Phillip Hinojoza.

No. The discovery call is free, with no obligation. No SSN, no hard credit pull, no application. If a different lender or a different program is actually your best option, you’ll be told that — sometimes the honest answer is "wait six months and try again."

LHFS is a direct lender — we underwrite in-house, not via a broker network. That means decisions on your file happen in the same building as your loan officer, and conditions are resolved with one phone call instead of three days of email tag.

Compared to banks: we’re mortgage-specialist, not a generalist with a mortgage desk. Compared to online-only: you have a named human on every file, not a tracking number.

The LHFS network averages closing inside 21–42 days depending on loan type. Purchases run 30–42, conventional refis 25–35, FHA streamlines and VA IRRRLs as fast as 20–28. Outliers exist on either end — cash deals close faster, complex jumbo files slower.

Standard mortgage documentation: two years of W-2s or 1099s, two months of bank statements, two recent pay stubs, government ID, and the address of the subject property. Self-employed borrowers add two years of tax returns plus P&L statements. Bank-statement loans use 12–24 months of business deposits instead of tax returns.

Your LO will scope the exact checklist after the discovery call — not before.

Conventional loans typically require 620+. FHA goes down to 580 (sometimes 500 with 10% down). VA and USDA are flexible — VA has no hard minimum, lender overlays vary. Bank-statement, ITIN, and DSCR programs have their own thresholds.

A 740+ score generally unlocks the best pricing tiers across most products.

Yes. Your loan officer stays on the file from first call through funding. Processors, underwriters, and the closing team work alongside the LO, not as replacements. When conditions come up, the same person who walked you through the rate quote is the one calling you about them.

Yes — refinances move the loan to LHFS regardless of where the existing one lives. Common moves: rate-and-term refi (lower rate), cash-out refi (pull equity), term-shortening (15-year from a 30-year), or PMI-removal at the 20% equity mark.

The refi calculator in tools will run the break-even math.

Your LO stays in your contacts — not your spam folder. Annual portfolio check-in when rates move, proactive reach-out for IRRRL or streamline opportunities, and a familiar voice when the next purchase or refi comes around. Mortgage relationships work best on multi-decade horizons.