Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is required by lenders on most home loans to protect themselves if a home buyer defaults on their loan. However, there will come a point when you have a choice to cancel PMI (depending on your loan terms). Canceling (PMI) can save you money and help you build equity in your home. Although canceling PMI can be a good financial decision, you should make this choice after carefully considering the details. We answer these questions and more in this episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast with Jeremy Goodson from Essent. We'll be back for another episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast! We believe that homeownership should be a positive experience, and we want to help you achieve your financial goals by offering professional assistance through all stages of the home buying process. Give us a call at (559) 664-1930!

Mortgage insurance is a great way to protect yourself from rising interest rates and the risk of losing your home if you can't keep up with payments. But there are different types of mortgage insurance, and it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. In this episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast, Fidel Dorado, team leader at ZABE Mortgage Group, talks with Jeremy Goodson from Essent about the four different types of mortgage insurance available: Borrower-paid (BPMI)Lender-paid (LPMI)Single premiumSplit premium Jeremy will also discuss the benefits and how choosing the right one will give you a smarter advantage in buying a home.  We'll be back for another episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast! We believe that homeownership should be a positive experience, and we want to help you achieve your financial goals by offering professional assistance through all stages of the home buying process. Give us a call at (559) 664-1930!https://www.zabemortgage.com/

In this episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast, Jeremy Goodson from Essent discusses private mortgage insurance (PMI). There's a lot of misconception and misinformation about PMI out there. Jeremy will help clarify what PMI can do and the types of protection it can offer homeowners.  Thank you for joining us on today's episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to give us a rating and review. It will help with visibility for future listeners looking for SMART mortgage facts and tips.  We'll be back for another episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast! We believe that homeownership should be a positive experience, and we want to help you achieve your financial goals by offering professional assistance through all stages of the home buying process. Give us a call at (559) 664-1930!https://www.zabemortgage.com/

Home Equity is a big topic! Right now, homeowners have more equity in their homes than we’ve seen in the history of our country. In fact, homeowners in the United States are sitting on $10 trillion of home equity wealth. To give you an idea of how fast this growth happened, just in the first half of 2020, home equity increased by $620 billion. So, yes…this is a BIG TOPIC! But is now the right time to pull equity out of your home? Will it lead to greater wealth, or is it better to invest elsewhere? Should you take advantage of the trend? In today's episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast, Fidel Dorado talks with Real Estate Investor Hector Medina, who’s also a Broker-Associate at Cal Prime Realty, about SMART ways to get the most out of your Home Equity. Thank you for joining us on today's episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to give us a rating and review. It will help with visibility for future listeners who are looking for smart mortgage facts and tips. We'll be back for another episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast! Because we believe in Homeownership by Design, which is developing or creating a plan to achieve your purpose for homeownership we want to help you and your family build wealth by properly acquiring, managing, and understanding homeownership. Give us a call at (559) 664-1930. https://www.zabemortgage.com/

The housing market is in a state of flux, with multiple factors contributing to constant change. It seems like ever since the pandemic started, the market has been going crazy with people buying and refinancing homes, but what will the market look like in 2022 and beyond? Will it cool down, or will the market grow stronger? Or will it be a mix of both? That's what we're talking about in today's episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast. This is an episode you won't want to miss as Fidel Dorado and Hector Medina, Broker Associate at Cal Prime Realty, discuss their Mortgage Predictions for 2022 and beyond. We may not know every detail about the future, but we know investing in your home now is smart. Give us a call at (559) 664-1930 if you’re a first-time homebuyer or looking to refinance your home.

It's 2022! A new year! Which means new opportunities for people looking to purchase their new home.Now you've done everything – paid off debt, created an emergency fund, pre-paid for future taxes but you're still struggling with being able to purchase your first home. There ARE solutions to help you achieve your goal of owning a home in the near future.In today's episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast, Fidel Dorado talks about how you can finally own your first home in 2022. Along the way, he’ll get advice from Hector Medina, Broker Associate at Cal Prime Realty.Thank you for joining us on today's episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to give us a rating and review. It will help with visibility for future listeners looking for SMART mortgage facts and tips. We'll be back for another episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast!Make 2022 the year you purchase your first home! Give us a call at (559) 664-1930.

On the latest episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast, Fidel chats with Realtor/Agent Jorge Cuevas of Village Homes Realty about his perspective as a realtor and how he approaches the business side of real estate. Fidel and Jorge will also discuss the current "seller's market" and take an in-depth look into the home buying process.

Did you know that 47% of homes in America are Mortgage Free? Incredible, and best of all, it's not an impossible dream. It can be a reality. You just have to be smart about your mortgage and your credit. In this ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast episode, Fidel Dorado talks about how your credit score affects mortgage loans and tips to improve your credit score. Understanding how to manage your credit is important. Credit is not there to live off of. Credit is there to use as a resource and bridge a gap. Not everyone has $100-200k sitting around to purchase a house or $50K to purchase a car, but understanding that credit is a responsibility shows that you are not a risk to the creditors.  It's a show of character as well. You manage your credit, keep low balances, and deliver on your promise that you will repay. By doing so, your reward is a higher credit score. And with a higher credit score, you are rewarded better terms, more opportunities, better credit limits.  And it's a prideful thing to have good credit, to walk around and say, "Hey, my credit score is in the 700s", and that's an incredible feeling to know you're fulfilling your obligations. But you've got to be able to say, "what is it going to take for me to get there? How long do I have to save for, and how much do I have to save to do that?"  At ZABE Mortgage Group, we're to give you smart advice. Even though sometimes it may not be what you want to hear. If there are some things that we need to work on with your credit, we're not here to judge. We're here to advise you every step of the way regarding credit, and what items you may need to take care of so you can build, reestablish, or maintain. Thank you for joining us on today's episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to give us a rating and review. It will help with visibility for future listeners who are looking for smart mortgage facts and tips. We'll be back for another episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast!

