Angie Clark, Paramount Bank, NMLS #733595

Just because a house is listed at a certain price doesn’t automatically mean that’s the value.

Oftentimes the list price is strategically set lower than the market value to create a bidding war.

Many buyers nowadays are concerned about offering significantly over the list price, but keep in mind that said price might have been set low with the intention of generating as many offers as possible for their clients. There’s nothing wrong with that.

If you are concerned about offering a significant amount over the list price, keep in mind that price doesn’t equal value. Value is always determined by comparable sales. Period.

It’s more important than ever to have a skilled agent/lender team in your corner. If you are thinking about buying a house this year, reach out to discuss your situation.

[email protected]
(314)323-7731

Today we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. 🇺🇸

Listen, if I can turn a frozen bag of cauliflower into this tasty loaf of bread, you can become a homeowner.

No miracles needed; just some skills.

If you are thinking about buying a home this year, reach out to discuss your options.
[email protected]
(314)323-7731

And if you’re cutting back on carbs and want the cauliflower bread recipe, shoot me a message.



This post is not intended to be a loan approval. Terms & conditions apply.

It’s not a fun time to be in the Midwest… and particularly in Missouri.
The record-breaking emergence has begun with the highest concentration apparently in the Show Me State. 😱

If you’re like me and planning on avoiding all outdoor activities for the next 5-7 weeks you’re probably trying to figure out how to spend your time.

Here is my comprehensive list of ways to be productive while stuck indoors:

1) Get pre-approved for a home loan.

That’s all I’ve got for now.

If you’re thinking about buying a home this summer, reach out to discuss your situation.
[email protected]
(314)323-7731

🍎 If you really want to show appreciation to your teacher (and the entire K-12 staff), be sure to let them know about our Hero Program!

🍎Teachers and K-12 staff have significantly reduced closing costs when buying a new home with this program. We eliminate the lender fees as our way to show appreciation to
these special heroes.

🍎Fun fact:
The tradition of bringing an apple to the teacher as a way to show appreciation dates back to the 1600’s in Scandinavia.

For more information, reach out to
[email protected]
(314)323-7731

Go ahead and give it a whirl.

1) take a screenshot & save to photos
2) open image in photos
3) touch image
4) click "open in Chrome"
5) get pre-approved and so much more

[email protected]
(314)323-7731
NMLS #733595

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac issued guidance this week that “fees or costs customarily paid by the property seller according to local convention are not subject to these financing limits. Buyer agent fees have historically been fees customarily paid by the property seller or property’s seller’s real estate agent, and, as such, they are currently excluded from these financing concession limits” according to the statement from Freddie Mac.

Bottom line, conventional loans will allow the practice of seller-paid interested party contributions as it pertains to maximum concessions allowed by each of their programs. At this time, it appears that as long as it’s “customary locally”, buyers’ agents fees will still be allowed to be paid by the seller AND this payment does not contribute to the limits of interested party contributions.

This is good news for your buyers’ agents as well as homebuyers.

Reach out to discuss your situation!
[email protected]
(314)323-7731

Quick closings are a cinch with my amazing operations team.

I was tasked with one week to get a loan disclosed, processed, underwritten and cleared to close… on a loan that required an appraisal. Trust me this is no easy feat. Fortunately for my buyer my team is the best in the business.

Special thanks to Sabrina in our disclosure department, my processor Russ, our underwriter Kari and our closer Jen for dream-teaming it once again.

Need a quick closing? Reach out to discuss your situation.

Angie Clark
[email protected]
(314)323-7731

The first step in the home-buying process is to get pre-approved for your home loan.

Pro tip:
Make sure your loan officer is actually pre-approving you and not just giving you a pre-qualification (“pre-qual”).

What’s the difference?
A pre-qual is when the loan officer asks you a few general questions like “how much do you make” and “what’s on your credit report?” The loan officer sends you a pre-qual letter and sends you into the wild to start making offers. Ugh. 🤦🏻‍♀️

On the other hand, if your loan officer completes an application, request’s pay stubs, w2s, bank statements, etc you will understand exactly how much you qualify for… and if you qualify at all.

Oftentimes loan officers who only do pre-quals miss critical information and the loan gets denied. The loan officer just wasted everyone’s time. A pre-qual means nothing!

