Independent mortgage broker in Denver, CO
Your bank has one mortgage to sell. I compare thirty lenders.
One application, one credit check and a side-by-side of what each lender would really charge you. If the numbers do not beat your bank, I will tell you.
Rate board
Today’s numbers, in plain sight.
Most lenders hide this behind a form. Quote the rate and the APR side by side, so nobody needs to hand over a phone number to find out.
Loan
Rate
APR
Points
30-year fixed
6.375%
6.482%
0.25
15-year fixed
5.750%
5.921%
0.25
5/6 ARM
5.875%
6.640%
0.00
FHA 30-year
6.125%
6.904%
0.00
VA 30-year
5.990%
6.152%
0.00
Sample figures for layout. Updated November 4. Based on a $400,000 purchase, 20% down, 740 credit score, 45-day lock. Your rate may differ.
Loan programs
Whatever the situation is, somebody lends for it.
First home
Down payments from 3%, plus the state and city assistance programs your bank rarely brings up.
Refinance
I run the break-even first. If you would move before the savings pay back the costs, I say so.
FHA and VA
Government-backed loans with lower credit minimums, and no down payment for eligible veterans.
Jumbo
Above the conforming limit, where pricing varies the most from lender to lender.
Self-employed
Bank-statement loans that read your real cash flow, not the income left after write-offs.
Investment property
DSCR loans qualified on the rent the property brings in, with no personal income paperwork.
Broker or bank
Same house, different shopping trip.
Your bank
Lenders compared
One: itself
Credit checks
One per bank you try
Who you talk to
Whoever picks up
How they get paid
Rate spread and fees
A broker
Lenders compared
Thirty, on one application
Credit checks
One, shared across all of them
Who you talk to
The same person, through closing
How they get paid
Disclosed up front, on your Loan Estimate
Process
From first call to keys in about thirty days.
Day 1
Fifteen-minute call
Budget, timeline and what is worrying you. No credit pull yet.
Day 2
Pre-approval letter
One application and a letter strong enough to make an offer with.
Day 8
Lock the best quote
Three Loan Estimates side by side, explained line by line.
Day 22
Underwriting
I chase the paperwork and call you only when I need something.
Day 30
Closing
Your Closing Disclosure three days ahead, checked against the estimate.
Before we talk
Six things to have handy.
Two recent pay stubs
Two years of W-2s or tax returns
Two months of bank statements
A photo ID
Your current mortgage statement, if refinancing
The purchase contract, if you have one
About
Fourteen years of reading the fine print for people.
I started as a bank loan officer and watched good buyers overpay because nobody showed them a second quote. So I left, got licensed as a broker and built the practice around that second quote. I am one person with one phone number, and it is the one you will call at closing.
Dana Whitlock
Mortgage broker, NMLS #000000
Questions
What people ask first.
Does checking my options hurt my credit?
The first conversation uses no credit pull. When we go further, one inquiry is shared across lenders, and mortgage inquiries within a short window generally count as one.
How do you get paid?
The lender pays me a set percentage or you do, and it is printed on your Loan Estimate before you commit to anything. Comparing quotes costs nothing.
How much do I need to put down?
As little as 3% on conventional loans, 3.5% on FHA and zero on VA and USDA for those who qualify. Less than 20% usually adds mortgage insurance.
How long does pre-approval take?
Usually one business day once your documents are in. The letter is good for about 90 days and we can refresh it if the house hunt runs longer.
Should I wait for rates to drop?
Nobody can time rates, including me. I can show what today's payment looks like and what a refinance would need to save later for waiting to pay off.
See your real numbers before you fall in love with a house.
Fifteen minutes on the phone, no credit pull and no follow-up unless you ask for it.
Keystead Mortgage LLC. NMLS #000000. Licensed by the Colorado Division of Real Estate. Equal Housing Opportunity. This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit approval and property appraisal; rates and terms may change without notice.
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