Mike Payne

I’m Mike, a mortgage broker with CTR Brokers who specializes in helping veterans and military families understand and use their VA home loan benefit. A VA loan is not just a checklist, and it should not be treated like one. Every borrower, property, contract, and entitlement situation is different. My job is to look beyond the basic approval, identify potential problems early, and build a clear strategy around your specific goals. I take the time to explain how the numbers actually work, including the interest rate, lender costs, seller concessions, funding fee, taxes, insurance, and estimated cash needed at closing. I also help veterans understand the parts of the VA process that are often misunderstood, such as appraisals, minimum property requirements, residual income, entitlement, Tidewater, and reconsiderations of value. I am straightforward and will not sugarcoat the numbers or tell you what you want to hear just to earn your business. If something does not make sense, I will tell you. If there is a better way to structure the loan, I will explain why. You should understand the advantages, limitations, and tradeoffs before making a decision. My goal is not simply to get a loan approved. It is to help you use the benefit you earned intelligently, avoid unnecessary surprises, and move through the process with a clear understanding of what is happening and why. Veterans deserve more than a one-size-fits-all mortgage, a scripted sales pitch, or someone learning VA loans while working on their file. They deserve accurate information, honest guidance, and a loan officer who anticipates problems before they become emergencies.