July 2026 | GTG Financial | Santa Rosa, CA Real Estate Contingencies Explained: The Big Three and When to Waive Them Real estate contingencies are safety nets written into your purchase contract that let you back out without losing your…
July 2026 | GTG Financial | Santa Rosa, CA 80/10/10 Loan: How We Beat PMI and a Jumbo Rate on a $1M Petaluma Home An 80/10/10 loan is a piggyback structure: a first mortgage for 80% of the price, a…
July 2026 | GTG Financial | Santa Rosa, CA Earnest Money Deposit: What It Is, and When You Could Lose It An earnest money deposit is a good faith deposit, usually 1 to 3% of the offer price, that you…
Introduction As we move deeper into the summer months, the real estate market often experiences a surge in activity. August, in particular, can be a competitive time for homebuyers. With more daylight hours and the desire to settle before the…
July 2026 | GTG Financial | Santa Rosa, CA Pre-Qualified vs Pre-Approved: What’s the Difference, and Which Do You Need? A pre-qualification is an informal estimate based on what you tell a lender, with nothing verified. A pre-approval means your…
July 2026 | GTG Financial | Santa Rosa, CA HELOC vs Cash-Out Refinance: How to Tap Your Home Equity Without Losing Your Low Rate A HELOC lets you borrow against your home equity through a second loan, so your first…
July 2026 | GTG Financial | Santa Rosa, CA TL;DR: What’s in This Post The price-vs-credit reframe: same to the seller, different for you Why knocking $1,000 off the price only saves about $7 a month How to put a…
Understanding Mid-Summer Mortgage Trends The peak of summer is upon us, and with it comes a lively real estate market. Whether you’re considering purchasing a new home or refinancing your existing mortgage, understanding current trends can give you a strategic…
July 2026 | GTG Financial | Santa Rosa, CA TL;DR: What’s in This Post Why an FHA loan is not only for first-time buyers The mortgage insurance detail most people never hear (500 or 850, same cost) The 3.5% down…
July 2026 | GTG Financial | Santa Rosa, CA TL;DR: What’s in This Post What a VA IRRRL (the streamline refi) is, and what it skips Why the “4% refi” offers flooding your mailbox are usually a trap How a…
