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Mortgage Tips

At Police Mortgage we strongly believe in education and arming the first responders we serve with financial knowledge. Below you will find a wealth of information. First, you will find a list of top tips we compiled from our vast experience. Next you will find episodes from our podcast, Mortgage Beat, where we discuss best practices and current trends when it comes to home buying.


Then you will find a number of brief videos from our CEO. The Wisdom of John Aretos not only provides a lot of sound advice but also a few laughs. But our education doesn’t stop there. Feel free to call us at 312-499-8878 or if you’re ready to start the mortgage pre-approval process just click on the button below.

Top Mortgage Tips From Your Friends at Police Mortgage

If you are an active-sworn Police Officer, take advantage of Killed in the Line of Duty Loan Protection.

Try not to push the upper limits of the house you can buy. Just because you can afford more house doesn’t mean that you should.

Understand all the costs that are associated with buying a home, such as transfer and real-estate taxes, association fees, homeowners insurance, and more. When it comes to the total cost of buying a home it’s not just the interest rate.

Talk to a loan officer first! Even better, talk to Police Mortgage first if you are a public-safety professional as we are here for First Responders Who Are Second to None!

Set your home-buying strategy up in advance. This will allow you to act quickly when you find the home you really want.

Veterans should look at the VA-loan option first. It is almost always the best option when buying a home

Remember the Rule of Twos: Bring two pay stubs, two W2’s, and the last two months of bank statements to your meeting with a mortgage loan officer. The more information on assets and income you can share the easier it will be to obtain a mortgage pre-approval.

Be flexible when buying a property. This is especially important for first-time home buyers.

Welcome to the Mortgage Beat podcast, brought to you by Police Mortgage, created For First Responders Who Are Second to None! Mortgage Beat provides insight into the home-loan process specifically for police officers, firefighters, and other public-safety professionals. The podcast is hosted by Police Mortgage CEO John Aretos.

Why Police Mortgage

Episode 001 of Mortgage Beat

Police Mortgage CEO John Aretos discusses the uniqueness of Police Mortgage and his passion for serving first responders.

The Pre-Approval

Episode 002 of Mortgage Beat

CEO John Aretos details the mortgage pre-approval process and how homebuyers can be prepared with the proper information before the initial meeting.

Different Professions

Episode 003 of Mortgage Beat

CEO John Aretos talks about the different professions in public safety – including firefighters, EMTs, RNs, and police officers – and how that may require different approaches in the mortgage pre-approval process.

The Wisdom of John Aretos

Want some insight into the mind of Police Mortgage CEO, John Aretos? Then check out these short videos. You’ll find the tips informative and probably also have more than a few laughs too!

Vivian Abraham
LOAN OFFICER
NMLS #2451439
 

I have my bachelor’s in business administration and have been involved in the banking industry for over 10 years. During this time, I managed two of the Chicago Patrolmen’s Federal Credit Union locations prior to transitioning to Police Mortgage. I have family members who are police officers with the Chicago Police Department. My work has been very rewarding, and I take pride in having assisted countless members and their families with their financial needs and financial wellness. My hobbies include exploring new restaurants in the city and running for marathons that support pediatric cancer foundations and Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s Run To Remember. I come from a large family primarily from the south side of Chicago and love to share all the diversity and beauty the city has to offer with my two children.

Patrick Doah
Loan Officer
NMLS #2025761
 

I am honored to grow up in a multi-generational family of Chicago Police Officers. I joined Police Mortgage in the summer of 2020 and love the opportunity to help both first-time buyers and repeat clients alike achieve their dreams of purchasing a home. Having been born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago, I happily live in the Lakeview neighborhood today. Along with my two younger sisters, I am a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a lifelong Chicago Bears fan. I have a strong passion for food and love exploring the vast array of restaurants throughout our city. Nothing makes me happier than spending a summer afternoon on a golf course with family and friends! 

Connor Walsh
Loan Officer
NMLS #2221708
 

I joined my brother at Police Mortgage as a loan officer in August of 2021 after a 10-year career in sales and marketing. Most recently, I worked as a Senior Account Executive for Ricoh North America, an office electronics company, where my main responsibilities were building new client relationships and maintaining over 400 existing customer accounts. I believe my work experience has transferred over to the mortgage industry well, because I am able to multi-task effectively while working with multiple customers. The skillset I learned in my previous employment allows me to stay organized and to manage my time well for my customers. My number one goal is always to make the loan process as quick and painless as possible for our borrowers. I am excited to further develop the Police Mortgage brand with my brother. It is a unique situation, and I believe working in an office together allows us to help our borrowers even more due to streamlined communication and our ability to help each other with our respective files. I like to spend my free time relaxing, watching sports, exercising, going out to eat with my wife, and trying to keep up with our three daughters – all under five years old!

Dylan Walsh
Loan Officer
NMLS #180970

After graduating from the University of Missouri in 2015, I moved to Chicago where I began a career in marketing at a firm called Ansira. I sought a career change and contacted Police Mortgage, where I was first introduced to the mortgage industry. I have spent the last 5 years training with our CEO, John Aretos, who has taught me all of the intricacies of the mortgage process. I love finding solutions for our clients to help them purchase the home of their dreams. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment when helping homebuyers, especially first-time homebuyers, all the way through the loan process, from pre-approval to closing day. I recently moved back to my hometown of St. Louis, where we opened a new office. I am excited to help start this new chapter for Police Mortgage. My wife, Megan, and I are happy to be back in our hometown. We are always checking out new outdoor events such as music or food festivals – anywhere we can take our dog, Remy!

John Aretos
CEO
NMLS #268165

As the CEO of an organization associated with serving the Police and their loved ones, I am privileged to play a role in helping our clients achieve their life’s financial goals. Our mission is to make the home buying or refinancing process as comfortable as possible, providing our clients with competitive products and excellent service.

I was born and raised in the Chicago metropolitan area, and I have a deep-rooted love and appreciation for the diverse culture which makes our city so special. My two older siblings and I grew up working in our parent’s restaurant, which instilled a work ethic and sense of family that I carry with me to this day.

I am a graduate of Indiana University and have been involved in the mortgage industry for nearly 25 years, helping thousands of clients save money or finance the home of their dreams. My passions are passing down my love of food, music, art, snow skiing, and red wine to my three children, who motivate me to be a better person each and every day!