South Florida Mortgage Report

Craig Garcia and Bill Mei
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Business News
  • Updated Weekly

South Florida's only dedicated weekly mortgage podcast. Hosted by Craig Garcia, President of Capital Partners Mortgage Services, LLC, and co-host Bill Mei. Weekly mortgage rate updates, loan program breakdowns, Florida condo market news, and real estate trends across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Straight talk for homebuyers, investors, and real estate professionals. 🌐 cp-mtg.com 📺 youtube.com/@craiggarciamortgage Craig Garcia | NMLS #653593 | Coral Springs, FL | Equal Housing Lender

  1. 3d ago

    Should You Use Your Home to Pay Off Debt? The Honest Math

    Should you use your home to wipe out debt? Before you consolidate, Craig Garcia and Billy Mei spend the first half on why you probably *shouldn't* — starting with the Florida homestead protection most people have never had explained: unsecured creditors can get a judgment and garnish wages, but they can't touch your Florida home… until you move that debt onto it. Then the narrow cases where tapping your equity genuinely is smart, a quick quiz on how brutal today's debt landscape really is, and three real consolidation scenarios run live — including the one where the honest answer is "do this yourself, don't touch your house." Plus a free Debt Payoff Planner to attack your debt without a new loan, and this week's market + South Florida condo-rule update. 🧮 **Free Debt Payoff Planner:** https://www.cp-mtg.com/debt-payoff-planner/ 📞 **No-obligation analysis:** (954) 271-2024 **Chapters** - 0:00 Why your home equity is sacred - 1:08 The Florida homestead protection nobody explains - 1:57 The behavior trap — and turning a 3-year debt into a 30-year one - 3:06 Pay it off *without* your home — the free Debt Payoff Planner (avalanche vs. snowball) - 5:28 When consolidating actually is the right move — the guardrails - 8:00 Quiz: how brutal is today's debt? (card rates, car loans, balances) - 10:50 Three real scenarios, run live - 16:10 The "pump the brakes" case — when to just do it yourself - 18:20 The honest answer — why we'll tell you *not* to - 20:35 Market update: inflation report & where rates are - 22:00 South Florida: down payment assistance, seller concessions, 2-1 buydowns - 22:23 New condo rules — what agents & buyers need to know now Capital Partners Mortgage Services, LLC · NMLS #2332376 · Equal Housing Opportunity. Educational only; not financial, legal, or tax advice and not a commitment to lend. **Subscribe for weekly market updates** on rates, inflation, jobs reports, and what actually moves mortgage pricing. 📍South Florida focus — national relevance. #MortgageRates #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Fed #FannieMae #FreddieMac #MBS #Refinance #HomeBuying #SouthFloridaRealEstate 🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA MORTGAGE REPORT 🔁 YouTube playlist (all episodes): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCOa_zSrotiecbiomGKhTzASCBToYQUea 📱 Subscribe & follow on your favorite platform: • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/south-florida-mortgage-report/id1834181574 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxG2PzPd3W9pJFqQnLAPS?si=5a667fbd60a44ce9 📌 HELPFUL LINKS 📩 Housing Newsletter: Stay informed with curated mortgage and housing insights delivered straight to your inbox: https://housingnewsletters.com/craiggarcia ✅ Pre-Approvals 24/7: Get started anytime: ⁠ Option 1⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/rhx8h ⁠ Option 2⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/w2o7v

  2. Aug 9

    Pay Off Your Mortgage Early — or Invest? (What the Numbers Actually Show)

