Florida Mortgage Broker

  MIKE STEELE LOANS   I Shop Rates So You Don't Have To Weekly Realtor Update  |  September 11, 2026 Rates just moved, and not in a small way. Over the last three days the average 30-year fixed jumped from about 6.75% to over 7%. That's the highest we've seen in roughly 15 months, and it happened in one short stretch driven by a hot inflation report and another jump in fuel prices. Here's why I'm sending this now instead of soft-pedaling it: this is the exact week where getting your buyer a second opinion on their rate matters most. When rates run up, the gap between a retail bank quote and a real wholesale quote gets wider, not smaller. And there are levers we can pull, right now, to hand your buyer real savings even in a market like this. ✦✦✦ NATIONAL AVERAGES THIS WEEK Highest in about 15 months, up sharply in 3 days CONVENTIONAL 30-YR ~7.0% - 7.1% FHA 30-YR ~6.5% - 6.8% VA 30-YR ~6.5% - 6.8% What moved them: a hotter-than-expected inflation report this week plus...

Here's something I say a lot: a "no" from one lender is not a "no" from the market. It just means that lender's guidelines didn't fit that buyer. And guidelines are not the same thing at every shop. That's the whole point of a broker. I'm not stuck selling one rate sheet with one set of rules. I've got 100+ wholesale lenders, and when a deal looks tough, my job is to find the one that says yes. Two wins this week prove it. Both would've died at a bank. ✦✦✦ RATES THIS WEEK Flat again, holding in the mid-6s CONVENTIONAL 30-YR ~6.5% - 6.8% FHA 30-YR ~6.125% - 6.3% VA 30-YR ~6.125% - 6.3% Quiet week. Rates barely moved, still riding the mid-6s while the market waits on the next inflation read. These are ballpark ranges, not quotes. Where your buyer actually lands depends on their credit, down payment, and the property, and on which lender we put them with. Call me for a live number on a real scenario. Illustrative ranges only, subject to chan...

  Mike Steele Loans • SW Florida Mortgage Broker Non-QM Loans in SW Florida: How to Buy a Home When the Bank Says No Here's the deal. Every week I talk to buyers in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, and Naples who make good money but got turned down by their bank. Contractors. Charter captains. Realtors. Restaurant owners. People with real income that just doesn't show up neatly on a W-2. If that's you, this post is going to change how you think about buying a home. We're talking about non-QM loans. I'll explain what they are in plain English, who they help, and what the catch is. What Is a Non-QM Loan? (The Simple Version) QM stands for "qualified mortgage." That's a loan that follows a strict set of federal rules about how lenders check your income. Think of it like the standard entrance exam for a mortgage. Pay stubs, W-2s, tax returns. Check every box and you're in. A non-QM loan is any mortgage that doesn't follow that exact recipe. It's not a s...

  Mike Steele Loans I Shop Rates So You Don't Have To Looking for a Mortgage Broker in SW Florida? Here's Why Buyers Pick Me Mike Steele · SW Florida Mortgage Broker · NMLS #241787 If you're buying a home in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, or Naples, you've probably already noticed something: every lender says they've got the best rate. Your bank says it. The online guys say it. The billboard on Del Prado says it. So how are you supposed to know who's actually telling the truth? Here's the deal. I'm a mortgage broker, not a bank. That one difference changes everything about what you pay and how you're treated. Let me show you exactly what that means for your wallet, and why so many SW Florida buyers end up working with me. ✦✦✦ Broker vs. Bank: Why the Same Loan Costs You Less With Me We all sell the same money. Same VA, FHA, and conventional loans, backed by the same government programs and the same investors. The difference isn't the loan. It's what...

  Cape Coral 2026 Real Estate Trends, Infrastructure, and Ecology  The development of Cape Coral, Florida, represents one of the most significant engineering and marketing feats in the history of American suburban expansion. Originally envisioned as a " Waterfront Wonderland ," the city has matured from a speculative 103-square-mile tract into a complex metropolitan environment characterized by more than 400 miles of navigable canals —the most extensive system in the world. As of 2026, the city serves as a critical case study for high-density coastal living, navigating the tensions between rapid residential growth, significant environmental vulnerability, and a shifting real estate market that has transitioned from a period of hyper-inflation to a substantial correction. This report provides an exhaustive examination of the factors defining Cape Coral today, synthesizing historical context, hydrological management , logistical infrastructure, and the contemporary f...