood: moving, deposits, car repairs, insurance, and the stuff nobody warns you about.

Why we’re sharing this during Financial Literacy Month:
A lot of people think wealth is one big decision.
It’s usually a bunch of small decisions that repeat.

And when rates and markets move (they always do), the people with a plan feel calmer.

Freddie Mac’s latest weekly update showed rates can dip after weeks of increases, which is exactly why “reacting” is expensive and “planning” is powerful.

If you know a soon-to-be grad, send them this.

And if you’re a parent helping them launch, ask us for our “First Paycheck Checklist” so they start adulthood with confidence.

04/17/2026

Divorce doesn’t remove you from a mortgage.
If both names are on the loan… both people are still responsible.

Before you sign anything, know your options and have a plan, it can save you a lot of stress (and money).

Want our Divorce + Mortgage Planning Checklist?
Comment “PLAN” and I’ll send it over.

04/15/2026

Most people think homeownership is just about having a place to live. But it is one of the most powerful wealth-building tools available.

In the Generational Wealth Report, Danielle Hale found that households who bought around age 30 had 22% more net worth by age 50 than those who waited. That is about $119,000 more for the typical household.

As she explains, a mortgage becomes a “forced savings mechanism” where you are consistently investing in yourself over time.

This is what we mean when we say it is bigger than the transaction. It is about building long-term financial freedom.

04/13/2026

Can you unscramble today's mystery word?

Scrambled: I Y E Q U T

Drop your guess below!

03/29/2026

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260326569749/en/Better-and-Coinbase-Launch-the-First-Token-Backed-Conforming-Mortgage

You no longer have to sell your crypto to buy a home. With the new partnership between Better Home & Finance and Coinbase, buyers can now use digital assets like Bitcoin or USDC as collateral for a down payment—while keeping their investments intact.

💡 This is exactly why strategy matters more than ever in today’s market. There are more options than most people realize… you just need the right plan.

👉 If you’re holding crypto (or any non-traditional assets) and wondering how it could work for homeownership—let’s talk.

Better Home & Finance Holding Company (NASDAQ: BETR), and Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN), today announced a milestone partnership to bring token-backed mortgages to...