Mortgage Lender Blog | Maureen Martin with HomePlus Mortgage

Will We Be Able to Avoid an Unfolding Mortgage Crisis?

April 13, 2020 by Maureen Martin

Right now, unemployment is on track to compete with what this country saw in the Great Depression as a result of COVID-19. Millions of Americans can’t keep up with their bills, including their mortgages. By passing the CARES Act, Congress has provided a buffer for individuals and families—but also potentially hastened a developing crisis in the … [Read more...]

SDSU to Move Forward With Satellite Campus Project in Mission Valley

February 12, 2020 by Maureen Martin

You might be aware that San Diego State University (SDSU) has been trying to purchase the stadium site at Mission Valley as the proposed location for a new satellite campus. Now, the California State University Board of Trustees has given SDSU the green light. This follows the Measure G vote back in November 2018, which also supported the … [Read more...]

2020 San Diego Housing Market Looks Healthier Than Real Estate Markets Elsewhere in CA

January 6, 2020 by Maureen Martin

Have you seen the latest study from Zillow? The site writes, “A panel of more than 100 U.S. economists and real estate experts was asked to rate their 2020 expectations for home value growth compared to the nation in 25 large markets nationwide.” Going by the results, it looks like San Diego’s housing market is expected to fare better than those of … [Read more...]

Conventional Loan Limits in San Diego Raised for 2020

December 5, 2019 by Maureen Martin

If you are hoping to qualify for a conventional loan to purchase a home in San Diego or elsewhere in SoCal, I have some exciting news for you for the New Year. The conventional loan limits for 2020 are going up! The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) made the announcement on November 26th. Let’s look at the new loan limits throughout the … [Read more...]

Income Up? Now Is a Great Time to Purchase or Refinance in San Diego

November 18, 2019 by Maureen Martin

Have you been earning more in recent times than you did in the past? If so, your good fortune reflects a regional trend as described by the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). According to the data, between 2017 and 2019, there was a 5.7% increase in income per capita in the San Diego metro area. This can be compared with … [Read more...]

With Home Prices at a Low Year-Over-Year, Now is the Time to Harvest the Fruits of San Diego’s Real Estate Market

October 7, 2019 by Maureen Martin

Heading into fall, we have great news for San Diego homebuyers. According to data from CoreLogic, the median price for homes in San Diego County has dropped. This is something which hasn’t happened in 7 years. Last year at this time, the median cost of a San Diego home was $584,500. This year, it is $584,000. Even though that drop is small, we … [Read more...]

Negative Equity Has Fallen Dramatically Since the Recession

September 10, 2019 by Maureen Martin

Most of us have stories from the recession days. You probably knew homeowners who were “underwater”—who owed more on their homes than they were worth. You might even have been in that position yourself. If so, you may have wondered how common it is for homeowners to find themselves underwater in today’s world. Have things improved since the … [Read more...]

Been Thinking of a Refinance? Take Advantage of Today’s Low Rates

August 13, 2019 by Maureen Martin

Did you know that mortgage rates have been low for the past six months? You may recall last month’s post when I shared data that those low rates held steady through July. Now, I have really fantastic news for August—and that is that rates have dropped even further, making this the perfect time to get a refinance. Ready For Home Refinance? The … [Read more...]

With Mortgage Rates Holding Steady and Demand for Housing Growing, Now is the Time to Buy

July 16, 2019 by Maureen Martin

If you have been thinking about buying a home in San Diego, this may be an ideal time to move on a property. According to the World Property Journal, Freddie Mac has published data in its Primary Mortgage Market Survey reporting that mortgage rates have held steady during early July. The article quotes Freddie Mac's chief economist, Sam Khater, … [Read more...]

First Time Homebuyer Problems and Solutions

June 17, 2019 by Maureen Martin

Shopping for your first home in San Diego? As excited as you may be, there may be many obstacles you perceive to be standing in your way. But it is common for first-time homebuyers to overestimate these challenges. You may be surprised by how many solutions already exist to help you qualify for your first home loan. Let's go over some common … [Read more...]

Sam Button

23:11 27 Sep 23

I had the pleasure of working with Maureen for my first home purchase, and her service was stellar from start to finish! Things can be very daunting for a first time home buyer, and Maureen made sure to take the time to explain everything easily and effectively - she is a great communicator and she made the process much easier for me. I was previously working with a different lender and Maureen was able to match their fees and provide quite a bit lower interest rate for me! Definitely will be recommending her to friends/family in the future if they decide to purchase a home.

