Julie Green - The Mortgage Gram nmls 236490

09/13/2026

Meanwhile, somewhere in St. Louis, a parent is saying:

“We bought our first house for $20,000. Why can’t you just save more?” 😂

Different house prices. Different rates. Different everything.

And thankfully, today’s buyers may have more options than the family group chat realizes when it comes to down payment, gift funds, assistance programs, and how much cash they actually need upfront.

So yes, listen to your parents.

Just maybe not for mortgage math. 😂

Send this to the family member still using 1981 as the benchmark.

09/11/2026

Buying on one income is not risky because you have one paycheck.

It gets risky when the plan uses nearly all of it.

Before you choose a price range, build your own payment ceiling with five numbers:

1️⃣ Monthly take home pay. Use what actually lands in your account after taxes, insurance, and retirement deductions.

2️⃣ Fixed obligations. Include car payments, student loans, credit card minimums, child care, support, insurance, and anything else that has to be paid.

3️⃣ Normal life. Use real averages for groceries, gas, health costs, subscriptions, and personal spending. Do not use your best month.

4️⃣ Future homeowner costs. Estimate utilities, routine maintenance, and a repair buffer. These are separate from the loan payment.

5️⃣ Savings target. Decide how much you want to keep saving each month and the minimum cash you refuse to go below after closing.

Now calculate:

Take home pay
Minus fixed obligations
Minus normal life
Minus future homeowner costs
Minus your monthly savings target
Equals your personal ceiling for the total housing payment
Ask your MLO to price the home using the full payment: principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance when applicable, and HOA dues.
If the verified payment is above your ceiling, the home is too expensive for your plan even if the loan is approved.

Save this for later.

Send it to someone who needs to see it.

09/10/2026

Here’s the simplest way to route common homebuying questions:

Ask your Realtor about the property, offer, negotiations, inspection strategy and transaction timeline.
Ask your mortgage professional about qualification, loan options, payment estimates and financing documents.
Ask the title company or attorney about ownership records, title issues, closing documents and legal questions within their role.
Ask your insurance professional about coverage, premiums, deductibles and insurability.
A strong team coordinates closely without pretending every question belongs to one person.

Save this contact map for later.

Send it to someone who needs to see this

09/09/2026

If your lease ends next spring, the renewal notice can become the deadline that makes the decision for you.

Before you tour anything, open your lease and write down:

1️⃣ The exact lease end date.

2️⃣ The date your non renewal notice is due and how it must be delivered.

3️⃣ The cost and rules for going month to month or ending the lease early.

4️⃣ Your target closing window.

5️⃣ Your backup plan if closing moves.

Then choose your overlap plan:

OPTION A: A short overlap may mean paying rent and a mortgage around the same time, but it gives you breathing room to move and absorb a delayed closing.

OPTION B: Little or no overlap reduces duplicate housing expense, but it requires a backup place to stay and a moving plan that does not depend on a perfect closing date.

OPTION C: A month to month bridge can create flexibility when the lease allows it. Confirm the new rent, notice requirement, and minimum stay first.

Now make the decision with four numbers:

• Your maximum full monthly housing payment.

• Your lender’s estimated cash to close.

• The cash needed outside closing for inspections, moving, utility setup, and any planned overlap.

• The minimum savings you refuse to spend.

Ask your lender to price the home using the full monthly payment, including principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance when applicable, and HOA dues.

If one of those four numbers is missing, the plan is not ready yet.

Save this for later.

Send it to someone who needs to see this.

09/09/2026

Ask your lender these four questions 👇

1. What is the annual percentage rate?

It is easy to focus only on the interest rate, but the APR gives you a better look at the total cost of the loan because it includes the rate plus certain fees.

When comparing lenders, compare the APR too.

2. Can I make payments every two weeks?

Paying half of your monthly payment every two weeks adds up to 13 fullpayments each year instead of 12. That extra payment can help you pay down your mortgage faster and save on interest.

If your lender does not offer this option, ask whether you can make extra principal payments on your own.

3. Do you offer mortgage recasting, and what does it cost?

Recasting allows you to put a lump sum toward your mortgage balance. Your lender then recalculates the loan, which can lower your monthly payment.

This may be helpful if you have extra cash to put toward the loan but refinancing does not make sense. Just remember that not every lender offers it.

4. Can you send me a full closing cost estimate with every fee listed?

This helps you see exactly what you are being charged. It also makes it much easier to compare lenders, ask questions, and possibly negotiate a better deal.

Bonus question:

5. Do you have relationships with listing agents in the St Louis area?

A lender with a strong local reputation can help make your offer feel more dependable. If the listing agent knows your lender communicates well and closes loans on time, that extra confidence could help in a competitive situation.

The right lender should be happy to answer all of these questions.

Save this before your next lender conversation.

09/08/2026

Our annual Block Party is coming right up! Come for some free food, drink, and live music right in the heart of Kirkwood!!
Click the link below to register!!!

Join The Collective for a free, family-friendly block party in Kirkwood on September 25, featuring live music, games, delicious food and community fun. RSVP today.

09/08/2026

Labor Day always feels like summer’s final deep breath.

The patios are still full, the grills are still going, and families are squeezing in one more afternoon at [local park, beach, lake, or neighborhood spot].

The days may be getting shorter, but there is still time for one more sunset, one more backyard dinner, and one more evening that lasts longer than planned.

This weekend is not only about saying goodbye to summer.

It is about slowing down long enough to enjoy what is still here.

What ordinary moment from this summer do you already know you’ll miss?

09/07/2026

You can admire the destination.

You can picture the kitchen.

You can even decide where the couch will go.

But without a financing plan, you are still standing at the airport without a ticket.

09/06/2026

This is a fun choice, but it also shows why mortgage strategy is personal.

A lower payment helps the monthly budget.

A seller credit may reduce cash needed at closing.

A future refinance only matters if it is available and financially worthwhile.

No closing costs usually means the cost is covered somewhere else in the loan structure.

Which one are you choosing ?

09/02/2026

Mortgage advice online can sound very confident.

Then a buyer tries the tip and finds out their loan program, credit, debts, state rules, or cash reserves tell a different story.

That does not mean every tip is wrong. It means the smartest move is the one that has been tested against your actual numbers.

Save this before you make a mortgage decision based on one viral slide.

Send it to someone who needs to see this.