Here are just a few things that can affect a loan approval that might get missed in a pre-qualification:

-You are newly self-employed but haven’t filed taxes yet.
-Your primary income source is commission but you haven’t received it for a long enough period.
-Your income has decreased over the last few years.
-You have a recent bankruptcy
-Your FICO score is much lower than your credit karma score.
-You pay child support.
-You have student loans that are in forebearance.
-You just opened new credit.
-You have employment gaps.
-You don’t have as much cash as you indicated.

Fun fact: every aspect of your loan application gets verified: address history, employment history, income, assets, credit, etc. The more you document up front, the better chances you have of buying the house.

Can we work around issues? Sure, of course. But don’t count on it.

Do the work up front to save yourself a lot of heartache later.

I’ve been a lender for 28 years and would never, ever give someone a pre-qual. I verify everything up front as a best practice because I care about my borrowers and the realtors who referred them to me. And that, my friends, is how I roll. 🛼🛼🛼

Reach out to discuss your situation.
[email protected]
(314)323-7731

Setting priorities is the first step to saving money for the down payment on your first home.

How can you save $24.66 a day?
Here are a few suggestions:

-Don’t eat out. Take your lunch to work.
-Don’t buy your coffee at the S-place…just brew your own at home.
- Stop smoking.
- Do your own manicures.
- Stop tanning.
- Reduce the amount you spend on clothes, shoes, handbags, etc.
- Eliminate or reduce the amount you spend on alcohol or at the dispensary.
-Review the subscriptions on your phone and cancel anything you don’t need or use.
-Review/reduce plans for cell, internet, cable and streaming
-Do you really need another tattoo?
-Cut back on concerts, movies and entertainment
-Cut back on golfing or other hobbies
- Plan meals and shop for groceries once a week

“But Angie, I thought you had down payment assistance programs. Why do I need to cut all of this out of my life?”
That is true, there are programs for assistance but not everyone qualifies for them. Besides it’s never a bad idea to figure out ways to save money.

Reach out if you would like to discuss your goals.
[email protected]
(314)323-7731

Like, repost, share, tell-a-friend… let’s get the word out!

Our Heroes Program recognizes the exceptional contributions of every professional within the K-12 education community.

To the educators who fill young minds with knowledge and inspiration: we appreciate your unwavering commitment.

To all the staff who collaborate to ensure our children’s health and safety: your tireless defense is instrumental to their educational success.

To the administrators and support teams: your hard work is the foundation of a thriving learning environment.

With our Heroes Program, you will benefit from significant savings with no lender fees on eligible mortgage programs including conventional, jumbo, FHA, VA and USDA. Available in all states except NY. Third party fees apply.

We are committed to helping you achieve your homeownership goals!

Reach out to discuss your goals!
Angie Clark (314)323-7731
[email protected]

An oldie but a goodie.
My favorite review ever.

Need a last minute pre-approval?
It’s your lucky day because I’m working all weekend. 🍀🍀
You’re welcome.

[email protected]
(314)323-7731

Somebody’s gotta do it.

💥Mortgage companies use FICO scores.
💥Credit Monitoring services use Vantage scores.
💥other models are used for credit cards, car loans, etc.

💥Each model weighs the various factors that affect your credit score differently. For example, your payment history makes up 35% of your FICO score while it makes up 40% of your Vantage score. Vantage scores are typically higher than FICO (thus the daily question from clients).

💥The good news is that you don’t need a “perfect” FICO score to get approved for a mortgage.

💥On a side note, credit monitoring is a great tool to keep an eye on your balances, set financial goals and to watch out for identity theft… I use it myself for all of these reasons.

💥Wondering if this is the right time for you to buy a house? Reach out to discuss your situation. Oh by the way, that’s not my only superpower… my 28 years of experience, high-level product knowledge, attention to detail and best-in-the-business service is my true superpower. 💥💥

Angie Clark
[email protected]
(314)323-7731

Fun fact: my husband and I lived in Carmel-by-the-Sea a few years ago. It’s such a charming and magical town and we miss it terribly. I like to keep up with the real estate market there and was happy to see a listing by the one and only this afternoon. Ryan is the son of the late Terry Melcher, one of my music idols and of course the grandson of the late Doris Day. Ryan has built a wonderful real estate career in Carmel and is so knowledgeable about the market.

