09/20/2026
If the first thing you want to ask a mortgage person is "what's the rate," I understand. It's the number everyone talks about.
I'm Joe Farro, a Certified Mortgage Planner and mortgage broker at Home Express Mortgage. I've been doing this since 1991, and in my experience the better first question is "how does this actually work." Once you understand the process, the rate conversation makes sense. Before that, it's just a number someone wants you to react to.
That's what this page is for. I'll explain the process in plain language: what pre-approval is and isn't, what you'll be asked to provide and why, what happens between contract and closing, and what shows up in your mailbox afterward. I'll also cover the loan programs most people never hear about, and who they may fit.
What I won't do is post rates, payment figures, or predictions about the market. A rate without the whole picture is a sales pitch, and a prediction is a guess. Neither one helps you decide.
If you're buying or refinancing in Georgia or Florida, ask me your "how does this work" question in the comments or by message. Chances are someone else is wondering the same thing.
Joe Farro, NMLS #153572 | Home Express Mortgage, NMLS #2617711
Equal Housing Opportunity
