Educating Homebuyers.

Is there ever really a perfect time to buy a house? Or are buyers missing opportunities while waiting for interest rates and home prices to change?On this episode of Educating Homebuyers, Brady Haye sits down with Central Iowa Realtor Dan Rozga to talk about what it takes to navigate today’s housing market with confidence.Dan shares his journey from working as a high school pastor to building a successful real estate business, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and why building genuine relationships with clients matters more than simply closing transactions.We dive into:🏡 Why waiting for the perfect housing market could cost you opportunities📉 How buyers can negotiate on homes that have been sitting on the market🤝 Why the relationship between a buyer and their Realtor matters💰 How to evaluate interest rates, monthly payments, and affordability📋 Why setting expectations early makes buying and selling a home easier🔑 What separates great real estate professionals in today’s marketWhether you’re buying your first home, considering selling, or simply trying to understand the market, this conversation is packed with practical advice to help you make informed decisions.Connect with Dan Rozga:Contact information linked here.Connect with Brady Haye and the Brady Haye Mortgage Team:Website: https://teambhaye.comChapters:00:00 Introduction to Dan Rozga01:15 Golf, relationships, and getting to know Dan02:26 From ministry to real estate04:19 Why there’s no perfect time to buy05:37 Interest rates and making informed decisions07:51 Taking a low-pressure approach to clients10:09 Why constant follow-ups aren’t always the answer12:25 Finding opportunities in today’s housing market14:34 Setting expectations for buyers and sellers15:52 Why communication and documentation matter19:18 How the Realtor’s role has changed21:02 Advocating for clients and doing what’s right23:15 The value of consistency and relationships24:30 Closing thoughtsSubscribe for more conversations with real estate professionals, local experts, and industry leaders helping homebuyers feel informed, educated, and comfortable.#EducatingHomebuyers #DanRozga #BradyHaye #DesMoinesRealEstate #HomeBuyingTips #HousingMarket #IowaRealEstate

Why are some homes selling above asking price while others sit on the market without a single offer?

In this episode of Educating Homebuyers, Brady sits down with Thomas Payne, REALTOR® and Managing Broker at Century 21 Signature Real Estate, to discuss how the Central Iowa housing market has changed and what buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals need to understand heading into 2027.

With 13 years of real estate experience, Thomas shares his perspective on why today's buyers are more selective, how sellers should prepare their homes, and why inspections are one of the biggest reasons transactions fall apart.

We also dive into Thomas's new leadership role, what separates great real estate agents from average ones, and why building genuine relationships and delivering an extraordinary client experience are still the keys to success.

In this episode:

• Why some homes sell quickly while others struggle
• What sellers need to do differently in today's market
• How to navigate home inspections and negotiations
• Why buying a home should be viewed as a long-term investment
• What makes a great real estate agent
• Why technology and AI can't replace personal relationships
• How Thomas built a successful referral-based real estate business
• The importance of staying connected with clients after closing

Whether you're preparing to buy your first home, thinking about selling, or working in real estate, this conversation is packed with practical advice.

Connect with Thomas Payne:
Website: https://thomaspaynerealtor.com/

Connect with Brady Haye Mortgage Team:
Website: https://www.teambhaye.com

Subscribe to Educating Homebuyers for weekly conversations designed to help you feel informed, educated, and comfortable throughout the homebuying process.

#EducatingHomebuyers #BradyHaye #ThomasPayne #DesMoinesRealEstate #IowaRealEstate #HomeBuying #HousingMarket #RealEstatePodcast

When is the right time to buy a house?

Too many homebuyers try to answer that question by watching interest rates, home prices, economic predictions and social media headlines.

But that might be the worst way to make one of the biggest financial decisions of your life.

In this episode of Educating Homebuyers, we talk about why buying a home should be timed around YOUR life, your family, your budget and your goals, not around trying to perfectly predict the housing market.

We also get into:

🏠 What we're actually seeing in the Central Iowa housing market

📉 Why scary housing headlines don't always tell the full story

💰 Why interest rates shouldn't be used as a sales tactic

📊 A real transaction where an appraisal came in roughly $30,000 low

🏡 How appraisals and comparable sales actually impact home values

🤝 Why the right real estate professionals matter when a deal gets complicated

📱 Building an authentic personal brand in real estate

❤️ Balancing business, family and the things that actually matter

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation:

Time your home purchase to your life, not the market.

If buying a home makes sense for your family, your finances and your goals, that's what matters. And if it doesn't make sense right now, there's nothing wrong with waiting.

This episode also marks a first for Educating Homebuyers...

Our FIRST EVER repeat guest.

