The mortgage payment you qualify for is not always the payment you should choose.

In this episode, I break down how I look at debt-to-income ratio, why your maximum approval should not become your budget, and how I help buyers find a payment they feel comfortable living with.

We talk about target payment, comfortable payment, maximum payment, student loans, credit-card debt, cash reserves, and why putting more money down is not always the smartest move.

The goal is simple.
Buy the house without becoming house poor.

Show Notes
A lender might approve you for a $4,000 payment.
That does not mean $4,000 should become your budget.

In this episode, I explain the three payment numbers I want every buyer to know before they start shopping:
Your target payment.
Your comfortable payment.
Your maximum qualifying payment.

I also break down why debt-to-income ratio matters, what starts to concern me when DTI gets higher, and why I want to look at your complete financial picture before deciding how much house makes sense.

We cover:
-How lenders calculate DTI
-Why qualifying income is different from the income you think you make
-Why student loans create so much confusion
-Why I ask buyers to send me actual houses instead of using generic payment estimates
-How taxes, insurance, and HOA fees change the real monthly payment
-Why credit-card debt is creating problems for buyers
-Why paying off debt might help more than putting extra money down
-Why I like buyers to keep cash reserves after closing
-Why your first house does not need to be your dream house
-How I think about homeownership, retirement, and long-term wealth
-After more than two decades in mortgages, I have learned one thing over and over:
-The biggest mortgage you qualify for is not the goal.
-The goal is finding the payment that lets you own the house, keep saving, build wealth, and still sleep at night.

Schedule your free consultation- http://schedulewithkeithgo.com
Send me a message - keith@keithgo.com

You just bought a house. Congratulations.

Now brace yourself—the scam letters are coming.
Some look like ads. Easy to spot.

But others? They look like BILLS. Official logos. Your exact purchase price. County records. Property ID numbers. Payment coupons. Even a spot to write in your credit card info.

And that's where homeowners get absolutely nailed.
In this episode, I'm walking you through what happened when one of my clients almost handed over $98 (and their credit card details) for something they already owned... and how one quick text saved them from getting scammed.
I'll show you how scammers use public records to make their letters look legit, what red-flag phrases to watch for, why your information isn't as private as you think, and the one dead-simple rule that could save you thousands.
Plus—I'm diving into email phishing scams, fake Zoom links, and why you need a family safe word in the age of AI.

If you own a house (or you're about to), this might be the most important episode you listen to all year.

Text me a picture. I'll help you figure it out.

SHOW NOTES:
Episode: How Scammers Use Public Records To Trick Homeowners
What We Cover:

• The $98 scam letter that looked 100% legit (and almost fooled ME)
• How scammers get your name, address, purchase price, loan amount, and more
• Why "official-looking" doesn't mean "official"
• The psychological trick that makes these letters so damn effective
• Red-flag phrases to look for: "This is a solicitation," "Not affiliated with your lender," "Not affiliated with any government agency"
• How public your information really is (spoiler: it's ALL out there)
• The one rule that stops scams cold: Text me a picture BEFORE you pay
• What types of mail to expect after closing (and which ones to question)
• How to verify suspicious letters WITHOUT using the contact info they provide
• Why your mortgage servicer keeps trying to get you to refinance (and why you probably shouldn't)
• Email phishing scams that are getting scary good
• Fake Zoom links targeting realtors and homeowners
• Why you need a family safe word in the age of AI deepfakes

The Bottom Line:
When you buy a house, almost ALL of your information becomes public record.
Scammers use that to send letters, emails, and links that look like they're from your county, your lender, or some official agency.

They're not.

Before you pay ANYTHING, verify it. And if you're one of my clients? Text me the picture.

I'd rather get a "Is this fake?" text than an "I already paid this" text.
Resources Mentioned:

• Your county clerk's office (for FREE copies of deeds and property records)
• Your mortgage servicer (use the contact info from your official statement, NOT random letters)
• Your insurance agent (for any insurance-related questions)
• Property Radar (the tool I use to pull public records—$97/month)
• SearchPeopleFree.com (to see just how much of your info is already out there)

Action Steps:

1. Save my phone number if you're a client
2. Text me a picture of ANY questionable mail, email, or link
3. Look for red-flag phrases on letters
4. Verify independently—don't use contact info from suspicious letters
5. Set up a family safe word for phone/video calls
6. Be suspicious of Zoom links from people you don't know (check the URL carefully)

Got a questionable letter, email, or link?
Don't guess. Text me a picture. I'll help you figure it out.
Subscribe so you don't miss the next episode.

Schedule your free consultation- http://schedulewithkeithgo.com
Send me a message - keith@keithgo.com

If you have not made a student loan payment in years, check your account now.
We are seeing borrowers with strong credit suddenly show new student loan late payments because they did not realize their payments had restarted.
Some missed an email. Some thought their loans were still deferred. Some had the money to pay, but never knew a payment was due.
In this episode, I break down what is happening, why the 90-day mark matters, how the 2026 student loan repayment changes affect borrowers, and why this becomes an even bigger problem if you plan to buy a home.
If you have federal student loans, take a few minutes today and check StudentAid.gov.

Read the full article and get the details here:
https://keithgo.com/blog/student-loan-payments-mortgage-credit-report

Show Notes
Student loan late payments are starting to show up on mortgage credit reports.
And in some cases, the borrower had no idea a payment was due.
In this episode, Keith explains what borrowers need to know before an overlooked student loan creates a credit or mortgage problem.
You’ll learn:

• Why borrowers who have not paid student loans in years are suddenly seeing payments again
• How missed emails and outdated contact information create problems
• Why 90 days late matters for your credit report
• What generally happens at 270 days delinquent
• Why student loan delinquencies have increased
• What changed when the SAVE plan ended in March 2026
• What RAP and the Tiered Standard Plan mean for borrowers
• What to check inside StudentAid.gov today
• Why your student loan payment affects mortgage qualification
• Why you should be careful before refinancing federal loans into private loans
• What to do if you plan to buy a home in the next 12 to 24 months

If you have not checked your student loans recently, do it before a late payment forces you to deal with the problem.
Read the full article:
https://keithgo.com/blog/student-loan-payments-mortgage-credit-report
Need help understanding how your student loans affect your mortgage options?
Visit:
https://keithgo.com

Schedule your free consultation- http://schedulewithkeithgo.com
Send me a message - keith@keithgo.com