Mortgage and Lending
Robert Rauf
I am a Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS #248937) who has been lending Mostly in the Ocean and Monmouth county NJ area since 1987. Please feel free to contact me with any mortgage question
Cell: 732-740-0175
Office: 732-908-4868
More Info
Real Estate Agent
Laura Giannotta
Client Service and Satisfaction Is My Goal! An honest, reliable Barnegat REALTOR. I have helped buyers and sellers from Barnegat to Little Egg Harbor in southern Ocean County for more than a decade.
Cell: (609) 384-6121
Office: (609) 484-9890
More Info

Ocean County, NJ Real Estate News

By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
 Big News from FHFA, 11/30/21:The Base conforming limit is now $647,200, up $98,950 from last year's $548,250For High Cost areas (which is a big portion of NJ) we will have a limit of $970,800.The above is for single family homes, 2-4 family homes have even higher limits. Fun facts- The 18.05% year over year increase in housing prices nationally has been so wide spread that this increase will be effective in all but 4 counties nationally. When I started in the business the limit was $153,100 In 1980 and 1981 the CLL was less than this years increase From 2006-2016 the CLL was stagnant at $417,000 In 1990 the CLL dropped $150.00 The first and only drop.  here is the chart for your viewing pleasure: Call me for all your residential lending needs! Robert Rauf Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS#...
Comments 4
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
Today's Buyer Beware Segment will address Credit Scores(and mistakes I see clients make. )This particular one is a real life "just happened today" scenario. I have clients that have been shopping since the summer and have not been able to find the home that fits their needs just yet. One just hit the market today that seems to be a good fit for them and they wanted to update their file and run numbers before they looked at the house...  Since August they have sold and closed on the old home and have been renting, so it was time to update their credit.  Their score dropped from 706 to 685 mostly because of a new account and playing with balances on credit cards.  In October they took advantage of a 0% interest rate for a motorcycle for one of their sons and bounced some money back and fo...
Comments 2
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
 I seem to have inadvertently stumbled across a new blog series "Buyer Beware"  based on recent A-HA moments with my clients and myself. I personally sold and purchased  recently with a 7 month period of being homeless in between.  So I have more empathy with my buyers than most, and have a few blogs about the experience over the past year or so.For today's installment we have smoke detectors. In most towns in NJ townships handle "smoke certs" "Fire inspections" etc.  Where the town will inspect a resale to be sure there are working smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher.  During "COVID Fun" many towns switched over to just cashing a check and not doing an inspection and allowed for a seller's affidavit stating there were functioning smoke detectors.Fast forward to my experience/reason...
Comments 6
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
 I always have a post closing conversation with my borrowers about what to expect after closing and a big piece of that is being cautious about mail you receive after closing.Your Deed and your Mortgage are public records that are recorded in the courthouse.  You can tell when the deed and mortgage are recorded by the amount of junk mail and possibly phone calls you will receive.  While the majority of the "junk" you will receive will be honest business people that are reaching out to sell you something, you need to be cautious about the bad guys that are effectively trying to steal from you.In my area a common one is a place that sends a letter requesting $80 for the official copy of your deed.  DON'T do it!  they will send you a copy, but you will get a copy from your settlement agent...
Comments 23
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
 I am sure it’s no surprise to you, nationally housing prices are fast approaching a 20% increase (year over year) with some markets up over 30%. We continue to hear clients (and a few agents) voice concern about the run up in pricing and think they should wait for prices to drop before they will buy. Even rents are climbing faster than they have in years. People need housing and in  Demand remains strong and if you look at the demographics it is very unlikely we will see it stop.  I do expect appreciation will slow down to more manageable levels in the coming years and it is EXTREMELY unlikely we will see a bubble pop.  Even rents are climbing faster than they have in years. In my little slice of the world we can often get clients into homes with mortgage payments that are pretty close...
