Doug Jones's (dougj) Blog

Most homeowners focus on mortgage rates, property values, and remodeling projects when thinking about their home’s future. But sometimes the biggest changes come from policies that receive far less public attention.In 2023, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District adopted regulations that wil...

Many homeowners are surprised to learn just how simple it is to estimate how much money they may qualify for with a reverse mortgage loan.In most cases, I only need three basic pieces of information to provide a quick estimate:• The birthdate of the youngest borrower• The home address• The curren...

In the San Jose area, many homeowners have built something truly remarkable over the years substantial home equity. For many of the older homeowners I speak with, the house is completely paid off or close to it, yet a large portion of their wealth is sitting quietly in the walls of their home. A ...

Representing Buyers and Sellers as a Realtor I have done transactions in these California Cities (probably missing a couple) For those out of state some of these are 360 miles from San Jose.Long Beach • Sacramento • Salinas • Modesto • PalmdaleSanta Clara • Stockton • Sunnyvale • Rancho Cordova •...

 Mortgage rates are likely rising again today as the bond market weakens. When bonds sell off, mortgage-backed securities (the bonds that directly affect mortgage rates) fall too. That usually means lenders raise rates.So why is this happening?Oil prices are up, and that often makes investors wor...

I was walking into a movie with a couple of friends when she walked out. She was with her two sisters, and I was surprised to see her there. We were in German class together at San Jose City College. I had known her name since the beginning of the semester that September. She was quiet. I was… n...

This is an Active Rain Blog I wrote in 2012 about an event in 2000How things have changed. March 2000 the credit score was not much of a factor. I had a customer who had a 20% debt ratio and the loan to value was less than 40%. She had some old credit issues that were really a non-factor. The ban...

 Years ago my daughter was buying her first home. She saved and kept her credit excellent and hers was the first over 800 score I ever saw but the loan was turned down by the first lender. Why ? When she paid her bills in full she used cash and had not used credit in two years (finally got the lo...

I'm on a roll today ...a roll...OMG, I got butter on my pants. These are basically almost all true. Realtor: “We close in 21 days!”Loan Officer: “With whose documents?”Realtor: “They’re fully qualified!”Loan Officer: “Based on vibes or pay stubs?”A Realtor shows you your dream home.A Loan Officer...

  Here are some loan officer–themed mortgage jokes:1. Why did the loan officer bring a ladder to work?To help clients improve their credit score.2. Loan officers don’t need coffee.They run purely on deadlines and “just one more document.”3. What’s a loan officer’s favorite exercise?Running credit...