USDA Funding Restored
Posted July 30, 2010
The U.S. Congress passed legislation this week to restore funding to the 502 single-family rural housing program, more commonly known as USDA. This issue has been working its way through Congress since March and comes as welcome news to the real estate industry. The legislation will increase the guarantee fee for borrowers, but still allows it to be financed, which will make the program self-sufficient. The legislation also increases the commitment authority so Rural Housing Service can formally guarantee loans (they had been providing conditional commitments). We anticipate a notice from Rural Housing shortly after the President signs the bill. Mission Mortgage is highly experienced in providing USDA loans – please contact us if you have any questions at info@missionmortgage.com

Our Clients Say it Best
Posted July 26, 2010
“We wanted to take a moment to thank Kathie Femal, Nelleen McCormick and Mission Mortgage for all they did to make our condo conversion highly successful. In completing the first condo conversion of 2010, the team at Mission provided the necessary guidance to our project to assist us in structuring a strategy to mitigate condo financing risk in the market. From the onset and throughout the sales cycle, Kathie connected with our buyers instantly creating a level of trust that made the financing process efficient from the project sponsors and from the buyers end. Our buyers were provided prompt attention and guidance to obtain the financing they needed. Of 47 units, Mission financed 40 in approximately 60 days. As the volume of transactions grew quickly, Kathie added Nelleen McCormick to the team to make sure no client was overlooked. The two of them approached the project with professionalism at every step of the way. Of most importance, regardless of the work load both Kathie and Nelleen addressed our buyers with an upbeat and positive attitude. The support staff at Mission Mortgage was also invaluable in offering local processing, underwriting, and closing of the transactions. I would recommend Kathie, Nelleen and the entire team at Mission Mortgage to any developer or buyer. The company invests heavily in developing the knowledge and resources to understand and navigate the new financing guidelines in today’s environment to provide a seamless experience when it counts. This expertise is often undervalued and when it is combined with responsive and friendly service it makes for a winning combination. ”
~ Keith Buchanan and Justin Metcalf
   Creekside Terrace Condominiums, Austin, Texas

Mission Mortgage on Facebook
Posted July 23, 2010
Mission Mortgage is now on Facebook! We've updated our website, we've added a blog, and now we have joined the 500 million other users on Facebook to provide timely announcments and relevant information to anyone seeking a mortgage, whether for purchase or refinance. Please use the link above to find us on Facebook!

Austin Home Sales in June
Posted July 23, 2010
Sales of existing homes in Central Texas were down 4% from a year ago and the number of listings have reached record highs. But the news coming from the Austin Board of Realtors wasn’t all bad. The median sales price rose 4% to $208,750 and the total volume of real estate sold increased 6% from a year ago to reach $554 million. The average days on the market for homes sold in Austin in June was about 70 days, the sixth month in a row that the number has decreased. With inventory high and mortgage rates at historic lows it is still a buyers’ market, but signs of improvement in overall conditions still exist right here in Austin.

Mission Mortgage's New Blog
Posted July 20, 2010
Please visit Mission Mortgage of Texas on our new blog where we regularly post important news items, announcements, events, and more. Our goal is to provide pertinent information that you can use to better understand the market, the mortgage industry, and our company. We will also use the blog to post fun and interesting facts about Austin, including some of the events we are most looking forward to attending. Click here to visit the blog and remember to make it a favorite and return often.

Mission Mortgage on KXAN
Posted July 19, 2010
Kate Weidaw of KXAN Austin recently spent time with a couple of our employees here at Mission Mortgage. She sat down with Mark Sprague, Director of Business Development, to discuss the overall market and the importance of the historical low interest rates currently available for home mortgages. He provided solid insight and some very important advice to all home owners. Kate also visited with our Marketing Coordinator, Michael Ikeya, at his home in Austin to talk about why he chose now to apply to refinance his current home mortgage. The interview can be seen on KXAN's website by clicking here.

Wall Street Journal Says Texas
Posted July 16, 2010
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal points to Texas as a bright spot for home builders. In the article, John Jannarone explains, “it's important to have a view on which markets will recover most smoothly. Among those with the best prospects is Texas, which barely participated in the real-estate bubble.” Turning to inventory as a gauge, Jannorone adds, “All that has left Texas with a supply of new homes that's in rough balance with demand. Austin has three months of supply of vacant single-family homes, says Brad Hunter of research firm Metrostudy. Similarly, San Antonio has 2.3 months and Houston has 2.9 months. Other states where builders have a large presence, such as California, have cities with more than 10 months' worth.”