Stick around to find out who it is 👀

Subscribe to Educating Homebuyers for more conversations designed to help you feel informed, educated and comfortable when making decisions about real estate and homeownership.

00:00 Welcome to Educating Homebuyers

00:33 Our First Repeat Guest

02:14 What Happened to the 2026 Housing Market?

04:22 From Realtor to Brokerage Owner & Coach

07:07 How Agents Can Win in a Difficult Market

09:20 The 5 D's That Drive Real Estate

10:41 Why Relationships Matter in Real Estate

12:49 How the Market Has Changed Since 2025

13:29 What Buyers Are Experiencing Right Now

14:31 Is the Housing Market Actually Crashing?

15:43 Stop Trying to Time the Housing Market

17:04 Why Agents Shouldn't Sell Interest Rates

18:32 A Real Estate Deal That Almost Fell Apart

20:14 The Appraisal Came in $30,000 Low

20:41 How Home Appraisals Actually Work

23:21 Why Home Equity Isn't a Fixed Number

26:09 How Agents Can Succeed in a Tough Market

27:27 Building a Personal Brand on Social Media

31:18 Lessons From a California Real Estate Conference

32:36 Success, Faith, Family & Priorities

34:15 The Future of Real Estate Content

35:04 Why Authenticity Builds Your Brand

36:24 What Actually Matters at the End of the Day

39:28 Final Thoughts

Homebuyers finally have some leverage again.

This week, Brady sits down with Central Iowa Realtor Josh Baker to talk about how the housing market has shifted, why buyers have more negotiating power today, and what both buyers and sellers need to know in a more normalized market.

They discuss pricing, inspections, interest rates, when to start planning your move, and why waiting for the “perfect” market may not always make sense.

Josh also shares his journey from medical sales into real estate and how he built his business largely through relationships and referrals.

If buying or selling a home is somewhere in your future, this episode will help you better understand the opportunities available in today’s market.

00:00 Welcome to Educating Homebuyers
00:33 Meet Josh Baker
01:33 How Josh Got Into Real Estate
03:43 The Importance of Mentorship
05:05 Building a Referral-Based Business
09:15 What the 2026 Housing Market Looks Like
09:54 Homebuyers Are Back in the Driver’s Seat
11:53 How Sellers Should Approach Pricing
13:21 Should You Keep Waiting to Buy?
15:53 How Brady Got Into the Mortgage Business
19:26 Building the Key Mortgage Group Experience
21:14 Why Listing Agents Should Call the Lender
22:53 Josh’s Central Iowa Market
25:04 Where Is the Housing Market Headed?
25:56 Advice for Buyers 6–12 Months Out
27:11 How Early Should You Contact an Agent?
27:55 Preparing Your Home to Sell
28:54 Why Inspections Matter, Even on New Homes
30:39 How Agents and Lenders Can Stand Out
31:09 Being Available for Your Clients
35:05 Building a Business Without Chasing Leads
36:26 Golf Talk
38:17 Final Thoughts

Does your mortgage lender really need to live in the same city as you?

In this episode of Educating Homebuyers, Brady sits down with fellow Key Mortgage Group lender Jared Nicolaisen to challenge what it actually means to work with a “local lender” and why trust, communication, experience, and execution matter a whole lot more than where your lender physically sits.

Jared shares his journey from entering the mortgage industry with virtually no experience to building a successful business, relocating his family to Minnesota, and continuing to serve clients and referral partners across multiple markets.

They also break down what separates an average mortgage experience from a great one, why getting a preapproval letter should only be the beginning, and why the best lender isn't always the one offering the lowest advertised rate.

Jared even shares a story about telling one of his own clients to use another lenderbecause the deal they were being offered was simply too good to pass up. That decision ultimately led to even more referrals because the client knew Jared was willing to put their best interest ahead of making a sale.

In this episode:

00:00 – Welcome to Educating Homebuyers
01:09 – Jared’s journey into the mortgage industry
02:15 – From terrified of video to embracing social media
03:13 – Building momentum at Key Mortgage Group
04:23 – What a five-star mortgage experience actually looks like
06:14 – How a lender’s reputation can help buyers win offers
07:23 – Creating a consistent experience for every homebuyer
08:45 – Jared’s decision to relocate to Minnesota
10:53 – Maintaining relationships while living in another state
12:21 – Does your mortgage lender really need to be local?
14:02 – How technology has changed the mortgage process
14:28 – Building a mortgage business across multiple markets
15:27 – Balancing marriage, moving, and growing a business
16:43 – Why relationships matter so much in mortgage
17:02 – Giving back through the Pinky Swear Foundation
18:26 – Jared’s vision for Minnesota
19:28 – Why a preapproval letter isn't enough
20:10 – Staying connected with clients after closing
21:21 – Why Jared told a client to use another lender
21:54 – Interest rate vs. the actual cost of your mortgage
23:10 – Making homebuying less intimidating
24:23 – The real reason we love helping people buy homes

At the end of the day, being a great mortgage lender isn't about sitting in an office down the street. It's about knowing the market, communicating well, educating your clients, being transparent, and being someone they can trust to execute when it matters.

