Salvatore Criscuolo - The Mortgage Expert

11/02/2026

Most buyers ask about the house first. Smart buyers ask about the file first. Get your income, assets, and debts organized before you tour, so you know what you can actually carry and what needs work. That prep saves stress when the right place shows up. Want a second set of eyes on your plan? Text 718-869-4795

10/30/2026

A pre-approval is not a guess. Before a lender writes that letter, we verify your income, your assets, and your credit, and we match it to the loan program that fits your purchase. That is why sellers and listing agents take a full pre-approval seriously, and why a two minute online estimate falls apart once you are under contract. If you are thinking about buying this fall, get the real letter first. Questions, text me at 718-869-4795.

10/06/2026

Teachers!

10/01/2026

Your closing estimate has a line called title insurance and most buyers just pay it without asking what it is.

Here is the plain version. Before you buy, someone searches the property's history for liens, old claims, and ownership problems. Title insurance protects you if something from the past shows up after you own the place.

A contractor's unpaid bill from years ago. An old heir who claims they own part of the house. These things happen more than you think.

It is a one-time cost at closing, not a monthly bill. And unlike most closing costs, this one actually protects you.

Text 718-869-4795 and I will walk you through every line on your estimate before you sign.

09/30/2026

You found the house. You still own the house. Now what.

Yes, you can buy before you sell. The real question is whether your income can carry both payments until the old place sells, because the lender qualifies you on the full picture, not the plan in your head.

Some buyers sell first and rent back. Some buy with a contingency. Some carry both for a few months. The right move depends on your equity, your cash, and how fast homes move in your town.

Do not guess on this one. The wrong order costs real money.

Text 718-869-4795 and I will walk you through your numbers both ways.

09/29/2026

Your closing estimate has a line called mortgage tax and it looks like a mistake. It is not. New York charges a tax on recording your mortgage. Buyers in most states never see it. Here, it is real money on every purchase and refinance. The good news is the lender can structure around part of it with a CEMA on a refinance, and on purchases your attorney and lender plan for it upfront so it does not ambush you at the table. If nobody explained your mortgage tax to you before you signed the contract, that is a problem. Text 718-869-4795 and I will walk you through what yours should look like.

09/29/2026

Want to build instead of buy? You don't need two loans and two closings. One application. One closing. One loan. That's the All In One construction loan. Text 718-869-4795 and I'll walk you through it.

09/28/2026

Rates crossed 7% again. Now what?

The 30-year averaged 7.03% last week, the first time above 7 since January of last year. Five straight weeks of climbing. If you've been waiting for the perfect rate to buy, stop waiting and start planning.

A rate is a number. Your plan is what matters. Price, down payment, program, timing. Get those right and the rate becomes a detail you handle later.

Private review. Straight answers. Text 718-869-4795.

09/10/2026

05/08/2026

Before you sign another expensive lease, know your number.

Some people should rent. Some people are closer to buying than they think.

The mistake is signing another year without checking.

Text INFO to 718-869-4795.