    Should you pay your mortgage down early with extra payments — or put that money to work somewhere else? At today's ~7% rates the answer has changed, and it's a closer call than most people think. Craig Garcia and Bill Mei break down both sides honestly: the guaranteed return of prepaying, the Federal Reserve research on funding retirement first, and the liquidity, inflation, and compounding reasons to think twice — plus how to see it in your own numbers with our free calculator. Try the free Extra Payment Calculator (no login, no email): https://www.cp-mtg.com/extra-mortgage-payment-calculator/ In this episode: • Why paying down a 7% mortgage is a guaranteed, risk-free return • The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago study: fund tax-advantaged retirement (and any employer match) BEFORE prepaying • The case for paying it off: peace of mind, huge interest savings, no payment in retirement • The case against: liquidity, opportunity cost, and how inflation quietly helps you pay a fixed-rate loan • The most underrated factor — liquidity and control: money in the house has to be applied for to get back, and you may not qualify when you need it most • A $50,000 example: prepay vs. invest at the same rate, and why compounding + control matter • The discipline test: keeping money liquid only wins if you don't spend it • Bonus: a rate & market update (this week's jobs report and what it means) Chapters: 0:00 The question everyone asks 0:11 Why ~7% rates change the answer 0:38 The right order — retirement first (Fed study) 1:29 The case FOR paying it down 2:44 The case AGAINST 4:53 Liquidity & control — the underrated one 5:47 The $50,000 example (prepay vs. invest) 7:01 So… which is right for you? 7:47 The discipline caveat 8:34 See it in your own numbers (free calculator) 9:42 Bottom line 9:59 Bonus: keep your 3% rate — a fixed-rate second instead of refinancing 10:24 Rate & market update (jobs report) Study referenced: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, "The Tradeoff Between Mortgage Prepayments and Tax-Deferred Retirement Savings" (Amromin, Huang & Sialm, 2006). https://www.nber.org/digest/apr07/retirement-saving-versus-mortgage-paydowns · Full paper — https://www.chicagofed.org/-/media/publications/working-papers/2006/wp2006-05-pdf.pdf Capital Partners Mortgage Services, LLC · NMLS #2332376 · Equal Housing Opportunity · www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org Educational and general in nature — not financial, tax, or investment advice. Talk with your financial advisor or CPA about your situation. 🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA MORTGAGE REPORT 🔁 YouTube playlist (all episodes): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCOa_zSrotiecbiomGKhTzASCBToYQUea 📱 Subscribe & follow on your favorite platform: • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/south-florida-mortgage-report/id1834181574 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxG2PzPd3W9pJFqQnLAPS?si=5a667fbd60a44ce9 📌 HELPFUL LINKS 📩 Housing Newsletter: Stay informed with curated mortgage and housing insights delivered straight to your inbox: https://housingnewsletters.com/craiggarcia ✅ Pre-Approvals 24/7: Get started anytime: ⁠ Option 1⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/rhx8h ⁠ Option 2⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/w2o7v

  3. Aug 4

    Air BNB Loans Explained - Know Today, Not After The Offer

    Most investors who get turned down for a rental loan aren't short on money — they're short on the paperwork a traditional loan wants. They write a lot off, they're self-employed, or they already own enough rentals to muddy their debt-to-income. On a conventional loan, that's a wall. In this episode, Craig Garcia (President of Capital Partners Mortgage Services) and Billy Mei break down the DSCR loan — financing that qualifies the *property* instead of the borrower. No W-2s, no tax returns, no personal debt-to-income. The one question that matters: does the rent cover the payment? Then they go a step further into the part most people haven't seen — using **projected short-term rental (Airbnb-style) income** to qualify a purchase *up front*, before you spend a dime on an inspection or appraisal. Craig runs three real South Florida listings through the tool live: - A Jupiter 5-bedroom that cash-flows roughly $800/month - A St. Augustine beach-area condo that mostly pays for itself — and could become a future retirement home - A Coral Springs home the numbers tell you to walk away from If you're an investor — or an agent with a listing that could be marketed on what it earns — this one's for you. *DSCR loans are business-purpose investment loans, available in most states (not just Florida).* 📩 Have a property you want us to run the numbers on? Reach out — we'll tell you up front whether it works. 🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA MORTGAGE REPORT 🔁 YouTube playlist (all episodes): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCOa_zSrotiecbiomGKhTzASCBToYQUea 📱 Subscribe & follow on your favorite platform: • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/south-florida-mortgage-report/id1834181574 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxG2PzPd3W9pJFqQnLAPS?si=5a667fbd60a44ce9 📌 HELPFUL LINKS 📩 Housing Newsletter: Stay informed with curated mortgage and housing insights delivered straight to your inbox: https://housingnewsletters.com/craiggarcia ✅ Pre-Approvals 24/7: Get started anytime: ⁠ Option 1⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/rhx8h ⁠ Option 2⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/w2o7v