In today's ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast episode, Fidel Dorado breaks down the 6 Types of Mortgage Loans available and which one may be the best one for your situation.Here's a short rundown but be sure to listen or watch the podcast for an in-depth breakdown of each loan from Fidel.FHA Loans are more lenient towards people with lower credit score requirements while still keeping a low-down payment, typically a 3.5% down payment. This type of mortgage is especially useful for first-time homebuyers. However, you do have higher total mortgage insurance costs. Conventional Loan Programs are a good option if you have more established credit, or you might have budgeted more of a down payment. A conventional loan program is geared for you because it will help you save in the long run. VA Loans are hands down the best loan program out there for qualified veterans. VA loans offer no down payment, mortgage insurance, and prepayment penalties. Plus better terms and interest.USDA Loans are for specific areas within our community, typically the outskirts of city limits or rural areas. USDA loans may benefit some buyers, but they are very strict regarding guidelines and credit scores. They do have income limits with family household size, but they allow for 100% financing of the appraised value. And using a USDA Approved lender usually means lower closing costs.Jumbo Loans are great for home buyers looking to purchase a higher-priced home. For example, in San Francisco, the Bay Area, Southern California, Sacramento, etc. Jumbo loans are for homes over 850,000 and up to 1 million or more. If you can manage larger monthly payments, then a Jumbo loan may be for you.Down Payment Assistant Programs help bridge that gap if you need extra money to cover part of the down payment or the closing cost. There are numerous options available for homebuyers that ZABE Mortgage Group can connect you to valuable financial resources in California.In conclusion, there are pros and cons with each of these programs, and we want you to be smart about your mortgage loan options. If you're a first-time home buyer or looking to refinance your home, visit www.zabemortgage.com and start the mortgage loan process or give us a call at (559) 664-1930.Thank you for joining us on today's episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to give us a rating and review. It will help with visibility for future listeners who are looking for smart mortgage facts and tips. We'll be back for another episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast!

In this episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast, we talk about our Do's and Don't List that we send to every single claim that comes in, even two to three times, depending on the file, as we want to stress how important it is. ●      DO - Notify your Mortgage Loan Officer with changes OR possible changes in your employment or income.●      DO - Notify your Mortgage Loan Officer of any new open credit accounts not appearing on your credit report OR if you plan to open a new credit account.●      DO – Continue to stay current on all your existing accounts.●      DO – Respond promptly to requests for additional documentation.●      DO – Contact your mortgage group with questions or concerns.●      DON'T - Open any new credit accounts OR close any existing credit accounts.●      DON'T - Charge or max out your current existing credit card accounts.●      DON'T - Borrow money to pay for your down payment and/or closing costs.●      DON'T - Make any cash, personal check(s) or money order deposits into your checking or savings account(s). Follow our easy Do's and Don'ts list in the mortgage loan process to prevent delays, improve your chances of moving faster, and overall, help you become Mortgage Smart.

Owning a home is the ultimate American dream. But where should you start, and what is the first thing you should do? First, you need to do a bit of self-reflect and say, "OK, am I ready to buy a home? Am I paying too much in rent to save for a house? What can I afford? Where am I in my career with my job? Where am I at with my credit? Do I need help establishing credit, or am I looking to improve or do something to put me on the right path?"  These may be a lot of questions to ask, but you have to answer these questions if you want to begin your journey towards smart homeownership. Finding out your financial fingerprint and how it applies to the home buying process can help you determine what loans you can qualify for or programs you may be eligible for when you speak to a loan officer.It's smart to be prepared and will make things smoother with the mortgage loan process.And before you start the loan application process, here's a list of items you need to get in order: Driver's License or Identification CardSocial Security CardPermanent Resident Alien Card, if applicableAward Letter(s) for Social Security or Pension Income, if applicable1-month's most recent pay stubsYear-End Pay Stubs for past two years, if availablePast Two Years W-2(s)Past Year Federal Tax Returns and all schedules, if filedPast Two Years Federal Tax Returns and all schedules2-month's recent bank statement(s) (all pages)Recent mortgage statement for all financed properties owned, if applicableIf you're ready to start the mortgage loan process, give us a call at (559) 664-1930. And stay tuned for more episodes of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast.

Welcome to the first episode of the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast, a podcast that inspires and educates you about the lending process, what trends we're seeing, how to get the best rate, and so much more. Hosted by Fidel Dorado, team leader for the Fidel Dorado team at ZABE Mortgage Group, Fidel has helped hundreds of people with their mortgages, and now he wants to help you become mortgage smart.Purchasing a home is a BIG investment. It's the BIGGEST investment that a family makes. It's not something you want to do fast. What you do want is to have a plan. And that plan is what Fidel Dorado calls "Homeownership By Design."Homeownership by Design is about being prepared to make the best decision for you and your family by planning for the future and getting the continual advice and guidance you need to navigate real estate and finance. Homeownership by Design is about taking your time, ensuring that you understand every step of the way, having the right resources, and the right adviser to guide you in the right direction to help you accomplish your goals. From the moment the idea of owning a home is born in your head to the idea of leaving that legacy, leaving that wealth for not just you, but for your loved one, your kids, and grandkids - that is Homeownership by Design.

Hi this is Fidel Dorado, team lead at ZABE Mortgage Group.I am happy to announce we will be launching the ZABE Smart Mortgage Podcast.We are hoping to do two things:If you are looking to purchase a home or refinance, we hope to provide valuable information and resources to help you make the SMART move.If you are someone looking to get in, or has been in the industry, we hope to help you think of different ways to serve your clients better.New episodes will be releasing soon. See you soon!