Gerald Santoro, Senior Mortgage Advisor - NMLS# 630694

10/09/2026

🏡 MORTGAGE RATES ARE UP. DOES THAT MEAN YOUR HOMEOWNERSHIP PLANS HAVE TO STOP?
Not necessarily!
With mortgage rates climbing again, many prospective homebuyers are wondering whether they should move forward or wait.
The answer isn't always as simple as watching interest rates.
There are several important considerations that could make a difference in your purchasing decision:
✅ Your total monthly payment: Understand the complete picture, including estimated taxes, insurance and other housing expenses.
✅ Seller concessions: Depending on the property, negotiations and loan program, seller contributions may help cover eligible closing costs or temporary interest-rate buydowns.
✅ Financing options: Different down payments, loan terms and mortgage programs can affect both your immediate expenses and long-term costs.
✅ Your personal financial goals: The right decision depends on your budget, financial stability and future plans.
💡 Here's something I always remind my clients:
You don't purchase a home based solely on an interest rate. You purchase a home based on what makes financial sense for you and your family.
Sometimes moving forward is appropriate. Sometimes waiting makes more sense.
My job is to help you understand the numbers and make an informed decision.
📩 Have questions about your options? Let's have a conversation.
And if you know someone considering purchasing a home, please feel free to share this information!
Gerald C. Santoro
Senior Mortgage Advisor | NMLS #630694
Bayshore Mortgage Funding, LLC
Company NMLS #196858
The Houser Mortgage Team
Financing is subject to credit approval, program eligibility and applicable requirements. Terms and conditions may change.

10/08/2026

🏡 Fixed Rate or Adjustable Rate? Don't Compare Just the Starting Payment!
With mortgage rates moving, more homebuyers are taking a second look at adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs).
But is an ARM really the better choice?
The answer depends on your circumstances.
An adjustable-rate mortgage may offer an attractive initial payment, but there are important questions every borrower should understand:
✅ How long does the initial interest rate remain fixed?
✅ When can the rate change, and by how much?
✅ What could the monthly payment become if rates increase?
✅ How does the mortgage fit your budget and long-term plans?
Here's something I always emphasize:
Never make a financing decision based solely on the assumption that you'll be able to refinance later.
Sometimes an adjustable-rate mortgage makes sense. Other times, the predictability of a fixed-rate mortgage is more valuable.
The key is understanding your options before making a decision.
My goal isn't simply to help you obtain a mortgage. It's to help you understand the financing you're choosing.
If you're thinking about purchasing a home, let's compare the possibilities.
Gerald C. Santoro
Senior Mortgage Advisor
Bayshore Mortgage Funding, LLC
NMLS #630694
The Houser Mortgage Team

10/07/2026

Worth revisiting today.
With mortgage rates moving higher, this becomes even more important for buyers—and for Realtors structuring offers.
A higher rate doesn’t automatically mean stop looking. Sometimes it means looking more carefully at the entire transaction.
Could the seller be more negotiable? Would a seller concession provide more benefit than simply reducing the price? Could it help with allowable closing costs or a rate-buydown strategy?
Before changing the plan because of a rate headline, let’s run the numbers.

🏡 Higher mortgage rates have some buyers sitting on the sidelines. But there’s one strategy worth understanding: Seller Concessions.
When higher rates reduce buyer demand, some sellers may become more flexible during negotiations.
And sometimes the best negotiation isn’t simply asking for a lower purchase price.
A buyer may be able to negotiate a seller concession, where the seller contributes toward certain allowable closing costs or, when permitted and appropriate, a mortgage rate buydown.
Here’s where it gets interesting:
A $10,000 seller concession and a $10,000 reduction in purchase price can affect a buyer very differently.
Depending on the financing and transaction, that seller contribution may help reduce cash needed at closing or potentially be used toward a rate buydown.
That’s why I like to run the numbers both ways before the buyer and Realtor decide how to structure an offer.
Every transaction is different, and seller-concession limits and permitted uses vary by loan program.
Realtor partners: If you’re negotiating an offer, I’m happy to model the alternatives with you and your buyer.
Know someone who’s considering buying but hesitating because of rates? Share this with them.
Gerald C. Santoro
Senior Mortgage Advisor | NMLS #630694
Bayshore Mortgage Funding, LLC
The Houser Mortgage Team

