Your Local Mortgage Lender
Located in Spokane Valley, Washington
Personalized Mortgage Experience
Tim Windhorst offers personalized service and loan options you'll love. We shop multiple lenders to find the best rate and product for you, getting you into your dream home faster.
With wholesale interest rates and cutting-edge technology, we make the mortgage process seamless. Trust the experts who focus solely on mortgages. Support your local community and experience elite client service.
Let us help you achieve your homeownership dreams!
The Home Loan Process
Mortgage Pre-Approval
Get pre-approved from one of our Loan Officers to see how much you can afford.
House Shopping
Work with a trusted Real Estate Agent to find a home you would like to move into.
Loan Application
Complete your home loan application to get the lending process started.
Don't take my word for it
Mortgage Programs
Experience the best mortgage experience located in Spokane Valley, Washington.
Home Loan Options
Our experienced mortgage advisors will walk you through the best mortgage loan program that will fit your specific scenario.
Conventional Home Loans.
FHA Home Loans.
USDA Home Loans.
VA Home Loans.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often can I refinance my mortgage?
There is no limit to the number of times you can refinance. However, you must qualify every time you apply and there will be costs associated with closing the loan each time.
Can I buy a home if I do not have money for a down payment?
Yes! There are a number of bond programs that offer low or no down payment financing options.
How do I know which mortgage is right for me?
The key to choosing the right mortgage is to understand the range of options and features available to you, as well as your budget, circumstances, and goals. Our licensed mortgage professionals are here to help you navigate that process. The more you know, the more comfortable and confident you will be choosing the best option for you and your family.
How long will the loan process take?
The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) does not permit a lender to close a loan until at least seven (7) business days have passed from the date your application was received. A typical home loan takes 30 days, as a number of third-party services such as appraisals, title work, and credit are required in conjunction with the mortgage process. Once you familiarize your Loan Officer with the details of your specific loan scenario, they will be able to provide you with a more specific timeline.
Will I qualify for a home loan?
The only way to find out is to speak with a qualified mortgage professional. Our Loan Officers have helped numerous clients who didn’t know if they could qualify to become home owners. We take the time to understand your financial situation and long-term financial goals, and then match you with the loan program that best fits your needs. Your approval for a loan may also largely depend on the price of the home you are financing. Getting pre-qualified prior to beginning your home search can give you an idea of what you may be able to afford.
Why do people refinance their mortgages?
Homeowners typically refinance to save money, either by obtaining a lower interest rate or by reducing the term of their loan. Refinancing is also a way to convert an adjustable loan to a fixed loan or to consolidate debts.
How much money will I have to pay upfront to buy a home?
This question does not have a simple, one-size-fits-all answer. The exact amount will depend on the price of the home you buy as well the type of mortgage financing you choose. Depending on your loan program, your down payment could be as much as 20% of the home’s price or as little as 3%, while some loans require no down payment at all.
Can I get a mortgage after bankruptcy?
You may still qualify for a home loan even if you have experienced a bankruptcy. The best way to find out if you qualify is to talk with a Loan Officer to discuss your options. Be sure to bring all paperwork regarding your bankruptcy so your Loan Officer can find the program that best fits your situation.
Should I lock my interest rate now, or wait until we are closer to our closing?
Interest rates fluctuate all day, every day. If an interest rate is good, it may be in your best interest to lock now. If you wait, you run the risk of an increase in rates later. If you are concerned that rates may go down after you lock, contact your Loan Officer to discuss your options. Some programs allow you to lock for an extended period and choose to lower your rate should a better one become available.
Most Recent Blog Updates
The Mistake Most Spokane First-Time Buyers Make Before They Ever Set Foot in a House
The Mistake Most Spokane First-Time Buyers Make Before They Ever Set Foot in a House
The Error That Costs Buyers Time Money and Sometimes the House Entirely
Most first-time homebuyers make their biggest mistake before they ever walk through a front door. It is not a negotiating error or a problem with the offer terms. It is a documentation mistake made weeks before any offer is written and it costs buyers time, money, and in competitive situations the home they wanted entirely.
The mistake is getting pre-qualified instead of pre-approved and treating them as the same thing.
What Pre-Qualification Actually Is and Why It Is Not Enough
Pre-qualification is a quick conversation. You share some information about your income and assets without any verification of those numbers and the lender gives you a rough estimate of what you might qualify for based on what you told them. No documents reviewed. No credit pulled in a meaningful way. No verification of anything.
In a market like Spokane where homes under $400,000 are moving quickly and competition is real a pre-qualification letter tells a seller very little about whether you can actually close. It tells them you had a conversation with a lender. That is not the confidence a seller needs to accept your offer over another buyer's.
What Pre-Approval Actually Means
Pre-approval is a fundamentally different process. It involves collecting actual documentation. Pay stubs. Bank statements. W-2s. Tax returns if applicable. A full review of your credit profile. And a thorough evaluation of your income, assets, and financial picture by a loan officer who can tell you with confidence what you actually qualify for rather than what you think you might qualify for based on a conversation.
As Tim Windhorst explains a genuine pre-approval removes all the guesswork from the homebuying process in a way that a quick rate calculation on Google or a pre-qualification estimate simply cannot. It tells you accurately what you can afford so you are shopping in the right price range rather than falling in love with a home you cannot qualify for or underestimating your purchasing power and shopping below what you could actually buy.
In a competitive Spokane market the difference between a pre-qualified buyer and a fully pre-approved buyer is the difference between an offer that gets serious consideration and one that gets set aside while the seller waits to see if something stronger comes along. The pre-approval signals that the financing is real and the deal will close.
The Down Payment Question That Stops Too Many Buyers
A significant number of first-time buyers in Spokane never get to the pre-approval conversation because they assume they do not have enough for a down payment. That assumption is stopping people who could be buying right now from ever finding out what is actually available to them.
Down payment assistance programs exist at the state level through Washington programs designed to support first-time buyers. National programs add another layer of available resources. And some investors and lenders have their own proprietary assistance programs on top of those. Many buyers qualify for one or more of these programs without ever knowing they exist and without a lender who knows about them proactively asking the right questions those programs go uncaptured.
A 15-minute conversation with Tim Windhorst can tell a first-time buyer in Spokane whether they qualify for assistance they did not know existed and what their actual purchasing power looks like when all available programs are factored in. That number might be more than they expected. It might surprise them to discover they qualify in today's market when they had assumed they did not.
No Pressure No Obligation Just Real Information
The only way to know what you actually qualify for is to have the real conversation with a real loan officer who reviews your actual documentation. Not a Google calculation. Not a pre-qualification estimate based on a phone conversation. A genuine pre-approval that tells you exactly where you stand and what is available to you.
Tim Windhorst works with first-time homebuyers in Spokane to navigate the pre-approval process, identify every applicable down payment assistance program, and make sure buyers know what they actually qualify for before they ever start shopping. Reach out to Tim Windhorst for a no-pressure no-obligation conversation about what homeownership in Spokane could look like for you right now.
Sources
ConsumerFinancialProtectionBureau.gov
WashingtonStateHousingFinanceCommission.org
DownPaymentResource.com
MortgageNewsDaily.com
NAR.realtor
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ID #MLO-11046
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