Mortgage Broker in McKinney, TX

What a Mortgage Broker Does (and How That's Different From a Bank)

When you go to a bank or call one of the big lenders, the person you talk to can only offer that company's loans. If their guidelines don't fit your situation, or their pricing isn't great that week, your options are pretty much take it or start over somewhere else.

A mortgage broker works differently. I'm not tied to one lender. You apply once, I look at your income, credit, savings and the home you want, and then I shop your loan with a number of wholesale lenders to see which one fits you best. Pricing, fees and guidelines really do vary from lender to lender, so having someone compare them side by side can make a real difference.

You still deal with one person the whole way through. I handle the comparing, the paperwork and the back-and-forth with the lender, and you get straight answers from me instead of a call center.

A lot of people search for a “mortgage lender in McKinney” when what they actually want is someone local who'll look out for them and pick up the phone. That's the job as I see it.

Home Loans I Help With in McKinney

Every buyer is different, so here's a quick look at the loans I work with most. Which one makes sense depends on your goals, your credit and income, and the home you're buying. All loans are subject to credit approval.

• VA loans. I'm an Air Force veteran, so this one's personal. For eligible borrowers, a VA loan can mean buying with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance. I cover the details on my VA loans in McKinney page.
• FHA loans. Insured by the Federal Housing Administration, with more flexible credit guidelines and a lower down payment requirement than many conventional loans. A common starting point for first-time buyers. If you're torn, here's my take on FHA vs. conventional.
• Conventional loans. Not government-backed, and often a good fit if you have solid credit and some savings. There are conventional options even if you aren't putting a lot down.
• USDA loans. Backed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for eligible homes in qualifying rural and suburban areas, with household income limits. Eligibility depends on the property's location, so I'm happy to check a specific address with you.
• Jumbo loans. For loan amounts above the conforming loan limits, which can come up with some of the larger homes around North Texas. Guidelines vary a lot between lenders here, which is where shopping really helps.
• First-time buyer help. If this is your first home, I'll walk you through the whole thing, from what to gather to what happens at closing, and we can look at whether Texas down payment assistance makes sense for you. Start with my first-time homebuyer checklist and my guide to Texas down payment assistance.
• Refinancing. Whether you want to lower your rate, change your loan term or take cash out, I'll help you figure out whether a refinance actually makes sense before you spend money on one. My refinancing guide is a good place to start.

How Working With Me Works

Most of my clients never meet me in person, and that's on purpose. Everything gets done by phone, text, email and secure online document upload, so you don't have to take time off work to sit in an office. I live right here in McKinney, so I know the area, but you won't need to drive anywhere to get your loan done.

Here's what the process usually looks like:

1. A quick conversation. Call or text me and tell me what you're trying to do. Buying your first home, moving up, using your VA benefit, refinancing. We'll figure out what to focus on.
2. Apply online. When you're ready, you fill out my secure online application and upload your documents.
3. I shop your loan. I compare options from multiple wholesale lenders and walk you through the trade-offs in plain English.
4. Pre-approval. Once your file is reviewed, you get a pre-approval letter so you can make offers with confidence.
5. Contract to closing. After you're under contract, I keep you and your agent posted at every step until you have keys.

If you're a Realtor: I keep agents updated at every step of the loan, so you're never left wondering where things stand or finding out about a problem the week of closing. More on that in my Realtor section.

Evenings and weekends: House hunting doesn't happen nine to five, and neither do questions. I'm available evenings and weekends. If you're standing in a house on a Saturday wondering what something means for your loan, text me.

Areas I Serve

I'm based in McKinney and work with buyers and homeowners all over North Texas, including:

• McKinney
• Allen
• Frisco
• Plano
• Prosper
• Denton
• Coppell
• Carrollton
• Lewisville
• The Colony

I'm licensed in Texas, Michigan, Louisiana and Oklahoma, so if you're moving to North Texas from one of those states, or buying there, I can help on that end too.

About Keith

I served in the U.S. Air Force Security Forces from 2013 to 2017. A few years after leaving the Air Force I got into the mortgage business, and I've been at it for 4 years now as a mortgage broker with NXT Mortgage.

I work with a lot of first-time buyers and a lot of VA buyers. Both tend to want the same thing: someone who explains things plainly, tells them the truth about their options, and answers the phone. That's how I try to run every loan.

Frequently Asked Questions