Comments 3
By Tony Busanich, 1-4 FAMILY HOME LOAN SPECIALIST
(TD Bank)
Can You Afford This Low down-payment Home in Barnegat NJ? The very first question that you should ask yourself when investing in a home is: “Can I afford this house with a low down-payment?” Though the concept is straightforward, there are a lot of factors that are going to affect your choice.  It is best to stay prepared and get some background research done so that you have a head start on what range of houses you should be looking into. Aside from rough calculations and estimations, online calculators are also a great tool in finding how much of a house you can afford.    Basic Points to Consider  The first thing that you will need to look for when buying a home is getting qualified for a mortgage loan. Getting a mortgage loan approved depends upon several factors, including:   Your ...
Comments 14
By Tony Busanich, 1-4 FAMILY HOME LOAN SPECIALIST
(TD Bank)
How to buy your first home like a pro with a low-down payment in Brick NJ. When first-time home buyers are looking for a low-down payment conventional mortgage without PMI they offer have many options but aren’t sure where to look. A minimum of 20 percent down payment is not the standard anymore. New first-time homebuyer programs are available with as little as 3.5% down.  The cost of the mortgage insurance (MI) maybe paid by the bank depending on the borrower's credit score and location of the property there buying. Borrowers with lower credit scores may be better off with an FHA loan. The disadvantage with FHA loans is that the borrower cannot cancel the MI for an FHA loan. The only way to get out of it is by refinancing into a conventional loan.Aside from the down payment, there are ...
Comments 15
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
 Let's face it, we have become complacent with today's LOW rates.  In reality interest rates have been climbing slightly this year and most likely will continue to do so.The wildcard is of course COVID.  This has causes some artificial and unpredictable moves in the credit markets.  In reality- all the economic data is screaming for higher interest rates.Up first we have Inflation- on the consumer level we have the CPI. Year over year CPI is up 5.4%. If you look at the core, which takes out food and energy prices, we are still looking at the price of consumer goods up 4% for the year. Rents were up 1/2% in September alone and are up 2.4% nationally for the year.Another big concern is wholesale inflation, PPI.  That is up 8.6% in the past 12 months which is a new record high.  When you t...
Comments 3
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
Home Price Appreciation Hits Another Record HighThe Case-Shiller Home Price Index, considered the “gold standard” for appreciation, showed home prices rose 1.6% in July and 20% year over year. This annual reading set another record high, beating June’s 18.6% record.The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) also released their House Price Index, which measures home price appreciation on single-family homes with conforming loan amounts. While you can have a million-dollar home with a conforming loan amount, the report most likely represents lower-priced homes, where supply has been tight and demand strong.Home prices rose 1.4% in July, and they were also up 19% year over year. This is the first time in recent memory that we have seen FHFA’s data below Case Shiller’s.This dynamic shift cou...
Comments 7
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
 MORE GOOD NEWS FOR OUR BUYERSOn January 14, 2021, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (i.e., Fannie and Freddie’s regulator) announced several new restrictions on loans that could be purchased by Fannie and Freddie.  These restrictions severely limited the GSE’s purchases of 2nd home and investment property loans causing SIGNIFICANT rate increases especially on 2nd (vacation) homes.  September 15, 2021 FHFA announced that they were removing these restrictions effective immediately. So we are back to pre pandemic guidelines for both vacation and investment properties.  This comes just 2 months after the removal of the Adverse Market charge for refinances in July which leads me to believe that things are getting back to normal in the secondary market.  Effectively a sign that mortgage vol...
Comments 2
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
If you are reading this you know I am a mortgage guy with a few days experience in the industry... so I'll admit I am Pro Mortgage (after all, I have to eat too!)   This blog is coming from my own personal experience buying a home myself this year, and watching my clients buy and sell not just this year but over the past 34yrs of putting people into debt.So, what is better for a seller?For my entire career I have never understood sellers accepting a lower cash offer over a client that is getting a loan.  Qualified is Qualified after all, and a cash deal doesn't put an extra penny into the sellers hands VS a deal with a mortgage.   I do understand that in this market we have concern over appraisals which is thankfully not on every deal, and that is a driving force in the sea of offers to...
