Dan Smith - Ruoff Mortgage

09/24/2026

Thinking about buying your first home but not sure where to start?

Lavinia Chudy Realty - Century 21 Scheetz Lavinia Chudy and I are hosting a First-Time Home Buyer Class on October 22nd at
Heartwork Brewing — and we’re keeping it casual.

We’ll walk through the homebuying process from start to finish, including:
• How much you actually need for a down payment
• What lenders look for when you get pre-approved
• First-time buyer loan programs and options
• What to expect when making an offer
• Closing costs and other expenses to plan for
• Common mistakes first-time buyers can avoid

No sales pitch. No obligation. Just a chance to learn, ask questions, have dinner, and enjoy your first b**r on us.

October 22 | 6:30–8:00 PM
Heartwork Brewing

Dinner provided + first b**r on us

Space is limited, so RSVP to me or Lavinia by October 18.

And if you know someone hoping to buy their first home in the next year or two, tag them or send this their way.

09/11/2026

Thinking about buying a home in Bloomington but wondering if you should wait for mortgage rates to come down?

You're definitely not the only one asking!

I put together a new guide covering some of the questions I hear most from Bloomington and Monroe County homebuyers:

• Should I buy now or wait for rates to fall?
• How much do I really need for a down payment?
• FHA vs. conventional — which makes more sense?
• What credit score do I need?
• When should I get pre-approved?
• What options are available for first-time homebuyers?

Buying a home is a big financial decision, and there’s a lot more to it than just watching mortgage rates.

If you're considering buying in Bloomington or the surrounding area, give this a read.

Blog post "buying-a-home-in-bloomington-indiana-in-2026-mortgage-guide" in location "dansmith"

09/02/2026

5.0 star review received on Experience.com for Dan Smith, Ruoff Mortgage by Wanda F V - Dan was always available for any questions we had. He made it a lot easier. Kept us sane. Lol

Read more: https://experience.com/reviews/dan-smith-452324/35aedee9-82a5-426e-867c-eb12f0a5e16c?V=1788369285&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=autopost&utm_content=13482625

09/01/2026

Here's your chance to win $3,000 toward your monthly mortgage payment courtesy of Ruoff! But wait, there's more! The winner will also get tickets to the Colts vs Ravens game on September 13th, and will have the opportunity to win more money on the field during halftime. Please see official rules for eligibility details. Click the link below to enter: https://ruoff.com/monthlymortgage?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social+Post&utm_campaign=Ruoff+X+Colts+Mortgage+Giveaway

09/01/2026

Thinking about waiting for mortgage rates to fall before buying a home? There’s another number you should be watching: home prices.

The latest Fannie Mae Home Price Expectations Survey, which polls more than 100 housing experts, projects that U.S. home prices could rise about 15% over the next five years.

Think about what that could mean:

A $300,000 home today, with 15% appreciation, would be worth roughly $345,000 five years from now.

A $400,000 home → roughly $460,000

A $500,000 home → roughly $575,000

Could mortgage rates be lower in the future? Absolutely.

But if you're waiting solely for a lower rate, you could also be waiting while the price of the home you want continues to increase.

And there’s another factor: when mortgage rates fall, more buyers may come back into the market. That can mean more competition for the same homes.

That's why I encourage buyers to look at the entire financial picture, not just today's interest rate.

If the home, payment and financing make sense today, buying now can allow you to begin building equity — and if rates improve later, we can evaluate whether refinancing makes sense.

If you're considering buying a home in Bloomington, Monroe County, or anywhere in Indiana, I'd be happy to run a buy-now-vs.-wait analysis for you.

Dan Smith
Senior Loan Officer | Ruoff Mortgage
Bloomington, Indiana
NMLS #2784335

Send a message to learn more

08/21/2026

Looking for a networking opportunity? Take 1.5 hours out of your week and come visit BNI Crimson Connect! This is a wonderful group of business owners, entrepreneurs, and hard-working people that are looking to grow their business - and we'd love to have you be a part of it. DM me or comment below and let's get you set up to make a few new connections!

08/21/2026

🔑 JUST CLOSED! Another happy homeowner in Southern Indiana! 🏡

Congratulations to our buyer on their new home!

I always enjoy getting to closing day, and this was another great opportunity to work with Andrew Flora, REALTOR® with 1% Lists Indiana Real Estate, to help our buyer get across the finish line.

If you're thinking about buying a home, you don't have to have everything figured out before talking to a lender. That's what I'm here for.

As a Senior Loan Officer with Ruoff Mortgage, I help buyers throughout Seymour and Southern Indiana understand their options for:

🏠 Conventional home loans
🏠 FHA loans
🏠 VA home loans
🏠 First-time homebuyer financing
🏠 Mortgage pre-approvals
🏠 Refinancing

Whether you're ready to buy now or you're trying to figure out what you need to do to be ready 6–12 months from now, I'm happy to help you build a plan.

Dan Smith | Senior Loan Officer
Ruoff Mortgage
NMLS #2784335
📞 812-360-8717

Serving homebuyers throughout Bloomington, Bedford, Seymour, Monroe County, Lawrence County, Jackson County and Southern Indiana.