What not to do before closing on a house in Arizona: new debt, job changes, big deposits, and credit pulls that can sink an approval in the final weeks. Includes a Scottsdale debt to income example. Pillar Mortgage Group.
Most Arizona homeowners can waive escrow on a conventional refinance at 80% LTV or lower, usually for a 0.125% to 0.25% rate bump. Here is who qualifies, what it costs, and when it backfires. Pillar Mortgage Group, NMLS #2700076
Two Arizona lenders can quote the same 7% rate and still be thousands apart in cost. Here is how to read pages 1, 2, and 3 of a Loan Estimate and pick the cheaper loan. Pillar Mortgage Group, NMLS #2700076
A lender credit is money your lender applies to closing costs in exchange for a slightly higher rate. With 30 year rates near 7%, it can cover $8,000 or more for Phoenix buyers. Here is the real math. Pillar Mortgage Group, NMLS #2700076
Seller financing lets an Arizona seller act as the lender, with the buyer paying them directly, usually at a rate 1 to 3 points above market and with a balloon due in 3 to 7 years. Here is how carryback deals really work. Pillar Mortgage Group, NMLS #2700076
The Fed raised its benchmark rate a quarter point on September 16, 2026, its first hike since 2023, and the 30-year fixed is near 7.19%. Here is what Arizona buyers and homeowners should actually do now. Pillar Mortgage Group, NMLS #2700076
Straight answers on buying, refinancing, and selling a home in Scottsdale, Phoenix, and across Arizona, from Blake Hermann, Director of Lending at Pillar Mortgage Group (NMLS #2271358).