Comments 3
Long Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 1511 Seaview Ave OverviewMapsPhotosFeaturesDescriptionMarket Stats $3,495,000 Single Family Home Main Features 5 Bedrooms5 Full Bathrooms1 Half BathroomInterior: 4,000 sqftLot: 7,400 sqftYear Built: 2008MLS #: 22116193 Location 1511 Seaview AveBarnegat Light, NJ 08006USA Mary Ann O'Shea RE/MAX At Barnegat Bay(609) 492-1145 x 1026listwithmaryann@lbihomevalues.comhttp://www.lbihomevalues.com        Listed by: Mary Ann O'Shea - RE/MAX at Barnegat Bay Our recent listings Long Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 1511 Seaview Ave | $3,495,000 | Barnegat Light, NJLong Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 14 Mission Way | $439,000 | Bar...
Comments 1
Long Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 14 Mission Way OverviewMapsPhotosDescriptionMarket Stats $439,000 Single Family Home Main Features 2 Bedrooms2 Full BathroomsInterior: 2,327 sqftLot: 7,150 sqftYear Built: 2004MLS #: 22115161 Location 14 Mission WayBarnegat, NJ 08005USA Mary Ann O'Shea RE/MAX At Barnegat Bay(609) 492-1145 x 1026listwithmaryann@lbihomevalues.comhttp://www.lbihomevalues.com        Listed by: Mary Ann O'Shea - RE/MAX at Barnegat Bay Our recent listings Long Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 14 Mission Way | $439,000 | Barnegat, NJLong Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 14 E 231st St | $1,595,000 | Long Beach Township, NJLong Beach Island Home f...
Comments 2
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
 In a previous post I discussed the effects on Second homes and Investment property. The Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement (PSPA), recently executed and effective immediately, impacted the percentage of second homes and investment properties the GSE’s  (FNMA and FHLMC) are permitted to purchase from lenders.     By way of background,  the PSPA is an agreement between the US Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which is the governing body for FNMA & FHLMC. Also contained within that amendment is a restriction on the percentage of “high risk” loans the agencies are permitted to acquire.    A “high risk” loan is defined as a loan that has two (2) of the three (3) characteristics below: FICO score < 680. DTI greater than 45.00%. LTV greater than 90.00%.  The G...
Comments 2
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
There has been entirely too much talk of a housing bubble. This is an entirely different market than we ever had before, I lived through the previous 2 bubble pops and the data just is not hinting at a pop at all and here is why: Check out this video: http://homebridgevideo.homebridge.com/watch/KCiFv2Y8yzZcWDEMJEZHfA?  some bullet points from my video: Peak Housing inventory was in 2007 with 3.7 Million units available. Average inventory in the country is 2.5 Million Current inventory 1.28 million units and we have 12 million more households in the country since 2007. Average age of a first time buyer: 33.  Look back 33yrs ago we had a baby boom that continues for YEARS to com the most recent bubble pop was 2007(ish) in the early 1970s we saw a huge drop in birth rates that lasted for y...
Comments 1
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
Here is an update to my previous post Via my own talking head.  Check out this video: http://homebridgevideo.homebridge.com/watch/rqERamWxztKT5TYGSpqvJX?  in case the above link doesn't work:  http://homebridgevideo.homebridge.com/watch/rqERamWxztKT5TYGSpqvJX?    Call me for all your residential lending needs! Robert Rauf Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS# 248937http://www.homebridge.com/RobertRauf or my blog: http://activerain.com/blogs/rrauf Office: (732)908-4868  Cell (732)740-0175 RRauf@HomeBridge.com www.RobertRauf.com  Since 1987 I have been helping my clients fulfill their dream of home ownership! HomeBridge Financial Services, Formerly REMN, HomeBridge Financial Services is located at 9 Grand Ave, Building 2 Suite A Toms River, NJ 08753. NMLS #6521. New Jersey Licensed Lender and Mo...
Comments 1
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
         Rates are climbing for both Investment and Vacation Home MortgagesEarlier this month both Fannie and Freddie announced new limits on loans secured by second homes (vacation properties) and Investment properties. The Treasury Department along with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) imposed additional risk criteria to these loan types and included a 7% limit for both second home and investment mortgages. (Effectively they want to see 93+% as primary residences) The initial Mortgagee letter puts some strict requirements for automated underwriting findings.  While not specifically mentioned, I wouldn't be surprised if we see DU and LP tighten up making it harder to get automated approvals on marginal loans. The industry as a whole expects to see significant changes to pricin...