FULL-SERVICE MORTGAGE PROVIDER

We offer a full range of lending services, such as Conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans, as well as interim financing for new construction, second liens for purchase money or equity cash-outs, home improvement loans, and lot loans. We also have condo financing available for high-rise, lo-rise or conversions, offering both construction lending and final permanent loans. Mission Mortgage offers personal financial planning and consulting as well as convenient online services for loan applications and approvals. Our knowledgeable staff is here to assist you with your questions. Our corporate offices are located in Austin and we proudly provide mortgage lending throughout the great state of Texas. 

We’re proud to offer you unique, comprehensive home buying tools, from our mortgage loan programs and competitive rates to personal financial planning and convenient services available online. Be sure to take some time to explore our website to see all of the valuable information and tools we are offering. Here are some of the most commonly visited areas of our website:

• Request a personalized rate quote from our online system using the Quick Quote box located at the top of the page. Learn more about current rates.
• Try our Mortgage Calculators for a quick look at your financial options. We have many calculators available including a Mortgage Payment Calculator, Amortization Calculator, Interest Only Payment Calculator, Payment Option Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Calculator, Rent Vs. Buy Calculator, Refinance Calculator, and more.
• Use our Rate Alert service to notify you when your rate becomes available. You set the rate you would like and we'll notify when that rate becomes available. Automatically.
• Pre-qualify for a loan in just minutes. How much can you borrow? Use our free, no obligation system to quickly calculate your pre-qualification amount before you apply.
• Initiate your mortgage application directly from our website. Our easy-to-use system allows you to apply online and complete your entire application quickly. When you're done, we'll review your application and contact you with the results. When you apply online for your mortgage, you are also helping to make the mortgage process more environmentally-friendly.
• Learn where you stand financially by requesting a Credit Report using the links from our website. Knowing what's on your credit report is key to understanding your buying power and the mortgage product that is best for you.
• Use our Electronic Document Signing feature to save time and paper. Mission Mortgage has teamed up with Encomia to offer web based electronic document signing and delivery services. Your loan application and disclosures can now be signed online for your added convenience. This is just one of the ways we make our processes more environmentally responsible.
• Read the latest news about the mortgage industry in our Market Update. Key information about mortgages, real estate, and the general state of the economy is updated daily.

We’ve been helping people for a long time, and not just in Austin. Whether you are looking for a home loan or to refinance and existing loan, we always work harder to make your experience with us an exceptional one. After all, our mortgage services are essentially about your family’s home — where you live your life. You deserve attention from an experienced, knowledgeable staff that offers numerous financial sources for mortgage loans. We currently have offices in Austin, Lakeway, Houston and Sealy to serve your needs. At Mission Mortgage you will work with a local loan professional who will guide you through all aspects of your loan from application to closing. We understand that you have many choices when securing your home loan, so we make sure you know how much we appreciate being chosen to be your mortgage company.

Loan officers at our company average over 15 years of experience, providing you with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your financial needs are in very capable hands. As trusted advisors who are experienced in the lending process and well versed in showing our clients how to integrate their mortgage decisions into their long-term financial goals, our loan officers are able to anticipate, understand, and meet your needs. At Mission Mortgage we’ve built a culture of service where we understand the importance of trust and the value of fostering long-term relationships. Our ability to grow our business relies on your satisfaction and your willingness to recommend us to your family, friends, and associates in Austin and throughout Texas. If you ever hear of someone who needs a trustworthy lending partner to assist them with a mortgage need, please let us know. Leigh Ann and Mike McCoy have grown this business by doing things the right way. They understand the local Austin market and the unique opportunities and challenges we face here. Through dedication and commitment they have created a mortgage company that takes care of their clients and their employees.

Making wise financial decisions is serious business. Whether you are considering the purchase of a home or refinancing one that you already own, you should always consult with a trusted advisor to guide you through the many options and considerations - someone who knows the mortgage industry and the local economy. We can be your mortgage professional and trusted advisor. We know you’re almost home and we want to make the process as smooth as possible. Learn how Mission Mortgage can make your loan closing an exceptional experience.

MORE THAN PROVIDING HOME LOANS

We also understand that doing business in Austin is more than just providing loans. We proudly support a number of local Austin charities in their efforts to assist the people who live here. Our goal is to provide support where we can to help make a difference and to continue the tradition of Austin people helping others. It is just one of the things that makes living here so incredibly rewarding. Watch for upcoming news on our new charitable efforts aimed at helping people right here in Austin.

Mission Mortgage also supports local Austin artists. We are proud to announce the opening of The Gallery at Mission Mortgage in our main office in Austin. The Gallery will feature artwork created by local Austin artists and will rotate every three months, giving us a chance to feature four artists per year. More information about our featured artist can be seen on The Gallery page using the link in the menu to the left, under Company Info. We hope you will visit our gallery and let us know your comments about the quality of the work and the gallery space.

