Cara Hunt Erickson, Sr. Mortgage Banker, NMLS #834056, licensed in VA & NC

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Cara Hunt Erickson, Sr. Mortgage Banker, NMLS #834056, licensed in VA & NC

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Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, LLC NMLS 72043

Equal Opportunity Lender

www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

Helping homeowners with their financing journey.

11/02/2026

Rates fell AGAIN.

The 30-year dropped to 7.24%, the lowest level all month and the second weekly decline in a row. That’s about $44/month back on a $400K loan compared with two weeks ago.

Meanwhile in the 757: the Navy just closed a $1.7 BILLION deal to build or renovate 8,000 barracks beds across Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Newport News.

And if you work in NC: Raleigh and Chapel Hill have 4+ months of supply, compared with about 3 in Hampton Roads. More inventory = more room to negotiate.

The move? Ask for a seller credit, not a price cut. The same $9,400 saves your buyer $520 a month instead of $64. (Slide 4)

Save this for your next offer. Questions on a deal? DM me or call/text.

#757

Information is for educational purposes only and should not be relied upon by you. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All loans subject to income verification, credit approval and property appraisal. Not a commitment to lend. Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, L.L.C. NMLS #72043 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Located at 600 Lynnhaven Parkway Suite 100 Virginia Beach, VA 23452.

10/29/2026

Builders are nervous, and that could be good news for you.

Nationally, builder confidence just hit its lowest level since 2012, and 43% of builders cut prices last month. If you’re shopping new construction in Hampton Roads, there may be real room to negotiate. But the best deal isn’t always the biggest incentive.

Before you sign, ask:

1️⃣ What incentives are you offering right now?
2️⃣ Do I have to use your lender to get them?
3️⃣ What’s included, and what’s an upgrade?
4️⃣ How does the build timeline affect my rate lock?
5️⃣ Can I bring my own agent? (Yes, and you should!)

And don’t forget resale homes. They’re sitting longer too, and sellers may be open to credits.

Agents: send this to your new-construction buyers. I’m happy to compare offers side by side.

10/28/2026

I’ve been doing this a long time, and these are scariest mistakes I see buyers make:

👉🏻 buying a new car before closing

👉🏻 making cash deposits with no paper trail

👉🏻 quitting their job mid-transaction

👉🏻 financing furniture with a new credit card before closing

Every situation is different. Before you do any of these, talk to your lender about any financial changes you may have coming up!

Information is for marketing & educational purposes only. Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group NMLS 72043 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

10/27/2026

Rates go up like a rocket and come down like a feather. Here’s why.

Mortgage rates follow mortgage bonds, not the 10-year Treasury directly. And when rates fall:
1️⃣ Investors expect refinances and early payoffs, so mortgage bonds don’t rally as much
2️⃣ Lenders reprice fast when markets worsen, but cautiously when they improve
3️⃣ Application volume surges, so lenders don’t always need to cut
4️⃣ Volatility keeps the gap between Treasuries and mortgage rates wide

Want to know when it’s a good time for you? Let’s talk strategy, not guesses.

Agents: share this with the buyers who keep asking “why didn’t rates drop?”

For educational purposes only. Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 72043 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

10/26/2026

Rates just DROPPED.

The 30-year fell to 7.32%, the first weekly decline since August. The 10-year Treasury closed below 5% for the first time in a month, and the odds of a Fed hike this Wednesday fell to about 7%.

But here’s what your buyers need to hear: leverage didn’t go anywhere. Virginia has 30,000+ homes for sale (up 20% from last year) and prices are flat. That means room to negotiate.

The move? Ask for a seller credit, not a price cut. The same $9,500 saves your buyer $523 a month instead of $66. (Slide 4 👉)

Save this for the buyer who’s waiting on rates. Questions on a deal? DM me or call/text.

#757

10/23/2026

The employer said no. We found another way.

Most of my borrower’s income came from bonus and overtime, and to count it, we needed it broken out. His employer wouldn’t complete a written verification of employment, which could have stopped the whole thing.

Instead, we pulled his year-to-date paystub plus his year-end paystubs from the last two years. That documented his bonus and overtime history, and he qualified for the price range he wanted.

Agents: if your buyer earns bonus, overtime or commission income, get them to a lender early, before they fall in love with a house.

Have a tricky income situation? Send it my way.

Documentation requirements vary by loan program and lender guidelines. Not all income can be used to qualify. For informational & marketing purposes only.

10/22/2026

I blinked, and somehow…

I have an 8 year old.

Hudson, you light up every room you walk into. People gravitate to you because you’re so kind and light-hearted, and you make sure everyone feels welcomed.

My life is infinitely better every day because of the lessons I’m learning as your mother.

You love Legos & golf. You want to be either a pro golfer or an architect of skyscrapers when you grow up. Donuts are your favorite food, yet you are wise enough to pick the healthy options because treats are for sometimes & you really want to grow taller than dad.

I catch you singing to yourself, you love solving math problems, being outside, and you love with every piece of you.

As much as I want you to stay my tiny baby, it’s the privilege of my life to watch you grow into such an incredible young man and I have said this from the moment he was born - you are changing this world for the better.

If you have a moment, please wish my sweet Hudson a happy birthday. I will read all of the messages to him tonight after school so he can feel the love poured over him on his special day. 💙

10/21/2026

One of the most common myths I hear from military buyers is that a VA loan only works on move-in-ready homes.

Some lenders offer VA renovation loans that may let eligible veterans and service members roll the cost of certain repairs or improvements into the loan.

(That’s me. I’m some lenders)

Rules, limits and availability vary, so talk to your lender before you pass on that fixer-upper.

Agents: send this to the VA buyer who keeps skipping homes that need a little love.

Information is for educational purposes only and is not a commitment to lend. Product guidelines and qualifications may change at any time without notice. Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 72043. www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

10/20/2026

Two Hampton Roads updates you need to know 👇

📍 **Norfolk/Willoughby:** City Council approved new limits on short-term rentals. Most new permits are blocked, there’s a 300-ft buffer from existing rentals, and existing rentals renew with conditions. Investors: confirm permit status and run long-term rental numbers before you make an offer.

📍 **Newport News:** The new ResidentFirst Housing Relief Grant can help eligible owner-occupants with their real estate taxes. It’s a $300K fund, first come, first served, with a Dec 31, 2026 deadline. Income and housing-cost requirements apply. Details: apps.nnva.gov/residentfirst

Agents: share this with your investor clients and Newport News sphere.

For informational purposes only. Not legal or tax advice. Confirm short-term rental rules with the City of Norfolk and grant eligibility with the City of Newport News.

10/19/2026

Rates FINALLY hit pause.

After 7 straight weekly increases, the 30-year held at 7.40%. But inflation just came in hot at 3.7%, so don’t expect the Fed to bail anyone out this year.

Here’s the good news for Hampton Roads: only 27% of Virginia Beach listings have cut their price. In Charlotte it’s 40%. In Raleigh, 45%. Our market is bending, not breaking.

The move right now? Ask for a seller credit, not a price cut. Same $9,500 to the seller, but it saves your buyer $523 a month instead of $66. (Slide 4 👉)

Save this and send it to the buyer who’s waiting on rates.

Questions on a deal? DM me or call/text.

#757

Address

600 Lynnhaven Pkwy #100
Virginia Beach, VA
23452

Website

https://hmbt.co/KMyGXm

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