  4. Jul 27

    Why Your Mortgage Rate Isn't the Rate You Saw Advertised

    Ever seen a mortgage rate advertised, called about it, and found out your number is higher? You're almost certainly not being played. On this episode of the South Florida Mortgage Report, Bill and Craig Garcia — president of Capital Partners Mortgage Services — take the mystery out of how rates actually work: why the advertised rate is a best-case example, and how your real rate gets built from 20+ factors, some of which aren't even known when you first call. Then they get into this week's market — why rates have pushed to the top of the past year's range — and one recent deal worth hearing about. In this episode: Why the advertised rate is a "best-case example," not a quoteThe 20+ data points that build YOUR rate — credit score, down payment/LTV, occupancy, property type, cash-out vs. purchase, loan amount, term, lock periodWhy two buyers get two different rates from the same lender on the same dayWhy a rate can "firm up" before closing — an estimate becoming a fact, not a bait-and-switchThe levers that can actually improve your rate: credit-tier jumps, structure, and buydownsWhy "fully pre-approved" beats "pre-qualified" — and how to shop lenders apples-to-applesMarket update: why rates moved up (the Middle East, oil, and inflation) and a look ahead to Wednesday's Fed meetingDeal spotlight: a 10-year fixed-rate second mortgage near 6% — how a past client tapped their equity without touching their 3% first mortgage (minimal closing costs, no traditional appraisal, funded in about three weeks) Your rate is yours. If you want to know what your actual number looks like — and more importantly, how to make it better — that's the conversation we have every day. **Subscribe for weekly market updates** on rates, inflation, jobs reports, and what actually moves mortgage pricing. 📍South Florida focus — national relevance. #MortgageRates #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Fed #FannieMae #FreddieMac #MBS #Refinance #HomeBuying #SouthFloridaRealEstate 🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA MORTGAGE REPORT 🔁 YouTube playlist (all episodes): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCOa_zSrotiecbiomGKhTzASCBToYQUea 📱 Subscribe & follow on your favorite platform: • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/south-florida-mortgage-report/id1834181574 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxG2PzPd3W9pJFqQnLAPS?si=5a667fbd60a44ce9 📌 HELPFUL LINKS 📩 Housing Newsletter: Stay informed with curated mortgage and housing insights delivered straight to your inbox: https://housingnewsletters.com/craiggarcia ✅ Pre-Approvals 24/7: Get started anytime: ⁠ Option 1⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/rhx8h ⁠Option 2⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/w2o7v

