About Ryan Charles
A former collegiate and professional athlete, Ryan’s competitive spirit now is focused on running a top-producing mortgage office while striving to make each client feel as if they were his only one. Ryan is proud to have worked with literally thousands of local buyers and other real estate professionals in the Richmond area. He attributes his success to a strong network of trusted referral partners, a firm understanding of the real estate market, and a constant dedication to staying on top of loan programs, industry changes, and financial trends.
Ryan’s other competitive accomplishments include: making the Dean’s list while serving as a 2-year varsity basketball team captain in his time at Radford University, playing Duke in Kentucky’s Rupp Arena in the 1st round of the 1998 NCAA basketball tournament, going on to play professionally in 7 countries around the world after college, and being named to the Clover Hill Athletic Hall of Fame (induction class of 2008).
He now lives in Midlothian with his wife and 2 young daughters. In his spare time he enjoys reading, spending time outdoors with the family, sports, and getting involved in local community events and activities. Ryan is proud to currently be on the Board of the Rotary Club of Powhatan.
Tips for a Smooth Mortgage Process
A reminder of the 3 out-of-pocket costs that you will incur during the purchase process (a refinance only requires the appraisal):
1. Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) – This is a good faith deposit that you will give to your agent to put down toward the purchase of your home at the point in which the contract is accepted. This is usually less than 1% of the purchase price and typically as low as $500 (negotiable). Our loan underwriter will require proof that this was withdrawn from your account (so you can get credit for it toward your required down payment at closing). Please be sure that you write a check from one of the same accounts that you provided to us on the application. After it clears, we will need to see a copy of the cleared earnest money deposit check along with a statement or bank-stamped activity printout showing the funds were paid through that account.
2. Home Inspection – This is a thorough visual inspection of the structure and components of a home to find items that are not performing correctly or items that are unsafe. This inspection is not required but recommended. We do not need a copy of this report. Should you choose to get one, the cost is normally $450 paid directly by you to the home inspector at the time of services rendered (typically by personal check).
3. Appraisal – An expert opinion of a certified, state-licensed appraiser used to value a property. An appraisal is required by all mortgage lenders to determine that the sales price is in line with the home’s value. This cost is normally $550. We will order this report for you using the credit card authorization that is part of the loan document package. We will only do this once our underwriter gives us the green light to do so, and we typically like to wait to be sure that the home inspection (should you choose to get one) is cleared of concerns before ordering the appraisal (after all, you don’t want to pay to know the value of something that you don’t want to buy).
Please DO NOT do any of the following during the loan process:
- Make any large deposits (including cash) into any of the accounts that you have listed on the application.
- Transfer money between accounts (unnecessarily) as you will need to show the sources of the deposits made into these accounts. It’s best to move money around as little as possible once you are pre-approved.
- Allow your bank accounts to drop below the balance of what you need to close your loan. Definitely want to avoid any “insufficient funds” or overdrafts appearing on any of the bank statements used for loan processing.
- Establish any new credit lines/cards (including new furniture), finance anything new, co-sign for anything for anyone, or work on consolidatation of existing debt. Also please use existing credit accounts as sparingly as possible during the loan process. Please call us if you plan to make a large purchase on an existing credit account so we can ensure that it won’t jeopardize your loan status (debt-to-income concern)
- Close any existing credit accounts. You can pay them down/off, but do NOT close them as it can have a negative affect on your credit scores
- Change companies, change or quit jobs, accept a new position within the same company, or change pay structures (example, less base and more commission)
- Use cash as an earnest money deposit (EMD). The EMD will need to come from one of the accounts that you have provided us a bank statement for (also will be listed on your loan application)
If there are funds due from you at closing, the title company/closing attorney will require a cashier’s (bank check) from the same account that you have verified through us on your application. Please do not use any unverified accounts or undisclosed gifts to pay for your cost to close.
If you encounter a special situation or have any questions or concerns please give Carol or Ryan a call ASAP so we can discuss and put your mind at ease. We want you to have a comfortable process and communication is key!