Carmel was originally designed to replicate the Cotswolds in England and is well-known for the cottages that line every street as well as the beautiful pine trees and of course Scenic Drive that sits atop the dunes overlooking the ocean.

This darling cottage is listed for $2,189,000 and is located at
San Carlos 7 Ne of Camino Del Monte
Carmel, CA 93921

Fun fact: there are no traditional addresses in Carmel-by-the-Sea; this house is the 7th house on San Carlos north of Camino del Monte on the east side of the street.

Confusing?
We lived at Monte Verde 2 Sw of 7… translation … the second house west of 7th Street on the South side of the street. At least I think we did. I never could get it right. 🤣

Most of the cottages are named, especially the vacation houses. The investment opportunities run deep in Carmel. Even though we lived there full-time many of the cottages are monthly vacation rentals.

This house is a great opportunity for either a primary residence or a vacation home/income property.

Interested in discussing your future plans?
Reach out to discuss your situation:
Angie Clark
[email protected]
(314)323-7731

I offer a mortgage product for virtually every need including:

The basics:
Conforming: Fannie/Freddie
FHA
VA
USDA
Jumbo

Solutions for self-employed borrowers:
Bank Statement, P&L, 1099

Affordability solutions:
HomeReady & HomePossible
Grants, Community Seconds, Down Payment Assistance, Good Neighbor Next Door

Construction products (conforming & jumbo):
One-close construction
Renovation

Specialty mortgages:
Hero Loans
Doctor Loans
Second liens
DSCR
Asset depletion

Reach out today to get pre-approved.
(314)323-7731
[email protected]

The cost of homeownership is lower than it looks! Today’s higher rates mean higher payments, but there’s a lot more to consider. Watch the video to see how homeowner benefits can offset the price of payments. We have programs to help you into a home in any rate environment, so please let me know if you’re ready to make a move. Paramount Bank is an Equal Housing Lender.

Payment vs Cost of Homeownership See how the cost of owning your home is lower than the payment you make!

If I’m working on your mortgage, there’s a real good chance Stanley is too.

Yes we are up and at it early this morning working on pre-approvals. Or at least I am… Stanley already fell back asleep.

If you are ready to get pre-approved, reach out to me at [email protected] or call/text to (314)323-7731

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released its quarterly report on household debt and credit this month.

Oof.
There’s no sugar-coatin’ it; we are a nation drowning in credit card debt.

According to the report, credit card balances increased by $50 billion last quarter… up to $1.3 trillion dollars.

If you struggling with your debt and feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, you are not alone.

Cashing out equity in your home is a solid solution to eliminating high interest rate debt and taking control of your finances again. If you own a home and would like to find out how much you could save each month with a cash-out refinance, call or text me at (314) 323-7731 or email at [email protected]

This is a judgement-free zone. I am here to help take the weight of the world off your shoulders and get you back on track.

About the sculpture:
Atlas
By Lee Lawrie and Rene Paul Chambellan in 1937
45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY

Atlas is the Greek God of strength and
endurance. In Greek mythology,
Atlas was a half-man, half-god giant known as a Titan, who helped lead a war against the Olympic gods. After the Titans’ defeat, Atlas was condemned to carry the world on his shoulders as punishment. Atlas is one of Rockefeller Center’s greatest Art Deco icons and has even been used on U.S. postage stamps.

Thinking about buying a home this spring? Then it’s time to get your ducks in a row.

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is always the first step in the home buying journey. Reach out today to establish a budget and discuss your qualification.
Together we will review your income, assets, credit and most importantly, your dreams and goals.

I provide every buyer with a comprehensive review of every aspect of the loan application up front to increase the chances of a successful transaction.
If you are ready for me to help you get your ducks in a row, reach out today!

Angie Clark NMLS #733595
(314)323-7731
[email protected]

I love a good snow day! Raise your hand if you’re making pancakes for dinner tonight!! ✋✋

While you’re waiting for the skillet to heat up, here are a few more credit tips to consider if you’re planning on buying a home this year.

❄️Have a system in place to make sure your bills are never late. 35% of your credit score is based on your payment history. One late payment can tank your score. Spreadsheets are a great way to organize your finances.