  5. Jul 20

    The Biggest Housing Bill in Decades Skips South Florida

    Congress just passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act — the biggest federal housing bill in decades — and it became law in July 2026. It bans large investors from buying up existing homes, streamlines construction, and pays localities to build. So does it help you buy a home in South Florida? In this episode of the South Florida Mortgage Report, Craig and Bill break down what the bill actually does, what it's supposed to fix, and the honest truth about where it lands — because the answer is completely different in Miami than it is in Jacksonville, Tampa, or the middle of the state. In this episode: What the ROAD to Housing Act actually does (the investor ban, supply reforms, conversion pilot)What it's supposed to fix — and why that's a national problem, not a South Florida oneWhy it barely moves the needle here: the investor ban hardly applies, we're out of buildable land, and it's silent on the two things really pricing us out — insurance and the condo assessment crisisWho it does help: Jacksonville, Tampa, and Florida's growth corridorsThe one provision worth watching for South FloridaWhy "wait for the housing bill" is bad advice for a South Florida buyerProgram became law July 2026; effects are years out. Questions about what actually moves your numbers in South Florida? Contact Capital Partners Mortgage Services. **Subscribe for weekly market updates** on rates, inflation, jobs reports, and what actually moves mortgage pricing. 📍South Florida focus — national relevance. #MortgageRates #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Fed #FannieMae #FreddieMac #MBS #Refinance #HomeBuying #SouthFloridaRealEstate 🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA MORTGAGE REPORT 🔁 YouTube playlist (all episodes): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCOa_zSrotiecbiomGKhTzASCBToYQUea 📱 Subscribe & follow on your favorite platform: • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/south-florida-mortgage-report/id1834181574 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxG2PzPd3W9pJFqQnLAPS?si=5a667fbd60a44ce9 📌 HELPFUL LINKS 📩 Housing Newsletter: Stay informed with curated mortgage and housing insights delivered straight to your inbox: https://housingnewsletters.com/craiggarcia ✅ Pre-Approvals 24/7: Get started anytime: ⁠ Option 1⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/rhx8h ⁠ Option 2⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/w2o7v

  6. Jul 14

    Buyer's Market? Not So Fast.

    Everybody's saying "it's a buyer's market" — but is there even a definition, and does South Florida actually qualify? Craig and Bill break down the one metric that decides it (months of supply), why the local line isn't the national one, and the reveal that settles it: in May 2026, Miami-Dade single-family sat at 5.2 months — a *seller's* market with prices up — while condos hit 12.9 months, a genuine *buyer's* market with prices down. Same county, same month, opposite leverage. The pattern holds tri-county (Broward and Palm Beach houses are even tighter; their condos are looser too). Plus: why buyers don't *feel* the leverage even where it's real, how to actually use it, and how to tell a real condo discount from a warning label. **Subscribe for weekly market updates** on rates, inflation, jobs reports, and what actually moves mortgage pricing. 📍South Florida focus — national relevance. #MortgageRates #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Fed #FannieMae #FreddieMac #MBS #Refinance #HomeBuying #SouthFloridaRealEstate 🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA MORTGAGE REPORT 🔁 YouTube playlist (all episodes): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCOa_zSrotiecbiomGKhTzASCBToYQUea 📱 Subscribe & follow on your favorite platform: • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/south-florida-mortgage-report/id1834181574 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxG2PzPd3W9pJFqQnLAPS?si=5a667fbd60a44ce9 📌 HELPFUL LINKS 📩 Housing Newsletter: Stay informed with curated mortgage and housing insights delivered straight to your inbox: https://housingnewsletters.com/craiggarcia ✅ Pre-Approvals 24/7: Get started anytime: ⁠ Option 1⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/rhx8h ⁠ Option 2⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/w2o7v

