Southern Birch Mortgage, Seattle, WA Videos

Buying a home is exciting, but before you start shopping, consider getting a mortgage pre-approval. Not only does it show that you’re a serious buyer and qualified to purchase a home, it’ll also speed up the loan process once you intend to buy.
Buying a home is exciting, but before you start shopping, consider getting a mortgage pre-approval. Not only does it show that you’re a serious buyer and qualified to purchase a home, it’ll also speed up the loan process once you intend to buy. During your pre-approval, we’ll evaluate your financial health and your ability to qualify for a home mortgage loan. We’ll review things such as your Debt-to-Income ratio, your down payment, your credit score, and more, to help you find the best available program for your needs. Call us when you’re ready to get started. Most pre-approvals take just a few minutes.

If you’re in the market for a new home or refinance, you’re probably hearing a lot about mortgage interest rates.
"If you’re in the market for a new home or refinance, you’re probably hearing a lot about mortgage interest rates and you probably think ""the lower the rate the lower my monthly payment"". But, the truth is the lowest interest rate doesn’t always mean the lowest payment. For starters, there are closing costs - so a lender may offer a low interest rate, but make up for it with additional fees that can really add up. Then there’s mortgage insurance or MI. If you’re planning on putting less than 20% down on a home, MI will likely be required and MI has an interest rate of its own. But, here is the good news, by getting a lower MI rate even with a higher interest rate on your mortgage, you can actually end up with a lower monthly payment and in the end, it’s the amount coming out of your bank account each month that matters most. So, when you’re shopping for a mortgage, don’t just look at interest rates, find out how much we can save you. Let’s talk today!"

Big banks only offer a few options. Not us. We shop multiple lenders to give you multiple options. We’re brokers, and we’re better.
Big banks only offer a few options. Not us. We shop multiple lenders to give you multiple options. We’re brokers, and we’re better.

Want to give your borrowers more options? Apply with us today!
Want to give your borrowers more options? Apply with us today!

What is PMI?
What is PMI? Private Mortgage Insurance is a type of insurance that protects the lender's investment, and is required on conventional loans where the loan amount that is greater than 80% of the property value or purchase price. The two most common types of mortgage insurance are Borrower Paid and Lender Paid. Borrower Paid Mortgage Insurance, or BPMI, is a predetermined premium that is added to your monthly mortgage payment. This premium remains in the monthly payment until you’ve invested 20% equity in the property, at which point you can refinance out of the PMI. Lender Paid Mortgage Insurance, or LPMI, allows you to waive the monthly payment premium amount in exchange for a slightly higher interest rate. Typically, the overall monthly payment on a loan with LPMI is less than a loan with BMPI and whichever type of mortgage insurance you choose, we’ll monitor your loan after closing and let you know when you're eligible to remove the PMI, or possibly refinance into a lower interest rate. Let's talk about your mortgage options today!

How quickly can you close on a home loan? 30 days or less! Come home to the experts.
How quickly can you close on a home loan? 30 days or less! Come home to the experts.

How quickly can you close on a home loan? 30 days or less! Come home to the experts.

Sign and close anywhere, anytime. Find out if virtual e-closing is available to you.
Sign anywhere. Introducing virtual e-closing. Sign and close anywhere, anytime. Find out if virtual e-closing is available to you.

Thinking about buying or refinancing a home?
Thinking about buying or refinancing a home? Here are 3 reasons why you should consider an adjustable rate mortgage. Today’s ARMs are smarter, safer, and they can save you money. What makes ARMs so smart? For one thing, most people stay in their mortgage for only 5-7 years before they move or refinance. So why pay the higher rate of a 20-30 year fixed mortgage? What’s more, when you do refinance or sell your home after 7 years, your loan balance will be lower because more of your payment has been going towards the principal than it would have with the 30-year fixed mortgage. Today’s ARMs are also much safer. Back in the subprime days, many ARMs had prepayment penalties and adjusted every 6 months, with no limit on how fast or how high the rate could rise. Not anymore! Today’s ARMs have no prepayment penalties, so you can sell your home or refinance anytime you want. And you’ll never have to worry about a big balloon payment because today’s ARMs are limited on how often and by how much your rate can increase after the initial fixed period. Here's how they work. ARMs are based on a 30-year term. Meaning if you never move or refinance, that's how long it’ll take you to pay off your loan. And they’re usually represented by 2 numbers. The first number indicates the initial fixed year period. The shorter the fixed period, the lower your initial rate could be. The second number indicates how often your rate can adjust after the fixed period. In most cases, once a year. But not always. Here’s another advantage that ARMs have. Once the fixed period of a loan is up, your loan payment is recasted using the current balance that you paid down so quickly, meaning your monthly payment will most likely still be cheaper than a 30-year fixed loan. Take a look at this 10-year comparison. The loan of a 30-year fixed rate stays the same, now look at the 7/1 ARM. Even if the rate increases by a small amount each year, the average rate is still lower than the fixed rate

Ready to take your career in a better direction?
Ready to take your career in a better direction? As an independent mortgage broker, we offer opportunities and benefits you won't find at most retail mortgage organizations or large banks. First, you will enjoy greater freedom and flexibility, along with better compensation. You'll also be in charge of your growth and income potential as you help borrowers find the right mortgage for their needs. You'll also be able to offer some of the best programs and services, like fast consistent turn times, low wholesale rates, hundreds of loan products, and fewer underwriting overlay restrictions. You will be supported by your own branded tools, marketing and services that will help you build the loyal partners you need to succeed. This includes retention tools to stay connected with your borrowers, credit monitoring to let you know if borrowers are looking for a new loan, customizable marketing materials, MLS monitoring, and more. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to give borrowers and yourself so much more, let's work together!

We're taking a stand, no more bank statements, no more pay stubs, no more tax returns, no more pen and ink signatures. We're starting a doc-less revolution. Instead of asking you to gather documents, we automatically verify income, assets, and tax returns

What does your credit score mean?
What does your credit score mean? Simply put, it's a number that represents your ability to pay off your debts. There are a few things you should know to help you better understand your score. Credit scores range from 300 to 850 points, the higher the better. Average credit scores range between 600 and 720. Typically, a score above 680 will increase your chances of getting a loan, especially for a home. Your credit score can also affect your interest rate, the higher your score, the more likely you are to get a lower interest rate. One way to help maintain your ideal score is to keep your credit card balance at or below 35% of your available limit. It's also good to keep in mind that having your credit pulled for credit card or auto loan applications can lower your credit score each time, so it's important to avoid multiple credit pulls when considering buying a home. Your credit score is a big factor when it comes to your mortgage.

Think you need perfect credit and a big down payment to buy a home of your own? Our FHA loans can get you a great rate for less than a few months' rent. Get a great low rate, with just 3.5% down, and close in 30 days or less. Do FHA the right way.