Mission Mortgage can be your source for important news updates and information about the area. We regularly post interesting information from a variety of sources right here on our home page. We also have a blog where we provide more in-depth coverage of news stories impacting the mortgage industry, the real estate market, and Austin. When Austin is ranked in another "best of" list, we'll post it on our blog. When the financial markets dictate changes in regulations or policies to the mortgage industry, we'll let you know as quickly as we find out. When new employers or new developments open in Austin and the surrounding communities, we'll share that with you. Please visit our blog at missionmortgage.wordpress.com for the latest.

The mortgage industry, as with most industries, has its own set of jargon and terminology. Rather than leave you wondering, we prefer to provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to make an informed decision - without the confusion or uncertainty that can come from facing such a major financial decision. Our experts are here to help you at any time, but we also have put together some basic information to help you learn about the mortgage process on your own. Whether you live in Austin, Lakeway, Sealy, Houston or anywhere else, this information will help you to understand that basics of the mortgage industry - Call it Mortgage 101. Call it a primer. We hope that whatever you call it, it helps. We are approved providers of FHA, VA, and USDA mortgage loans, as well as conventional, construction, and other specialty mortgages. Our mortgage experts are here to guide you through the process. Call us today for the answers you need.

• With so many different options available, this list of our loan programs can help you to determine which is right for you before you apply for your next mortgage loan.
• Understanding exactly how the loan process works can help you be prepared. This step-by-step explanation provides the basics you'll need to know, from gathering documents to applying for your mortgage to closing your home loan.
• Over the years we've noticed that our clients often ask similar questions before, during, and after the home loan process. We've compiled a list of the most commonly heard requests and listed them in our FAQ. Visit this page to see answers to the questions you may already have and some you may not have thought of yet.
• The most important asset you can have when considering a home purchase is knowledge. To help, we offer Free Homebuyer Tips sent directly to your email inbox. For best results, read these before you apply for your home mortgage.
• To learn more about the home buying process, review the information on our Purchasing page to be better prepared when it is time to apply for your home mortgage.
• Visit our page about Refinancing to see if now is the right time for you to refinance your existing home loan by applying today.

Mission Mortgage is proud to call Austin home. Our Central Office is located just steps from beautiful Zilker Park and minutes to downtown Austin and houses our processing, underwriting, funding, management, and marketing departments, as well as serving as an operational base for a number of our knowledgeable and experienced loan officers. We love Austin for the weather, the activities, the restaurants, the arts, and, of course, the music. But what we love the most are the wonderful people of Austin. There is a sense of pride that comes with living here in Austin Texas and we're proud to be a locally-based company that's here to help the local community. Whether they are clients, partners, colleagues, or friends, we love helping the people who make Austin so incredibly special. Through our years of dedicated service, we have come to know Austin and would love to help you with your lending needs and share with you our special level of customer service.

That's not to say that we aren't also proud of our offices and employees in Lakeway, Houston, and Sealy, but it is here in Austin that we truly call home. At Mission Mortgage we understand Austin...after all, we've been serving the local community for over 25 years helping hundreds of people fulfill their dreams and reach their financial goals. As a locally-owned company with the resources of a national lender, we can help you find the program that best fits your needs and your future financial goals. Our dedicated staff lives, works, and plays right here in Austin TX. We are your friends, your neighbors, and we'd love to be your lending partner. With so much good right here in our own community, why wouldn't you use someone local?
It just makes sense.

We also love the wonderful professional relationships we have developed with all types of Austin businesses and professionals. Whether you build or sell Austin Real Estate, Mission Mortgage is a company you need to know. When it comes to personalized service from a locally-based company, Mission Mortgage is at the top of the class. In fact, we have been in the Top 10 Austin Mortgage Companies for the past 7 years, as ranked by the Austin Business Journal. If you or someone you know is considering a home purchase or refinance in Austin, Lakeway, Houston, or Sealy, please speak with us first...we're here to provide the information necessary to make an informed decision.

WE ARE HIRING

While the challenges of the current economic situation are adversely impacting so many people, we are proud to announce that we are now hiring for numerous positions in our Austin location. We know how fortunate we are to be in Austin, a city that is continuing to flourish. Our business is strong and still growing and we are looking for a few good people to join our team. If you have professional experience in the mortgage industry, Mission Mortgage of Texas, Inc. would like to speak with you. We are particularly interested in speaking with mortgage loan officers who are eager to participate in any of our various lead generation campaigns. Please visit our Careers page for more information about our Austin employment opportunities and use the links to apply today.

"I strive to educate my clients about current lending policies
and keep them constantly in the loop throughout the entire
loan process so that they are both comfortable with their
payments and confident in their financing decisions."

It's My Mission