Nonstop Signs & Graphics is a versatile printing company based out of San Diego. We work with individuals, small boutique businesses and Fortune 500 companies alike. Forbes recently recognized Nonstop Signs & Graphics as one of the fastest growing companies in the US. CEO Brandon Stapper serves on the Youth Entrepreneur Council and the Forbes…
Author: Bill Lyons
What Freelancers Need to Know About Getting a Mortgage
Getting a mortgage and looking for a new home is always a difficult process, especially when you’re self-employed or tend to work on a contract-to-contract basis. Luckily, your search for a mortgage doesn’t have to become a separate ordeal as long as you utilize this checklist to get your ducks in a row before speaking…
Buyer’s Market
The real estate market has officially become a ‘buyers market’ in some areas of the country and within some areas of your town. Remember, corrections happen regionally based on the local economy while crashes happen nationally/globally. This is not a crash, it is simply the end of a cycle and is part of the normal…
Breaking: Real Estate Inventory Low
America’s luxury home market is facing an inventory shortage but it’s not as deep or severe as the one in the wider housing market. Redfin says that inventory of homes priced $1 million or more was down 20.4% in the first quarter of 2018 compared to a year earlier, pushing prices in the luxury sector…
Why Are Millennials Money Hungry?
Millennials have consistently been the butt of jokes in the last decade. Many older generations criticize millennials for not preparing for their future or being lazier than previous generations. But these stereotypes are largely inaccurate. In fact, 63 percent of millennials are saving their money, according to Bank of America’s Better Money Habits millennial Report.…
Buyer Beware: 3 Tips For First-Time Buyers
Buying your first home in the San Diego market can be difficult, especially for a young family just getting started. Before you decide to go house hunting, read up on these tips shared by third generation realtor and local San Diegan, Teevan McManus of Lyons Realty. Pick the right lender and get pre-approved. Getting a…
Millennials Continue to Shake Housing Market
Millennials Leading the Way Millennials are increasingly entering the housing market as first-time buyers and are expected to lead the growth in new home buyers too, the National Association of Home Builders reports from its analysis of Census data. The overall homeownership rate of millennials is at 36 percent, which is the largest gains among all…
What is motivating millennials to purchase their first home?
As it turns out, millennials do want to own a home, and it’s just for a different reason than we think. A recent survey conducted by Harris Poll found that 33 percent of millennials say their dog motivated the purchase of their first home. They want to create a better life for their furry friend…
Why the mortgage business will never go 100% digital
So you’ve found your dream house. Now, where do you go for a home loan? Do you go with the lender your real estate agent recommends? They have just as much riding on this, so they should only refer you to the best in the business. Right? Or do you listen to Mom and Dad’s…
What To Do If You Want To Be A Successful Home Buyer In Today’s Market
Home prices are rising at their fastest pace in almost three years. The index has increased by 6% in the past year accord to Corelogic and S&P Dow Jones Indices, a pace which is not so great for home buyers. With home-buyer demand growing and our nation’s housing inventory shrinking, prices seem to have no where…
Today We Celebrate National Flag Day
Each year, the United States celebrates Flag Day on June 14. Never has a piece of decorated cloth inspired so much pride, patriotism, and even controversy, than our American Flag. The history of Flag Day dates back to 1885, when it is believed school teacher BJ Cigrand arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public…
Student Loan “Cash-Out Refinance”
The new changes Fannie has put into place will waive the increased fees & higher interest rates associated with “traditional cash out” refinance transactions. Mortgage Lenders (including Griffin Funding) have changed how student debt is calculated by accepting the student loan re-payment amount listed on the clients credit report. Previously, lenders were required to factor in 1% of…
House Hunting Out Of Town? We’ve Got Your Back.