Most homebuyers only see the front end of getting a mortgage: fill out an application, send in some documents, and wait to find out if you're approved.

But what actually happens behind the scenes when a loan isn't so straightforward?

In this episode of Educating Homebuyers, I sit down with Lance Everhart, someone I've worked alongside for most of my career and one of the smartest mortgage minds I know.

Lance has been in banking since 2004 and specializing in residential mortgage lending since 2009. He's also one of the first people I call when I have a complicated loan scenario and need another set of eyes on how we can get it done.

We get into some of the situations most homebuyers never see, including:

• Can you actually buy a house with a 610 credit score?
• How we can sometimes improve a credit score quickly with a rapid rescore
• Why having additional money in reserves can completely change an approval
• How variable income, overtime, commissions, and inconsistent hours are calculated
• Why the income you make isn't always the income we can use
• Why getting approved for a certain payment doesn't necessarily mean you should spend that much
• How changing property taxes and insurance can impact your payment after closing
• How we received an automated VA approval with an 83% debt-to-income ratio
• Bank statement loans, non-QM financing, and other creative options when traditional guidelines don't work

One of my favorite lines from the episode sums up our approach pretty well:

It's not always a “no.” Sometimes it's, “How can we get this to be a yes?”

That's also why I encourage homebuyers to start the mortgage conversation early. The more time we have before you find the perfect house, the more opportunities we have to look at your credit, income, assets, loan programs, and overall financial picture to put you in the strongest position possible.

If you've ever wondered “How did THAT get approved?!”, this episode gives you a look behind the curtain at how we actually evaluate and structure mortgage approvals.

🎙️ The Mortgage Secrets Most Homebuyers Never See | with Lance Everhart

Welcome to Educating Homebuyers.

Chapters

00:00 – What Really Happens Behind a Mortgage Approval
01:13 – Meet Lance Everhart
02:07 – Getting Into Banking in 2004
03:15 – Entering Mortgage Lending During the Financial Crisis
05:09 – From Big Banks to Specialized Mortgage Lending
07:00 – How We Evaluate a Mortgage Application
09:36 – Can You Buy a House With a 610 Credit Score?
11:16 – Turning a Mortgage “No” Into a “Yes”
12:27 – The Fastest Ways to Improve Your Credit Score
14:33 – How Rapid Credit Rescoring Works
15:22 – A Client Increased Her Credit Score Over 100 Points
16:40 – The Credit Utilization Rule Homebuyers Should Know
18:35 – Why We Look Beyond the Credit Score
19:08 – Why You Should Get Pre-Approved Months Before Buying
20:34 – How Variable Income Affects Mortgage Qualification
22:09 – The Income Mistake That Can Kill a Mortgage Approval
23:55 – Why We Require Documentation Before Issuing a Pre-Approval
26:11 – Can You Qualify for More House Than You Should Buy?
27:23 – Why I Don't Focus on Maximum Pre-Approval
28:26 – The New Construction Property Tax Surprise
30:32 – Why You Need Breathing Room in Your Housing Payment
32:11 – The Difference Between “Can You?” and “Should You?”
32:31 – The 83% Debt-to-Income Mortgage Approval
35:23 – When Conventional Mortgage Guidelines Don't Work
35:52 – Bank Statement & Non-QM Mortgage Options
36:55 – What We Know vs. What We Can Prove
37:20 – Final Thoughts

Buying your first home can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be.

In this episode of Educating Homebuyers, I sit down with Realtor Kaylee Johnson to break down some of the biggest misconceptions first-time buyers have and what you actually need to know before getting started.

We cover:
🏡 Do you really need 20% down?
💳 How to build and improve your credit
📈 The truth about today's interest rates
💰 Why focusing on your monthly payment matters more than chasing the lowest rate
🤝 How the right Realtor and lender can completely change your experience
❤️ Why buying a home is about so much more than just the transaction

Whether you're planning to buy in the next few months or just starting to think about homeownership, this episode will help you feel informed, educated, and comfortable before taking your next step.

If you're buying in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Florida, I'd love to help.