10/06/2026

🏡 Higher mortgage rates have some buyers sitting on the sidelines. But there’s one strategy worth understanding: Seller Concessions.
When higher rates reduce buyer demand, some sellers may become more flexible during negotiations.
And sometimes the best negotiation isn’t simply asking for a lower purchase price.
A buyer may be able to negotiate a seller concession, where the seller contributes toward certain allowable closing costs or, when permitted and appropriate, a mortgage rate buydown.
Here’s where it gets interesting:
A $10,000 seller concession and a $10,000 reduction in purchase price can affect a buyer very differently.
Depending on the financing and transaction, that seller contribution may help reduce cash needed at closing or potentially be used toward a rate buydown.
That’s why I like to run the numbers both ways before the buyer and Realtor decide how to structure an offer.
Every transaction is different, and seller-concession limits and permitted uses vary by loan program.
Realtor partners: If you’re negotiating an offer, I’m happy to model the alternatives with you and your buyer.
Know someone who’s considering buying but hesitating because of rates? Share this with them.
Gerald C. Santoro
Senior Mortgage Advisor | NMLS #630694
Bayshore Mortgage Funding, LLC
The Houser Mortgage Team

10/05/2026

🏡 A Higher Rate Doesn’t Always Mean “Stop Shopping.” It Means Run the Numbers Carefully.
Mortgage rates have moved higher again, and that understandably gets buyers’ attention.
But there’s another side of today’s market that deserves attention too: when higher rates reduce buyer demand, some sellers may become more willing to negotiate.
That can make it worthwhile to look at the complete transaction — not just the rate.
Depending on the property and seller, a buyer may be able to explore:
• A price adjustment
• Seller concessions toward allowable closing costs
• A seller-funded rate buydown, when permitted and appropriate
• Different financing structures to compare payment and cash-to-close
None of those automatically makes a home a good purchase. And no one can promise where mortgage rates go next.
But if you find the right home, don’t automatically walk away because of a national rate headline. Let’s run the actual numbers and see whether the entire transaction makes sense for you.
Realtor partners: If you’re working on an offer, I’m happy to model different financing and concession scenarios while you negotiate.
No pressure. Just good information.
Gerald C. Santoro
Senior Mortgage Advisor | NMLS #630694
Bayshore Mortgage Funding, LLC
The Houser Mortgage Team
Hashtags:

09/30/2026

“Major Appraisal Changes”
Beginning October 5th, Bayshore will begin ordering ALL Conventional appraisals as UAD 3.6.

09/28/2026

🏡 Higher mortgage rates may be getting the headlines — but buyers should look at the entire transaction.
When home sales slow and sellers have fewer competing offers, buyers may sometimes have more room to negotiate.
Depending on the property and the seller, that could mean opportunities to discuss:
• Seller concessions toward allowable closing costs
• Temporary or permanent rate buydowns, when appropriate
• Price and other contract terms
• Financing structures that may improve the overall payment or cash needed at closing
That doesn’t mean every seller will negotiate, and it doesn’t mean buying is always the right move.
It simply means the mortgage rate is one part of the decision — not the whole decision.
If you’re considering buying, I’m happy to help you compare a few financing scenarios so you can see what the numbers actually look like before deciding whether to move forward or wait.
Realtor partners: I’m also happy to run scenarios while you’re negotiating an offer so your buyer can understand how different concessions or financing structures affect the transaction.
No pressure. Just good information.
Gerald C. Santoro
Senior Mortgage Advisor | NMLS #630694
Bayshore Mortgage Funding, LLC
The Houser Mortgage Team
📞 732-784-8119
✉️ [email protected]

09/24/2026

🏡 Rates are higher. Does that mean buyers should automatically put their plans on hold?

Not necessarily.

Mortgage rates are an important part of the equation, but they’re not the only number that matters when deciding whether to buy a home.

Before deciding to wait, it can be worth looking at the complete picture:

✔️ Which loan program fits best — Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA or another option?
✔️ Are seller or builder concessions available?
✔️ Could a temporary or permanent rate buydown make sense?
✔️ What do the actual monthly payment and cash-to-close numbers look like?
✔️ Most importantly — does the purchase comfortably fit your budget and long-term plans?

Sometimes, after running the numbers, waiting really is the right decision. Other times, buyers discover options they didn't realize were available.

If you've been thinking about buying but today's rates have you sitting on the sidelines, I'm happy to run a few scenarios for you. No pressure and no obligation — just good information so you can make an informed decision.

And Realtors — if you have a buyer who's becoming discouraged by the rate headlines, let's run the numbers before they decide they're out of the market.

Gerald C. Santoro
Senior Mortgage Advisor | NMLS #630694
Bayshore Mortgage Funding, LLC
The Houser Mortgage Team
📞 732-784-8119
✉️ [email protected]