Meck Johnson, Atlanta RE Broker

09/30/2026

Here's the part of this conversation that I think gets overlooked:

You may not actually have to choose between paying debt, consolidating or increasing income.

The answer may be a sequence.

You could increase income, use that money to attack the specific debts that matter most, continue building savings and leave the existing accounts alone unless the numbers show that another move would be beneficial.

That's why I keep coming back to strategy.

The question isn't just, “What's a good financial move?”

It's, “What's the right move for this situation — and what's the right order?”

09/27/2026

Here's another assumption I hear:

“I can always get a second job if I need more income to qualify.”

A second job can certainly help your finances — but there's an important difference between income you're earning and income a lender can use for mortgage qualification.

New employment income may require history and documentation before it can be counted, depending on the circumstances and loan program.

That doesn't mean don't take the job.

It means don't build your entire homebuying plan around an assumption that hasn't been verified.

Ask early while you still have time.

09/24/2026

Debt consolidation is one of those things that can sound better simply because the finances look cleaner afterward.

Five payments become one.

Great.

But the debt didn't disappear. It moved.

Before deciding whether consolidation makes sense, look at the new rate, any origination fees, the repayment period, the total amount you'll pay and what that new loan does to your mortgage qualification picture.

I'm not saying consolidation is good or bad.

I'm saying run the numbers before assuming simpler automatically means better.

09/22/2026

I've seen people become so determined to “get rid of all this debt before I buy” that they overlook another part of the equation:

You're going to need cash, too.

There's the down payment, but that isn't the only expense.

You may also have inspections, appraisal expenses, closing costs, moving expenses, reserves and the normal surprises that come after buying a home.

So using every available dollar to pay off accounts isn't automatically the best strategy.

As I say in the video: The goal is not to arrive at the closing table debt-free and cash-free.

The goal is a sustainable homebuying position.

09/18/2026

Here's a good example of why I don't love the advice, “Just start paying off debt.”

Let's say you have $5,000 available.

Putting the entire $5,000 toward one account could barely change the payment you're required to make each month.

Applied differently, that same $5,000 might completely eliminate another monthly payment or have a greater impact somewhere else.

Same $5,000. Very different outcome.

Before deciding where the money goes, establish the mortgage baseline and find out where those dollars can actually help the most.

09/15/2026

Pay down the debt? Consolidate it? Take a second job?

If buying a home is part of your 2027 plan, any of those moves could help.

But there’s another possibility: doing the right thing in the wrong order could actually make the mortgage process harder.

Before opening another account, draining savings or completely changing your work schedule, find out what the numbers say.

Your homebuying strategy should determine the financial moves — not the other way around.

09/13/2026

If buying a home is on your list for 2027, you may be wondering where to start: pay down debt, consolidate your payments, or take a second job?

I walk through all three in my latest YouTube video, including why the order of those decisions matters. We also talk about keeping enough cash for your purchase and why it helps to speak with a mortgage lender before making changes.

Watch the full video here: https://accessto.me/paying-debt

If someone you know is preparing to buy, please share this with them. It could help them ask the right questions before deciding on their next move.

Planning to buy a home in 2027 but worried that debt could get in t...

08/28/2026

“What is the Atlanta market doing?” is usually too broad a question.

A better question is: What is happening for this type of property, in this location, at this price point, right now?

If you’re considering buying or selling, I can help narrow the data to the properties that actually matter.

08/27/2026

DeKalb’s July results demonstrate how much conditions can vary within one county. Different ZIP codes—and different property types within those ZIP codes—produced substantially different prices and marketing times.

The more specific the comparison becomes, the more useful the numbers become.

08/26/2026

A county average is useful for understanding the general landscape, but it isn’t a pricing strategy for an individual home.
The right comparison depends on the property, location, condition and competing inventory.

Message me STATS if you would like a more local look at the numbers.