Nick Grisanti, Mortgage Loan Originator · NMLS #2719729 · FL #LO138662 · OH #MLO-OH.2719729 · TN #2719729 · TX SML licensed · C2 Financial Corporation · NMLS #135622
Plain-English guides on everything related to mortgages.
Where are you starting?
Free downloads
Printable PDFs of the most-used guides. Enter your name and email and the download starts right away.
Everything underwriters ask for, by employment type. Print it and check it off.
Programs, down payment help and Hometown Heroes, step by step.
Residency, sale-and-purchase sequencing and financing the move.
Homestead and property tax, insurance, and condo inspections in one guide.
Florida Insider
Costs, neighborhoods and quirks only locals know.
Down payment, PMI, DTI, credit score, rate vs. APR, loan term - the six concepts that actually move your rate and approval, in plain English.
Read guide → ProcessWhat sellers actually want to see in your offer, the difference between letters, and how to make yours stand out in competitive markets.
Read guide → ChecklistEverything underwriters need - by employment type. W-2 vs. self-employed vs. retired vs. investor. Get organized once, save weeks of back-and-forth.
Read guide →Qualifying based on rental income - when DSCR makes sense vs. conventional, what ratios get the strongest pricing, and how to structure for portfolio scale.
Read guide → STRsWhich Florida markets allow short-term rentals, lender treatment of Airbnb income, and the DSCR vs. second-home strategy for vacation rentals.
Read guide → Investment1-4 unit residential rentals, neighborhood-level rent comps, cash flow vs. appreciation markets, and which Florida cities pencil best right now.
Read guide →Florida is home base, so these guides go deep on Florida rules and costs.
Title vs. escrow states (Florida is title), what to expect at the closing table, who pays what, and the common FL-specific surprises.
Read guide → First-Time BuyersDown payment assistance programs, FHA vs. conventional, what closing actually costs in Florida, and avoiding the most common rookie mistakes.
Read guide → Down Payment HelpUp to $35,000 toward a first home for Florida teachers, nurses, first responders, service members and veterans. Who qualifies and what you repay.
Read guide → RelocationSequencing the home sale and purchase, bridge financing, and the residency basics.
Read guide → Second HomesHow second-home loans differ from primary and investment, when it makes sense to occupy 14+ days, and the insurance considerations that catch buyers off guard.
Read guide →How the $50K exemption + Save Our Homes 3% cap actually work. Filing deadlines, eligibility, portability when you move within FL.
Read guide → InsuranceWind, flood, and hazard coverage in a high-risk state. Citizens vs. private carriers, what lenders require, and how insurance impacts loan approval.
Read guide → TaxesNo state income tax, no estate tax, generous homestead protections. Why so many high earners are relocating - and what mortgage strategy fits.
Read guide → Condo LendingPost-Surfside, condo lending in Florida changed dramatically. What makes a condo warrantable, why it matters, and how to finance non-warrantable.
Read guide → Condo LendingFlorida's post-Surfside condo laws: the documents you're owed, your 7-day cancellation right, and how a building's condition affects your loan.
Read guide →Most of these guides started as a buyer's question. Call or email - if it's worth answering, it's worth writing up.