During the first quarter of this year, 20% of online house hunters searched for properties that were outside their local area. Our beloved San Diego made the top 10 list of most searched cities. It seems the lack of budget-friendly home options is driving many to look towards metros with more affordable price tags. As…
Median Home Value On The Rise But Experts Say No Bubble In Sight
In April the median home value increased to $198,000 according to Zillow’s data. That is 1% above the peak of 2007 ($196,600). However, Zillow’s chief economist, Dr Svenja Gudell, thinks it is unlikely for us to have another housing bubble. “We aren’t in a bubble, and won’t be entering one anytime soon. There are big differences between the market then and…
Mortgage Closings Keep Getting Quicker
The time it takes to close all loans (both purchase and refinance) fell to 42 days in April, down from 43 days in March and a substantial drop from the beginning of 2017 when the average was 51 days in January. Although refinances are still closing faster than purchases, purchase originations continue to rule the market. This past month, refis…
Purchase Money Loans Increase While Time To Close Decreases
The share of mortgage closings that were for home purchases increased in April according to the latest data from mortgage software firm Ellie Mae. Purchase money loans made up 65% of total loans with refinances down to 35%. Last year at this time purchases made up 59% of mortgage originations while refinances took a 40% share. “We…
Homeownership Most Often Delayed By Downpayment Confusion
According to a survey by by Genworth Mortgage Insurance, misperceptions about downpayments are deterring what would be homeowners from purchasing their first home. They found that a majority of borrowers still believe that it is a requirement for purchasing a home. Even the many prospective borrowers who know that a 20 percent downpayment is not mandatory still think it would be difficult to…
New Products and 2017 Predictions
The mortgage industry is going through a lot of changes right now. It’s always a good idea to review your situation at least once a year. We can set a free consultation to ensure you are on track. Give us a call at 888-721-0003 or request a consultation on the right hand side of this page. New Products at…
Effects of Trump Election and Yellen Comments on VA Mortgage Rates
The reason for this post is to make Veterans who are using their VA benefits (to either refinance or purchase a home) aware of the current mortgage market environment. The Trump election and Fed Chair Yellen’s recent comments created some major changes that you need to be aware of. In mid 2016 mortgage rates dove…
Sarah Howell Talks VA Home Loans
Bill Lyons, CEO of Griffin Funding, interviews Sarah Howell, Sr. Loan Officer, about the advantages and pitfalls of VA home loans.
Want to Shave Years Off of Your Mortgage Payments?
We would all like to pay off our mortgages sooner rather than later, right? But with mortgage payments that never seem to end and interest payments that continue to pile up, it’s easy to get in a rut with bare minimum payments. Well, did you know that if you make one extra payment a year,…
Top 4 Benefits of VA Loans
Veterans are able to receive home loans backed by the government at a lower rate than the general public. As conventional loan rates begin to creep back up, VA loans get even better. Here are the top four benefits of a VA loan. Payments Are Lower No mortgage insurance and lower interest rates than conventional…
Shelter to Soldier Partnership
Graham Bloem, Founder of Shelter to Soldier (STS) and William Lyons, CEO of Griffin Funding, are pursuing the goal of being able to underwrite the cost of rescuing and training three shelter dogs and matching them with participating veterans by the end of this year. STS is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that rescues…
The Difference Between Pre-Qualification and Pre-Approval
Most people don’t know the difference between getting pre-qualified and getting pre-approved. Both are important stes in the mortgage process. When looking in to buying a house, your first step should be to get pre-qualified with a lender so that you can see how much you can afford. This can be done over the phone…
Are You Prepared to Get a Home Loan?
The first step when you are getting ready to purchase a home is making sure your credit is up to par. Your credit is inversely correlated to your closing costs, interest, and overall fees associated with a home loan. The worse your credit is, the more you will end up paying. It is always advised…
VA Inspection vs Home Appraisal
The VA loan program was designed to help eligible veterans, active duty service members, and their families qualify for a home loan with less stringent criteria, making homeownership more affordable for the individuals that serve our country. When you apply for a home loan, you may hear the terms VA appraisal and VA home inspection…
Should You Refinance?
Why should you refinance? Many don’t ever think about refinancing, but did you know the average person can save $100’s to even $1000’s a year by doing so? There is also no limit to the amount of times you can refinance your mortgage. Just this past quarter of 2015, borrowers that chose to refinance their…
How Recent Market Changes Can Affect You
As the Real Estate and financial markets continue to move up and down, mortgage rates can also be affected. Since mortgage rates are more closely tied to the bond markets, an up or down move in the stock market may not have the result in mortgage rates that one might expects. In fact, many times…
Is an FHA Loan Right For Me?
With the resurgence of FHA home loans, many home owners are wondering if they can benefit from an FHA loan. The truth is that you may or may not benefit by converting your existing loan into an FHA loan when you refinance. Some of the factors that can determine if an FHA loan is right…
Home Purchase Loan Tips
If you are thinking about purchasing a new home, don’t wait until you find the perfect home to get prequalified! Make sure your credit is healthy and find out how much you can qualify for before you find the home of your dreams. This helps insure that you not only choose a home in the…