🌐 www.teambhaye.com

NMLS #1450053

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:33 Meet Kaylee Johnson
01:58 How Kaylee Got Into Real Estate
07:47 What Real Estate Is Really Like
11:24 The Reality of Commission Income
13:29 Why Comparing Yourself on Social Media Hurts
18:24 Building a Referral-Based Business
21:17 My Homebuying Process Explained
24:44 Biggest First-Time Homebuyer Myths
25:21 Do You Really Need 20% Down?
26:32 When Should You Start the Process?
28:44 A Client Story You'll Love
31:48 How Homeownership Builds Wealth
33:10 The Truth About Today's Interest Rates
38:13 Credit Tips Every Buyer Should Know
42:34 Final Advice

A lot of people assume buying a home isn't possible because they have an ITIN instead of a Social Security number.

The truth? It may be much more possible than you think.

In this episode of Educating Homebuyers, Brady Haye sits down with Des Moines Realtor Adamarys Gamboa to discuss the realities of purchasing a home with an ITIN, common misconceptions surrounding homeownership in the Latino community, and why education is one of the most important parts of the buying process.

Adamarys shares how she unexpectedly found a career in real estate, built her business through social media, and now helps first-time homebuyers understand the path to homeownership with confidence.

We also discuss:
• Can you buy a home with an ITIN?
• Common ITIN mortgage requirements
• Credit score and down payment expectations
• Challenges for self-employed buyers
• Why many families incorrectly believe they can't qualify
• How social media has transformed the real estate business
• Why starting the mortgage conversation early can make all the difference

Whether you're a first-time homebuyer, a real estate agent, or simply curious about the home buying process, this episode is packed with practical advice and real-world experience.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Educating Homebuyers
00:33 Meet Adamarys Gamboa
01:40 How She Got Into Real Estate
05:26 Lessons From Her First Home Purchase
06:16 Why Education Matters During the Homebuying Process
08:10 Helping Latino Families Become Homeowners
09:46 What If You Don't Qualify Today?
10:28 Helping Buyers Who Never Thought They Could Own a Home
11:17 Building a Real Estate Business Through Social Media
13:30 AI and the Future of Real Estate
15:34 Common Challenges Buyers Face Today
16:00 Buying a Home With an ITIN
17:38 Why Preparation Makes the Buying Process Easier
18:21 Final Advice

🏡 Looking to buy a home in Iowa?

Visit https://www.teambhaye.com to connect with Brady and his team.

📲 Connect with Brady Haye

Website: https://www.teambhaye.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyhaye

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BradyHayeMortgage

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradyhaye

NMLS #1450053

#ITINLoan #FirstTimeHomeBuyer #HomeBuying #Mortgage #RealEstate #DesMoines #IowaRealEstate #LatinoHomeownership #EducatingHomebuyers #BradyHaye

Everyone seems to have an opinion about today's housing market.

Some say it's a terrible time to buy. Others think real estate has completely stalled.

The reality? It's a lot more nuanced than that.

In this episode of Educating Homebuyers, I sit down with Central Iowa Realtor Aaron O'Toole to talk about what's actually happening in today's market. We discuss why buyers have more negotiating power than they've had in years, how seller concessions and rate buydowns are creating opportunities, and why having the right Realtor matters now more than ever.

We also cover:
• Why today's market actually benefits many buyers
• The importance of buyer consultations
• Seller concessions, inspections, and sewer scopes
• Creative strategies for finding off-market homes
• Why the best real estate professionals educate instead of sell
• How communication can make or break the homebuying experience

Whether you're thinking about buying your first home, upgrading, downsizing, or simply trying to understand what all the headlines really mean, this conversation will help you separate fact from fiction.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:42 Aaron's journey from teacher to Realtor
02:08 Why education creates better homebuyers
04:37 Has real estate slowed down?
07:16 Why buyers have more opportunities today
08:51 Finding homes before they hit the market
11:35 The inspection that saved a buyer thousands
15:17 Why we never pressure clients
18:56 Communication throughout the buying process
21:09 Staying connected after closing
23:14 Final advice for buyers

If you're thinking about buying a home in Iowa and want guidance from a team that puts education first, we'd love to help.

🌐 https://www.teambhaye.com

NMLS #1450053

Thinking about getting into real estate?

This week Brady sits down with Myrissa Jordan to discuss her journey into the industry and what she's learned during her first year as a Realtor.

From passing the licensing exam and working with her first clients to building a personal brand through social media, Myrissa shares practical advice for anyone considering a career in real estate.

The conversation covers communication, marketing, relationship-building, buyer expectations, and the importance of creating systems that improve the client experience.