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Business Partner Update
Ken Graczak
Ken Graczak
Friday, September 25, 2026
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Self-Employed Lending — Mortgage Update for Realtors
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A Note From Ken Graczak
Rates went up again, here's what we're doing about it
Rates have moved higher the last couple weeks, and instead of just watching it happen, we've been building out ways to help buyers get to yes anyway. A few things coming your way: 4-hour prequalification so buyers have a letter before they're out touring homes, lender incentives and buydown options to soften the payment, non-QM lending for buyers who don't fit the traditional box, and we're giving away 100 copies of our homebuyer book before the end of 2026. Message me back and let me know what you want to hear more about first.
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Rate Snapshot · Week of September 24, 2026 |
▲ +0.08% |
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Conventional 30-Year
6.78%
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These are national average rates for the week of September 24, 2026. The 30-year fixed is at 6.78% — up 0.08% from last week, FHA at 6.7%, and VA at 6.68%. For exact rates tailored to your buyers, reach out to your loan officer directly.
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From Your Lending Partner
Self-Employed Buyers Aren't Unbankable — They Just Need the Right Lender
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Self-employed clients are one of the most overlooked buyer pools in real estate. Agents assume they're too hard to finance. That's not true — they just need a lender who knows the right programs. Traditional bank statement loans let us qualify buyers using 12–24 months of personal or business deposits instead of tax returns. This is a game changer for the business owner who writes off everything and shows minimal taxable income on paper. I've closed buyers who showed $40K in net income on their return but had $18K per month flowing through their accounts. We qualified them at the deposit level. There are also P&L-only programs, asset depletion loans, and 1099-based approvals. None of these are exotic — they're just less commonly offered. If you have a self-employed buyer who's been told "no" by their bank, send them my way before they give up. I can usually find a path forward within 48 hours.
Send me your self-employed buyer. I'll find the right program and pre-approve them fast.
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Did You Know?
Construction-to-Perm Loans
One loan from groundbreak to move-in.
For buyers building new, a construction-to-perm loan funds the build and converts to a permanent mortgage at completion — one application, one appraisal, one closing. No need to re-qualify when the home is done.
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✓Lock the permanent rate at construction start
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✓Interest-only during build phase keeps carrying costs low
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✓Available for custom builds and spec homes
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✓Works with most licensed general contractors
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Share With Your Buyers
Preparing for Appraisal
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The appraisal protects both you and the lender — it's not an inspection, it's a value opinion.
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If the appraisal comes in low, you have options: renegotiate the price, dispute the appraisal, or pay the gap.
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Your lender orders the appraisal — you typically can't choose the appraiser, but you can review the report.
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Recent comparable sales drive appraisal value — your agent should provide the appraiser with the strongest comps.
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Cosmetic condition affects value — clean and declutter before the appraiser visits.
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Tip of the Week
If you're self-employed, keeping clean financial records for two years makes mortgage qualification much smoother.
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8120 Penn Ave S. Suite 100C, Bloomington, MN 55431 · 612-324-8454 · https://kengraczak.com
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