Washington State's Educator-First Mortgage Broker

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Rates and APRs shown are sample/average figures updated daily by Edge Home Finance for illustration purposes. Actual rate and APR depend on credit profile, loan amount, down payment, term, and lender fees. Click any product to pre-fill the calculator below. Not a commitment to lend. John P. Cobain · NMLS #374881 · Equal Housing Lender.

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Personalized Mortgage Experience

I've spent 30 years helping Washington State families buy homes — first-time buyers, veterans, self-employed borrowers, and everyone in between. My approach has always been the same: educate first, sell never. As a mortgage broker, I shop multiple lenders to find you the best rate and the right program for

your situation. If you're buying in Tacoma, Lakewood, Gig Harbor, Spokane, or anywhere across Washington State, let's have a real conversation — no pressure, no jargon.

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

Mortgage programs built for Washington State buyers - from Tacoma and Gig Harbor to Spokane and everywhere in between.

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's no set limit — you can refinance as many times as it makes financial sense to do so. What I

always tell people is that the right time to refinance is when the numbers genuinely work in your favor, not

just because rates moved a little. I'll help you run the break-even analysis so you know exactly what you'd

save and how long it takes to recoup closing costs. That's the only way to make a truly informed decision.

Can I buy a home if I don't have money for a down payment?

You might have more options than you think. VA loans allow zero down payment for eligible veterans and

active-duty service members. USDA loans offer zero down for buyers in qualifying rural and suburban areas

across Washington State — many communities around Tacoma, Spokane, and the Olympic Peninsula qualify. There are also Washington State down payment assistance programs that can cover some or all of your down payment on FHA and conventional loans. Let's look at what applies to your situation specifically.

How do I know which mortgage is right for me?

That's exactly the conversation I like to have before anything else. Every buyer is different — your credit,

your income, your down payment, your goals — and the right program depends on all of those factors

together. I specialize in VA loans, first-time homebuyer programs, FHA, USDA, jumbo, and Non-QM

financing, so I have a wide range of options to work with. My job is to lay out what's available, explain the real

differences, and let you make the call. No pressure either way.

How long will the loan process take?

A typical purchase loan takes around 30 days from application to closing, though it can move faster with

good preparation. VA loans have an additional appraisal step that can add a little time. USDA loans include a

secondary review by the USDA itself, which also extends the timeline slightly. I'll set honest expectations at

the start based on your specific loan type and keep both you and your realtor updated throughout — no one

should ever feel like they're in the dark about where things stand.

Will I qualify for a home loan?

The only real way to know is to have a conversation and look at your actual situation together. I've helped

a lot of buyers who came in thinking they couldn't qualify and walked away with a path forward. Credit,

income, down payment, employment history — there are a lot of variables, and sometimes one small

adjustment changes everything. I'll give you an honest assessment and if now isn't the right time, I'll tell you

that too, along with what it would take to get there.

Why do people refinance their mortgages?

The most common reasons are to lower their interest rate, reduce their monthly payment, or shorten their

loan term. Some homeowners refinance to access equity for home improvements or to consolidate debt.

Buyers who started with an FHA loan sometimes refinance into a conventional loan once they've built 20%

equity — which eliminates FHA mortgage insurance and can meaningfully lower their payment. Whatever the

reason, I'll help you run the numbers so the decision makes sense on paper before you commit to anything.

How much money will I have to pay upfront to buy a home?

It depends on the loan program and your situation. VA loans can be zero down for eligible veterans.

USDA loans are zero down in qualifying areas. FHA loans require as little as 3.5% down, and some

conventional programs go as low as 3%. On top of the down payment, you'll have closing costs — typically

2–3% of the loan amount, though some can be rolled in or covered by seller concessions. Down payment

assistance programs in Washington State can also help cover upfront costs for qualifying buyers. We'll look

at all of it together.

Can I get a mortgage after bankruptcy?

Yes — bankruptcy doesn't permanently close the door on homeownership. Each loan program has

defined waiting periods after a bankruptcy discharge. FHA typically requires two years after a Chapter 7. VA

loans are generally two years as well. Conventional loans are typically four years. The waiting periods after a

Chapter 13 can be shorter if you've been making payments consistently. Once you've cleared the waiting

period and rebuilt some credit, there's often a real path forward. Let's talk about where you are and what the

timeline looks like.

