Trick question: Is Mortgage Insurance Good or Bad? Mortgage insurance can be very good because it helps us buy a home with less than 20% down payment, but it can be bad if you're not careful. Many buyers are wasting thousands of dollars on up-front mortgage insurance or monthly mortgage insurance, all because they didn't know that this piece of the loan is a great place to focus for savings! In this episodes Nelson lays out some rules of thumb designed to help you make the right decisions around mortgage insurance.

In this episode, Nelson focuses on the decision that each buyer must make when they lock their loan. Should I go for a lower rate, or lower fees. Is it possible to get both? Nelson explains how many buyers who intend to refinance in the near future are wasting thousands of dollars by focusing only on the interest rate.

In this episode Nelson explains the very popular 2/1 (Temporary) interest rate buydown and compares it to the concept of a permanent buydown, also known as paying points. These are powerful options to reduce your monthly payment and make home-ownership more affordable for first-time buyers and those looking to move up to their next home, but which one is right for you? Listen to this episode for some wise advice for structuring your best possible mortgage option!

Nelson reviews 5 tips for business owners who may struggle to get a mortgage.  Do you write-off too much to qualify?   Nelson will teach you how to balance your tax savings goals with your home-ownership dreams.  This is actionable advice you can take with you to your next tax filing appointment.  Nelson will also explores alternative ways to document your income such as profit & loss statements or 1099’s and bank statements instead of using your tax returns to qualify and discusses the pros and cons of these alternative “non-QM” loan products.

Nelson has worked as a loan officer for some of the larges mortgage banks in the state. Now he chooses to operate as an independent mortgage broker. In this episode Nelson lays out the differences between brokers and lenders, and explains why he chooses this business model to better serve his clients.

In this episode, Nelson explains how to rapidly solve credit problems. Whether you have simple issues that can be solved with a rapid-rescore, or mid-level problems that need more time, this episode will help you! Nelson also discusses the most complex credit problems that may require professional credit repair or even bankruptcy. The underlying message in all of it is that there are easily understandable ways to improve your credit, and it's often faster than you think!

In this episode, Nelson surveys the options available to Utahns for down payment. We will discuss ways you can save for your down payment, ways to borrow your down payment, and the various down-payment assistance options available in Utah today. If down payment is your only obstacle to homeownership, this episode will show you many ways to move forward now!

Many potential homebuyers are denied a mortgage due to a high debt-to-income ratio.  In this episode, Nelson reviews a half-dozen quick tips that you can use to fix a broken debt-to-income ratio immediately.  This isn’t about waiting a few years to see if your situation improves!  This episode is about ideas and actions you can take immediately to turn your denial into an approval, reset your budget to make room for a house payment, and become a homeowner much sooner than you may have thought!

Would you like to buy a home that has an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)? In this Episode, Nelson walks through the guidelines and shows you how this option can increase your purchasing power, and make homes more affordable. Nelson also explores an interesting idea: buyers could finance the costs of renovating a home to add an apartment by buying their first home with a renovation loan!

In this episode, Nelson Zooms out and gives you an overview of the home buying road map. Listen for an insightful preview of your journey from pre-approval to closing day and beyond!

In the first of 3 Basecamp episodes, Nelson lays out the case for homeownership. It’s not just about the financial benefits; there are significant lifestyle benefits that come instantly when you buy a house. Nelson will lay out how and why Homeowners in America have 44 times the net worth of renters in America. Homeownership is not just a good idea, it’s ESSENTIAL!

In this brief episode, Nelson introduces himself and his goals for the podcast.