Edward Lepe

16:08 25 Aug 23

This review is long overdue but well deserved. Maureen came to the rescue when I purchased my home in April. I was working with a different lender that was referred to me by my realtor, after a few bad experiences and my gut telling me to get a second opinion, I called Maureen less than 3 weeks before closing. From the beginning, Maureen was genuine, professional, and kind, she let me know what she could and could not do, set the right expectations and made me feel at ease. She immediately got to work, I can tell she was genuine in her intent to help me...not only was she able to close in record time, but she saved me over 1% in my rate, lower closing cost and a lower monthly payment. All while closing in record time. Maureen is truly in a class above the rest, she's passionate about helping people, genuine, honest, professional and effective. Thank you Maureen!

Ron Steen

23:05 30 May 23

Spent 10 minutes on the phone with her and she helped me immensely. Without trying to push a sale or make a deal, she helped me answer questions and was truly trying to help me even though she had nothing to gain. I will recommend her to anyone that will listen. SHE IS AMAZING!!!

Yara Tercero

16:42 24 May 23

Maureen helped us close in record time even with repair negotiations. She was super on top of everything. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience with an always stressful process of buying a home. 1000% recommend Maureen. She sticks to her word and won’t promise anything she can’t deliver on.

Melanie Davis

10:39 19 May 23

If you are looking for a review to help you decide if you should use Maureen, this is it. She’s up front and “kept it real” with me. I had shopped around for the best rate for my refi and lenders quotes were all over the board and I couldn’t make sense of it. I called her to see what she could do and not only did she have expert knowledge of the market, she offered excellent advice on how to navigate it to my benefit. No one else did that. She was patient and explained how things worked so I understood what decisions I was making. I prefer to work with someone who will tell me like it is instead of what they think I want to hear. I saw first hand how some brokers don’t care, you’re just another client to them. But she advocated for me as if she were me and that is invaluable and rare. I can’t thank her enough for her insight, experience and support during the process. I’m so glad I called her.

Jerome Farnan

18:06 17 May 23

Maureen is more than a mortgage broker, she's a helpful person who really wants to do what she can to make the process go smoothly. She is super knowledgeable about the mortgage business, real estate, financial trends and seemingly everything that is remotely related to mortgages. This made me very comfortable with the process and helped us greatly to coordinate the escrow people and the real estate people, and all the documents and information needed. If you get in touch with Maureen, she will start helping you before you even know what you need.

Christian Thorn

18:29 11 May 23

An amazing person to work with. Plans ahead for any hiccups in the process and is very organized. Definitely recommend her to anyone looking to purchase or refi a home!

Cam Tran

18:22 11 May 23

We've bought 4 homes so far and Maureen has been the BEST lender we've worked with! She has outstanding communication and you can tell she is dedicated to her work. She was prompt, easily accessible and always willing to answer any questions we had. She was also ready to fund us for an earlier closing! If you're looking for a lender, SHE'S THE ONE!!

Emily Mitchell

18:23 27 Apr 23

My experience working with Maureen starts off with a story of a lifetime. I am cofounder and president of a local nonprofit animal sanctuary, and towards the start of 2023 I found myself in one of the most challenging situations of my life. My husband and I had made the difficult decision to separate, and if the animals and I were going to stay at the property in Ramona, CA I would need to qualify for my own loan and refinance the house.This is where Maureen comes in. From the beginning, I knew I was in good hands. I had diligently searched for a good lender who could give me a good rate that would allow me to afford the house, and Maureen beat the competition. Not only that, but she was pivotal in pursuing an opportunity to lock-in on a good rate one evening when rates had momentarily dropped (rates went back up the very next day, so I was very lucky to have had a responsive and determined lender like Maureen!). Maureen never rushed me, encouraged me to do whatever was best for my unique situation, and was extremely patient with all of my questions. Perhaps above all, Maureen was kind, thorough, and a great listener throughout the entire process. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the phone call with her while I was driving one of our sheep home from the vet, midway through the process of securing my loan. I felt a little embarrassed that I had to speak loudly over a very opinionated sheep in the car, but that didn’t seem to phase Maureen. It only fueled her desire to help.Committing to a new loan is a big deal and can be stressful, especially with the future forever home of an animal sanctuary at stake. I’m beyond thrilled and relieved to report that my loan officially funded yesterday, and I could not have had a better lender on my side. 10/10 recommend Maureen for your future loan needs. She might just rescue you (and your animals)!

Rosie Zuno

15:32 27 Apr 23

If we could give more stars we would! We have had the pleasure of working with Maureen Martin multiple times in the past 10 years, not only for personal transactions, but we also refer her to our clients and close family because she is simply amazing. She is a true professional, her work ethic is outstanding and we could not be happier to work with her and her team. As a Professional Realtor myself, I can say that Maureen Martin is the best in the industry, I have worked with may Lenders, none like Maureen and the team she has built. When working with her as my lender, I know the transaction will go smooth because she is on top of her game, and her team is as efficient as her. Thank you Maureen for always being there to help us with personal transactions and also my clients, we really appreciate you!!! We look forward to working with you again soon 🙂

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