Should I lock my interest rate now or wait?

I track rates every day — multiple times a day, actually — because they move constantly based on

economic data, Fed decisions, and bond market activity. My honest answer is: if the rate available today

makes the payment work for your budget, locking now eliminates the risk of it going higher. Waiting is a

gamble. Rates can improve, but they can also move against you quickly. I'll give you my read on where

things are and what I'm seeing in the market, and then you make the call. That's what I'm here for.

Most Recent Blog Updates

More Homes Are Hitting the Market and Buyers Have More Leverage Than They Have Had in Years

More Homes Are Hitting the Market and Buyers Have More Leverage Than They Have Had in Years

August 07, 20262 min read

More Homes Are Hitting the Market and Buyers Have More Leverage Than They Have Had in Years

The Market Shift That Buyers Who Have Been Waiting Need to Hear About

There is genuinely good news in the housing market right now and it is the kind of development that buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for conditions to improve have been hoping for.

More homes are hitting the market. Inventory has been building and buyers now have more options available to them than they have had in years. That single change in the supply picture has downstream effects on every part of the buying experience in ways that make right now meaningfully different from the environment that discouraged so many buyers from even trying.

What Rising Inventory Is Actually Producing

When inventory is tight sellers have all the leverage. Every listing generates competition and sellers have no reason to offer anything beyond the highest available price. Buyers who could not come in above asking with clean terms and waived contingencies simply did not win.

As inventory grows that dynamic shifts. Sellers who are not generating the immediate interest they expected start making adjustments. Price reductions on homes that have been sitting longer than anticipated. Willingness to negotiate on closing costs that reduces the cash required at closing. Seller-funded repairs that address inspection findings rather than refusing to budge. Rate buydowns funded by seller contributions that lower the monthly payment and make the financing work better for the buyer.

As John Cobain explains this does not mean it is suddenly a buyer's market everywhere. The shift is not uniform across every market or every price point. But the direction of change is clearly toward more buyer leverage than has existed in a very long time and that shift is real and meaningful.

Who This Matters Most For

Buyers who stepped back because they felt like they simply could not compete in the market of the past few years are the ones most worth reaching. The conditions that made buying feel impossible or financially unreasonable have changed. Not completely and not everywhere but enough that taking another look at what is available and what a transaction might actually look like today is worth the conversation.

The market is starting to create opportunities again. Buyers who re-engage now are doing so before the next wave of buyers comes off the sidelines when rates improve which is when the inventory advantage and the negotiating leverage that exists today is most likely to disappear.

John Cobain works with buyers to evaluate the current opportunity in their specific market and price range and to build a purchasing strategy that captures the leverage that is available right now. Reach out to John Cobain to find out what the market looks like for your situation today.


Sources

NAR.realtor
MortgageNewsDaily.com
Realtor.com
ConsumerFinancialProtectionBureau.gov
Zillow.com

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Mortgage Calculator

See your total mortgage payments using the tool below.

16.67
%
%
years
$/year
%
$/year
$1,685.20
Your estimated monthly payment with PMI.
PMI:
$208.33
Monthly Tax Paid:
$200.00
Monthly Home Insurance:
$83.33
PMI End Date:
Dec 2027
Total PMI Payments:
27
Monthly Payment after PMI:
$1,476.87
🏠Mortgage Details
Loan Amount:
$250,000.00
Down Payment:
$50,000.00 (16.67%)
Total Interest Paid:
$179,673.77
Total PMI to :
$5,416.67
Total Tax Paid:
$72,000.00
Total Home Insurance:
$30,000.00
Total of 360 Payments:
$537,298.77
Loan pay-off date:
Sep 2055
⚖️Monthly Vs Bi-Weekly Payment
$1,476.87
Monthly Payment
Sep 2055
Pay-off Date
$179,673.77
Total Interest Paid
$738.44
Bi-weekly Payment
Aug 2051
Pay-off Date
$151,482.12
Total Interest Paid
Total Interest Savings: $28,191.64
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(253) 225-1245

2006 65th ave W Fircrest WA 98466

Copyright 2025. All rights reserved. John Cobain NMLS # 374881 | Edge Home Finance Corporation NMLS #891464 | Equal Housing Opportunity | Equal Housing Lender