My career in the mortgage and real estate industry began in 1999.  In 2001 I co-founded Homewood Mortgage in Dallas, Texas where I had the opportunity to design my own business model to help hundreds of local clients who were mainly first time homebuyers.  The majority of my clients were referred by local realtors who appreciated our business model of reliable communication and good service throughout the transaction.

After eight years and several personal home buying and remodeling projects later, I chose to move from the mortgage to the real estate side of the business entirely.  

My favorite part of being a Realtor is the same part I suspect most homebuyers enjoy the most about the process: the thrill of finding a home they can envision themselves building fun memories with their friends, family and neighbors.  The American Dream starts with a rough draft of ideas that culminate into a plan of action to find the right house at the right price based on their practical and emotional goals.  Helping my clients plan and achieve these goals is always fun.  

After living and working in many parts of the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex for over 30 years, I have come to know many parts of this town very well.  The East Dallas area is where I live and enjoy helping home buyers and sellers the most. However, I have lived and worked in many parts of the city, including North Dallas, Richardson, Plano and Rockwall. 

Leveraging my past experience in the mortgage industry to help my clients has been a wonderful advantage I've enjoyed since becoming a Realtor.  With all of the changing guidelines, buyers and sellers need an expert with experience on both sides of the real estate and mortgage industry.  I still maintain a huge network of lenders and credit specialists throughout the D/FW area and make sure that no potential home buyer is turned down for a loan without a game plan to qualify in the future.  While I no longer maintain an active loan officer license, my clients still have access to my knowledge and contacts.

ORRIED THAT YOUR CREDIT MUST BE PERFECT IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE THESE DAYS?

Mortgage guidelines have changed quite a bit over the last two years, but there are still loans available for buyers with less than perfect credit.  The majority of the changes to mortgage programs have affected other guidelines besides credit scores.  In fact, some buyers with good credit scores may not be able to obtain loans due to some of these changes.  All buyers should be aware of these changes regardless of their credit score.  For information on what has changed in the mortgage industry, check out this article.

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO SEARCH FOR A HOME ONLINE?

There are thousands, if not tens of thousands of websites that offer home searches, but only one way to have the MLS data updated directly from MLS and delivered to your own personal website that's always just one click away.  The Home Search Gateway offers the most user-friendly features of any home search, and is much more customizable than most internet searches.  Plus it is updated every 24 hours directly from MLS.  

CURIOUS ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES IN THE D/FW AREA? 

Check out this list of property tax rates in the D/FW area, listed in order of lowest to highest by city.  Also, find out how property taxes work in Texas.  If you are a home buyer from out of state and will be buying a home in Texas, chances are the property tax rate here is higher than in your home state.  This article explains why and also how property taxes work in Texas.