❄️Don’t close out old accounts - especially if you are thinking about buying a new home. Even though you probably have the best intentions, closing accounts can actually lower your credit score as doing so (a) reduces the overall age of your credit and (b) decreases your total percentage of available credit. Did you know that 15% of your score is derived from the length of your credit history?!

❄️Avoid taking out new credit before applying for a mortgage as 10% of your credit score is based on new credit. Plus taking out new credit could affect how much you can borrow.

Questions about your credit? Thinking about buying a home this year?
Reach out to discuss your options:
Angie Clark (314)323-7731
[email protected]

About the painting:
“Snow, Boulevard de Clichy, Paris” by Paul Signac, 1886. Minneapolis Museum of Art.
Signac developed a post-Impressionist style of painting called “Pointillism” (together with George Seurat). His painting technique involved dotted strokes of color and it just happens to be one of my favorite styles in art history.

Ok, off to flip my flapjacks!
Stay safe out there!

Probably not your best financial decision…
especially if you’re trying to get pre-approved to buy a house.

Here are some of my best credit tips to help you get pre-approved for a mortgage:

1) Don’t max out your credit cards; keep your utilization at 30% or lower. Maxing out your cards lowers your credit score. Wait to apply for the loan until about a week after your payment due date. This gives your bureaus time to get updated.

2) Pay your bills on time; don’t let your accounts go 30 days late, which can negatively impact your credit score. Your mortgage loan approval and interest rate are based in part on your credit history and credit score. Always keep a confirmation when paying bills online; I’ll share a story about that soon.

3) Do not apply for new credit or co-sign on any loans after you apply for the mortgage. We will get notified of the credit pull; any new payment will get added to your debt ratio, which could cause your loan to be denied. Resist the urge to finance new furniture and appliances until after you’ve moved into your new home… otherwise there might not be a new home. If it’s an emergency-
such as needing a new car loan, reach out first to make sure your approval won’t be affected. I have plenty of unfortunate stories about this; you do not want to be on this list.

4) Don’t take out new credit to consolidate your cards. A new account will shorten your credit age plus you will have a credit inquiry, both of which can lower your score. And if you were to max out that new account, your score would drop even further.

5) fun fact: collections don’t necessarily have to be paid off prior to getting a mortgage. We’ll save that topic for a future post too.

Do you have questions about your credit? Reach out to discuss your situation.

Angie Clark (314)323-7731
[email protected]

Art credit: “The Swing” by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 1767. A Rococo masterpiece, The Wallace Collection, London

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Pre-approvals are sweet
And quick closings are too.
- a Valentines Day poem by Angie

Thinking about buying a home, reach out to discuss your options and get pre-approved first.

Need a quick closing? Reach out to discuss your situation.

Angie Clark NMLS # 733595
(314)323-7731
[email protected]

Here are 4 things to love about the 2024 housing market: Rates have fallen from their October highs with more improvement expected, buyers have more choices, affordability has improved, and values are still climbing. This is a great time to get ahead of the busy spring market. Whether you want to prepare early or jump in right away, I'll be glad to help. Paramount Bank is an Equal Housing Lender.

The Fed left policy rates unchanged again at their January meeting. Mortgage rates can move in anticipation of future Fed action, though, so you may be able to access lower rates before the Fed makes cuts. If you are ready to make a move now, there's no need to wait. We have programs that can work in the framework of today's market and prepare you for the future. Please let me know if I can help. Paramount Bank is an Equal Housing Lender.

The perfect solution for financing investment properties is the DSCR loan product.

DSCR stands for "Debt Service Coverage Ratio". The loan is approved based on the property's cash flow instead of the traditional method of using the borrower's personal income.

DSCR loans require minimal
documentation; we do not require the investor's personal tax returns or employment verification, which is less hassle for the buyer.

Trust me, this is exciting.

If you are thinking about buying a 1-4 family non-owner-occupied residential property, reach out to discuss this wonderful program!

[email protected]
(314)324-7731

We appreciate our heroes by offering a significant savings on a variety of loan programs for:

-Nurses
-Emergency Professionals
-Education Professionals
-Law Enforcement
-Military Personnel

Reach out today if you are thinking about buying a new home!
[email protected]
(314)323-7731
Angie Clark NMLS #733595