Don't Just Find a Lender. Build Your Team.
When you buy a home, your real estate agent may be the person you spend the most time with—but your lender should be an active part of the conversation, too.
A good loan officer does far more than issue a pre-approval and show up again when it's time to close. They can help you understand your buying power, compare financing strategies, evaluate the numbers on a specific property, strengthen an offer, and avoid surprises before closing day.
The key? Keep your lender involved throughout the entire homebuying process.
Here’s how to get the most out of that relationship at every stage.
Before You Start Shopping: Know Your Numbers
Before you start scrolling through listings or scheduling showings, talk with your lender. A pre-approval is important, but the conversation shouldn't end with “How much can I borrow?”
Your maximum approval amount and the amount you actually feel comfortable spending may be very different numbers.
Questions to ask your lender before you shop:
What price range makes sense based on my desired monthly payment?
How much should I plan to put down?
Which loan programs should I consider?
What will property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, and HOA dues do to my payment?
Approximately how much cash will I need for my down payment and closing costs?
Are there down payment assistance programs or other financing options I should know about?
Is there anything in my financial profile I should address before making an offer?
How could changes in interest rates affect my buying power?
This is also a great time to talk about your bigger financial picture. Tell your lender what matters to you—not just what you qualify for.
Maybe keeping cash in savings is more important than making the largest possible down payment. Maybe your priority is the lowest monthly payment. Maybe you expect to stay in the home for only a few years.
Those details can influence the financing strategy your lender recommends.
You've Found the House: Call Your Lender Before You Make the Offer
You found it. Now things can move quickly.
Before deciding on the terms of your offer, bring your lender back into the conversation. Your Realtor and loan officer can work together to help you understand how the offer translates into actual dollars.
Questions to ask before submitting an offer:
What would my estimated monthly payment be on this specific property?
How much cash would I need to close at this price?
Does this property change anything about my financing?
Should we compare different down payment amounts or loan options?
How would seller-paid closing costs or concessions affect my numbers?
If we offer above asking price, what happens if the appraisal comes in low?
Can my financing timeline accommodate the proposed closing date?
Is my pre-approval structured appropriately for this offer?
Are there financing strategies that could make this offer stronger?
Your lender can also communicate directly with your Realtor when appropriate. That collaboration can be especially valuable when an offer involves an unusual property, competitive terms, a tight closing timeline, or a more complex financing scenario.
Your Realtor understands the deal. Your lender understands the financing. Let them work together.
Under Contract: Keep Asking Questions
Once your offer is accepted, it's easy to feel like the financing piece is essentially finished.
It isn't.
Your loan will move through processing, appraisal, underwriting, and final approval—and communication becomes especially important during this period.
This is also not the time to make major financial changes without talking to your lender first. A new car, new credit card, large purchase, job change, or unusual movement of money could potentially affect your loan.
When in doubt, ask before you act.
Before Closing: Understand Exactly What You're Signing
By the time closing day arrives, there shouldn't be major mysteries left about your mortgage.
Before you sign, make sure you understand the final terms of your loan and what homeownership will look like financially after closing.
Questions to ask your lender before closing:
What is my final interest rate?
What will my total monthly mortgage payment be?
How much money do I need to bring to closing?
What exactly is included in my closing costs?
Are my property taxes and homeowners insurance being escrowed?
When is my first mortgage payment due?
How and where will I make my payments?
Is there a prepayment penalty?
What should I expect after closing?
Who should I contact if I have questions about my mortgage later?
And if something on your Closing Disclosure doesn't make sense, ask. You should understand the loan you're agreeing to before you sign.
Don't Just Find a Lender. Build Your Team.
Buying a home involves a lot of moving pieces. You shouldn't have to navigate the financing side alone.
An experienced loan officer can be a resource from the moment you begin thinking about buying through the day you receive your keys—and well beyond closing.
So use them.
Ask questions. Run scenarios. Send over the listing. Talk through the numbers. Connect them with your Realtor. And don't be afraid to call when you're unsure about something.
The strongest real estate teams communicate—and your lender should be part of that team from day one.
Ready to start the conversation? Connect with Jim Yarrington to talk through your homebuying goals, financing options, and next steps.
Jim Yarrington
Senior Mortgage Loan Officer
First State Bank Mortgage
NMLS #454680
👉 Apply online
📞 Call or text: 913-915-1855
All loans subject to approval. Equal Housing Lender.