Comments 1
Long Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 14 E 231st St OverviewMapsPhotosFeaturesDescription $1,595,000 Single Family Home Main Features 4 Bedrooms2 Full Bathrooms1 Half BathroomInterior: 2,279 sqftLot: 4,350 sqftYear Built: 2002MLS #: 22104231 Location 14 E 31st StreetLong Beach Township, NJ 08008USA Mary Ann O'Shea RE/MAX At Barnegat Bay(609) 492-1145 x 1026listwithmaryann@lbihomevalues.comhttp://www.lbihomevalues.com        Listed by: Mary Ann O'Shea - RE/MAX at Barnegat Bay Our recent listings Long Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 14 E 231st St | $1,595,000 | Long Beach Township, NJLong Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 121 Clifton Rd | $895,000 | Barnegat, N...
Comments 0
Long Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 121 Clifton Rd OverviewMapsPhotosFeaturesDescriptionMarket Stats $895,000 Single Family Home Main Features 3 Bedrooms2 Full Bathrooms1 Half BathroomInterior: 2,527 sqftYear Built: 1999MLS #: 22103990 Location 121 Clifton RdBarnegat, NJ 08005USA Mary Ann O'Shea RE/MAX At Barnegat Bay(609) 492-1145 x 1026listwithmaryann@lbihomevalues.comhttp://www.lbihomevalues.com        Listed by: Mary Ann O'Shea - RE/MAX at Barnegat Bay Our recent listings Long Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 1504 S Beach Ave, 3 | $699,000 | Beach Haven, NJLong Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 1504 S Beach Ave, U3 | $699,000 | Beach Haven, NJLong Beach ...
Comments 2
Long Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 38 W Sailboat OverviewMapsPhotosDescription $905,000 Single Family Home Main Features 3 Bedrooms2 Full BathroomsInterior: 1,708 sqftLot: 3,600 sqftYear Built: 1958MLS #: 22103825 Location 38 W Sailboat LnLong Beach Township, NJ 08008USA Mary Ann O'Shea RE/MAX At Barnegat Bay(609) 492-1145 x 1026listwithmaryann@lbihomevalues.comhttp://www.lbihomevalues.com        Listed by: Mary Ann O'Shea - RE/MAX at Barnegat Bay Our recent listings Long Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 1504 S Beach Ave, 3 | $699,000 | Beach Haven, NJLong Beach Island Home for Sale | LBI Real Estate | Jersey Shore Home for Sale | 1504 S Beach Ave, U3 | $699,000 | Beach Haven, NJLong Beach Island H...
Comments 3
By Robert Rauf
(HomeBridge Financial Services (NJ))
After decades in this industry I am still surprised at what happens. Yesterday was a doozy...  Standing at my desk yesterday morning (I'm cool like that, I have a fancy standing desk....)  I get an email from an agent I know, but do not do a lot of business with.. "Fully executed contracts for you"  Awesome.. One of my buyers found a home in this crazy market..  I open the contract and I don't recognize the name at all.  I search everywhere in my computer even into archive files... confirming I never spoke to them.  Next.. Call the agent- assuming the contract came to me by mistake, and they must be working with someone else from my office.  Nope- she has a pre-approval letter from me.. At this point I am beginning to worry about my mental health.. I'm busy, but never so busy I complete...
Comments 4
By Karl Hess, on The Jersey Shore
(Keller Williams Shore Properties)
Lacey Township Sales Price Up Almost 15%We are in a “Seller’s Market.” Over the past year in Lacey Twp, median list price and median sale price is up. The total number of homes sold in 2020 is down slightly due to lack of inventory, while pending homes sold (yet to close) has increased significantly. Reminder: over 600 Lacey homes have sold in the last 12 months.See All Lacey Twp Homes for SaleLacey Real Estate Market Activity: In Comparison to Last Year: Median List Price: Up 12.14% Median Sale Price: Up 14.72% Median Days on Market: 20 (# of days on market before property sells) Sold Listings: 640, Down 4.8% Pending Sold Listings (this month): Up 83.3% Active Listings (this month): Down 43.8% New Listings (this month): Up 40.0% Here’s the breakdown for Lanoka Harbor and Forked RiverLa...
Comments 1
Explore Ocean County, NJ
View all cities
Ocean County, NJ Real Estate Professionals