  7. Jul 8

    Florida Hometown Heroes 2026: Who Qualifies — and Who's Left Out

    Florida's Hometown Heroes down payment assistance program is back for 2026 — and it's narrower than a lot of people realize. Plenty who assume they qualify won't. In this episode of the South Florida Mortgage Report, we break down where the program stands now, who's most often left out, and how agents and buyers can avoid a painful surprise at underwriting. If you work with clients in healthcare, education, public safety, or anyone who's self-employed, this is the one to hear before they make an offer. **In this episode:** - How the program narrowed — wide open two years ago, back to frontline heroes last year, and tighter still for 2026 - The four-part test that now decides eligibility — and why it's not about the job title - Who's often surprised they don't qualify now: self-employed, multi-site, and fully remote workers - The hospital-cafeteria-vs-pharmacy-cashier rule that captures the whole logic in one example - The good news most people miss — including the fact that only one borrower has to qualify - The two questions to ask every buyer before you write an offer The assistance itself: a minimum of $10,000 and up to $35,000 (5% of the loan) toward down payment and closing costs — a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payment. Real help, but not forgivable. Not sure whether your buyer qualifies? Capital Partners Mortgage Services will check them against the actual 2026 guidelines — reach out before you make a move. 📍 cp-mtg.com *Subject to eligibility, income limits, and available program funds. Not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Lender.* **Subscribe for weekly market updates** on rates, inflation, jobs reports, and what actually moves mortgage pricing. 📍South Florida focus — national relevance. #MortgageRates #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Fed #FannieMae #FreddieMac #MBS #Refinance #HomeBuying #SouthFloridaRealEstate 🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA MORTGAGE REPORT 🔁 YouTube playlist (all episodes): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCOa_zSrotiecbiomGKhTzASCBToYQUea 📱 Subscribe & follow on your favorite platform: • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/south-florida-mortgage-report/id1834181574 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxG2PzPd3W9pJFqQnLAPS?si=5a667fbd60a44ce9 📌 HELPFUL LINKS 📩 Housing Newsletter: Stay informed with curated mortgage and housing insights delivered straight to your inbox: https://housingnewsletters.com/craiggarcia ✅ Pre-Approvals 24/7: Get started anytime: ⁠ Option 1⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/rhx8h ⁠ Option 2⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/w2o7v

  8. Jun 26

    Hometown Heroes is Back! $35,000 for Teachers, Nurses, Police, Firefighters, And More

    The Florida Hometown Heroes Program is officially returning, and if you're a teacher, nurse, law enforcement officer, firefighter, military member, childcare worker, or another eligible public servant, this could be one of the best homebuying opportunities of the year.In this special breaking news episode of the South Florida Mortgage Report, Craig Garcia and Bill Mei explain what we know so far, who is expected to qualify, and why you don't necessarily have to wait until July 13th to begin the home buying process.In this episode we discuss:✅ Florida Hometown Heroes returns with $50 million in funding✅ Up to $35,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance✅ Zero interest and no monthly payments✅ Expected eligibility requirements✅ Why now is the time to get pre-approved✅ Important program dates✅ How the funds are likely to be reservedIf you've been waiting because you didn't have enough money for a down payment, this program could help make homeownership possible.📅 Important Dates• July 7 – Expected mortgage rates announced for the program• July 13 – Reservations open and funds become availableFunding is limited and has historically been exhausted quickly, so preparation is key.**Subscribe for weekly market updates** on rates, inflation, jobs reports, and what actually moves mortgage pricing. 📍South Florida focus — national relevance. #MortgageRates #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Fed #FannieMae #FreddieMac #MBS #Refinance #HomeBuying #SouthFloridaRealEstate 🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA MORTGAGE REPORT 🔁 YouTube playlist (all episodes): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCOa_zSrotiecbiomGKhTzASCBToYQUea 📱 Subscribe & follow on your favorite platform: • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/south-florida-mortgage-report/id1834181574 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxG2PzPd3W9pJFqQnLAPS?si=5a667fbd60a44ce9 📌 HELPFUL LINKS 📩 Housing Newsletter: Stay informed with curated mortgage and housing insights delivered straight to your inbox: https://housingnewsletters.com/craiggarcia ✅ Pre-Approvals 24/7: Get started anytime: ⁠ Option 1⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/rhx8h ⁠Option 2⁠ https://loancenter.cp-mtg.com/dr/c/w2o7v

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About

South Florida's only dedicated weekly mortgage podcast. Hosted by Craig Garcia, President of Capital Partners Mortgage Services, LLC, and co-host Bill Mei. Weekly mortgage rate updates, loan program breakdowns, Florida condo market news, and real estate trends across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Straight talk for homebuyers, investors, and real estate professionals. 🌐 cp-mtg.com 📺 youtube.com/@craiggarciamortgage Craig Garcia | NMLS #653593 | Coral Springs, FL | Equal Housing Lender

Information

  • Creator
    Craig Garcia and Bill Mei
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Craig Garcia and Bill Mei
  • Show Website
    South Florida Mortgage Report