The Process
Human-first home financing for people just like you
My whole process is built on the idea that financing shouldn’t be a cookie-cutter transaction. Every family deserves to have someone walk them through the jargon and numbers so they can get home.
My Process
Step 1
The application
The word sounds bigger than it really is. This is just you filling me in. Things like what you earn, what you’ve put aside, what you’re hoping to buy, so I can give you some real world numbers instead of guessing.
You aren’t committing to a loan. You aren’t committing to me. You’re just giving a snapshot of your situation.
Where people get stuckWaiting until everything looks perfect. It’s fine if things start out messy. I can help you sort through things and get you where you need to be.
Step 2
We talk. (Like a real human conversation)
Before any decisions get made, we talk. What you’re trying to do, what you’re worried about, what your situation really looks like.
This is where I can show you how much you qualify for, which programs actually fit, and how to set this up in the most strategic way for your family. You’ll see what the monthly payment really looks like and what next steps look like.
You’ll come away with a preapproval letter you can put in front of a seller if all goes well.
Where people get stuckBeing afraid to share the messy parts of your situation. Everyone’s got those little places they feel embarrassed about- less than perfect credit, small bank accounts, huge bank accounts, weird income. Remember that I’m the person in your corner trying to make things work- the best thing you can do is be open and let me problem solve with you (I promise you won’t share anything that shocks me)
Step 3
You go find a home
This is the fun part. You go home shopping and find the perfect place. You can shoot me the addresses along the way and I can give you payment estimates for those properties. You’ll let me know when you’re ready to place an offer and we can finalize the best way to structure the loan.
Where people get stuckOpening a credit card, financing furniture, or changing jobs during this stretch. Any of the three can move your approval. Call me before you do any of them, not after. It is never an annoying call.
Step 4
Offer accepted
This is where things get real. We’ll get any remaining documents that we need and get the loan sent in to underwriting.
Where people get stuckSending documents one at a time over two weeks. Every gap is a day the file sits. Block out an hour, do it in one pass, and the rest of this gets dramatically easier.
Step 5
Underwriting
An underwriter reads the whole file and gives final approval. They will almost certainly come back asking for more (a letter explaining a deposit, an updated paystub, a page you already sent). That’s normal. It is not a sign anything is wrong.
We’ll also be doing things like ordering appraisals and coordinating with title.
Where people get stuckThe silence. Most people assume no news is bad news, and most loan officers go quiet here because there is nothing to report. That is exactly backwards, and it is the part of this job I care most about getting right.
Step 6
Clear to close
Final numbers, a final walkthrough, and then an hour at a title company signing more paper than you have ever signed. I’ll do one final rundown of all the numbers with you so nothing at that signing table is a surprise.
Where people get stuckWiring money. Wire fraud in real estate is real and it is aggressive. Nobody from my side will ever email you new wire instructions. If you get that email, call me before you touch it.
What you can expect from me
- Unless there is some massive, unexpected situation, I almost always respond within an hour (usually within a couple minutes) no matter what step of the process you’re in
- You work with me from start to finish. Even when team members are helping track down documents or coordinate things, I’m with you every step of the way
- I’ll always give you honest, straightforward answers. If I have to give you bad news, you’ll know right away and I’ll have solutions ready
- No question is too basic. You are allowed to ask “dumb” questions
Common questions
Questions people actually ask
What happens right after I submit the application?
I look over all the numbers and reach out to find a good time to talk. Not an automated email or ai bot. An actual conversation about what you sent me, what it means, and what your options look like. Submitting the application is not the same as applying for a specific loan, and nothing is locked in at that point.
What is the difference between prequalified and preapproved?
Prequalification is based on the numbers you tell me, checked against a credit report. Preapproval means we’ve reviewed actual paystubs and assets. Preapproval carries more weight with a seller, and in a competitive situation it can be the difference between two otherwise identical offers.
Will I work with you the whole way, or get handed off?
Me, start to finish. You will talk with some of my team along the way, but I am the one you can call day or night and am with you through every step.
Do I need to be preapproved before I start looking at houses?
You do not need it to browse, but you need it to be taken seriously. Most agents in Bell County will ask for a letter before showing you homes, and most sellers will not look at an offer without one. It is worth doing early for a second reason: if something needs fixing, you find out while there is still time.
Can I get a mortgage if I am self-employed?
Absolutely, and it is a big part of what I do. Conventional loans usually ask for two years of tax returns, which often understates what a business owner actually earns because of deductions. Bank statement loans let us qualify you on deposits into your account instead. If your tax return is the obstacle, we do not have to use it.
What if my credit is not great?
There is usually more room than people expect, and the answer is rarely a flat no. It is more often a number and a timeline. If credit is what is standing in the way, we can create a free credit repair plan that is specific to your exact situation.
What can delay a closing?
Most often: documents coming back slowly, a credit change during the contract period, an appraisal that lands below the contract price, or a title issue nobody knew about. Every one of those is survivable, and most are predictable. That is what the updates are for.
Do you only work in Salado?
No. I am based in Salado and work throughout Bell County – Temple, Belton, Killeen, Harker Heights as well as Williamson County, including Georgetown, Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Leander.
Get started today
No commitment, and no pressure. Find out where you stand.
David Laws, Loan Officer, NMLS #2794754. Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #2289. This is not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.