Lending
Find the loan to fit your life
Jeremy Wassink is a Guild Mortgage Loan Originator with nearly half a decade of experience in the real estate industry. He welcomes the opportunity and responsibility to help individuals and families make one of the – if not the – most important buying decision in their lives. Jeremy and the Guild Mortgage team are always striving to deliver world-class service and unwavering support to make the mortgage process intuitive and enjoyable. One of his favorite quotes is: "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth" - Muhammad Ali
Jeremy Wassink -
Senior Loan Officer
- Phone: (850) 529-6241
- Email: jwassink@guildmortgage.com
- NMLS: 2028420 | CO NMLS 227262
Simple financing Insight For Kansas City Buyers, Sellers & Agents
🚗💸 Can a Car Payment Affect How Much House You Can Afford? (Kansas City Guide)
Yes—your car payment directly impacts how much home you can qualify for.
❓ What is Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI) in Real Estate?
Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is the percentage of your monthly income that goes toward debt payments.
This includes:
- Auto loans 🚗
- Credit cards 💳
- Student loans 🎓
- Personal loans
👉 Lenders use DTI to determine how much house you can afford.
❓ How Does a Car Payment Affect Buying Power?
A higher monthly car payment increases your DTI—which lowers your home affordability.
💡 Example:
- $800/month car payment➡️ Can reduce your buying power by $80,000–$120,000+
❓ What Matters More: Credit Score, Down Payment, or Debt?
Most buyers assume it’s:
❌ Credit score
❌ Down payment
But in many cases, the biggest factor is:
✅ Monthly debt obligations
Even with programs like:
- FHA loans
- VA loans
- USDA loans
…you still need a manageable DTI to qualify.
❓ Should You Buy a Car Before a House?
In most cases, no.
Buying a car before a home can:
- Increase your DTI
- Lower your approval amount
- Reduce your home options
👉 Smart strategy: Buy the home first, then upgrade the car later.
🏡 For Kansas City Home Buyers
If you're planning to buy in the Kansas City metro, talk to a lender before making major financial moves.
A quick strategy session could help you:
✔ Qualify for more
✔ Avoid costly mistakes
✔ Buy sooner than you think
📣 For Real Estate Agents
This is where you stand out.
Most clients don’t understand DTI—
👉 You may be the only one educating them.
Agents who explain:
- Timing of purchases
- Debt impact on approval
- Financial positioning
➡️ Close more deals and build long-term trust.
💡 Bottom Line
That “dream car” could be delaying your dream home.
Make financial moves in the right order—and you’ll win bigger.
As the Kansas City market gets more competitive, buying and selling at the same time can feel… overwhelming.
If you’re a homeowner thinking about your next move, you’ve probably run into this:
👉 You have equity in your current home—but it’s tied up
👉 You may not qualify to buy your next home until you sell
👉 Carrying two mortgages (even temporarily) isn’t realistic
👉 You don’t want to rush, move twice, or end up without a place to live
Sound familiar?
There is a smarter way to handle it 👇
💡 “Buy Before You Sell” Option
This strategy is designed to remove the stress and timing pressure from your move:
✔️ Use your current home’s equity for your next down payment
✔️ In many cases, your current mortgage can be excluded from qualifying
✔️ Buy your next home before selling your current one
✔️ Move once—on your timeline, not the market’s
✔️ Sell your old home after you’re already settled
✔️ Pay off the bridge financing when your home sells
No rushed decisions. No temporary housing. No double-move chaos.
If you’ve been stuck trying to figure out how to make your next move work—this might be the solution.
📩 Message me and I’ll walk you through how it works here in the Kansas City market.
#KansasCityRealEstate #KCHomes #MoveUpBuyer #HomeSellingTips #KCRealtor #BuyBeforeYouSell #RealEstateStrategy #HomeEquity #KCRealEstateExperts 🏡
Your loan officer doesn’t decide if you’re approved or not
Most people don’t even know this is true….
Your loan officer doesn’t decide if you’re approved or not 
The underwriter is the ultimate decision maker. So even though you got pre-approved, it doesn’t mean you’re actually able to buy the house! 
So why do most people wait to have the underwriter review the file until AFTER you go under contract??
WHAT IF, we had the Underwriter review the entire file, during the PRE-APPROVAL stage so that way:
There’s no surprises Your offer is MUCH stronger than others We know what conditions we will need We can close MUCH fasterGood news, we can do that! Best part, there’s no extra steps for you or your client. Let’s get your offer to the top of the pile! 
Message me to get your clients a stronger approval!
Why Do Real Estate Deals Fall Apart in Kansas City? (And How to Avoid It)
Here’s something most people in the Kansas City metro don’t realize…
From Overland Park to Lee’s Summit to North Kansas City—a surprising number of homes never make it to the closing table.
The #1 reason?
👉 Inspections.
No surprise there—older homes, deferred maintenance, and inspection negotiations can get tricky in KC.
But what catches buyers and sellers off guard is what comes next:
Buyer or seller getting cold feet
Financing issues (not rate-related)
Financing issues tied to interest rates
👉 Those three alone make up about half of failed transactions.
What This Means for Kansas City Buyers & Sellers
From a local broker’s perspective, most of these issues are completely preventable.
The common thread?
👉 Lack of clarity early in the process.
For Buyers in KC 🏡
Thinking your rate will be one number… then it changes
Getting surprised by cash-to-close (especially with taxes, insurance, and prepaids)
Not fully understanding what happens once you’re under contract
👉 In a competitive KC market, that uncertainty can cost you the deal.
For Sellers in KC 📉
Buyers backing out due to financing surprises
Deals falling apart days before closing
Last-minute renegotiations after inspections
👉 Especially frustrating when your home is already off the market.
How We Keep Deals Together in Kansas City
A smooth transaction in KC doesn’t happen by luck—it comes down to preparation and process.
Before you ever write or accept an offer, you should have:
✅ A real consultation (not just a quick call)
✅ A full breakdown of costs and true cash to close
✅ A clear understanding of rate scenarios
✅ A step-by-step game plan from contract to closing
✅ Current Kansas City market data to guide decisions
👉 When buyers and sellers have clarity, confidence goes up—and deals actually close.
Bottom Line
In the Kansas City real estate market, it’s not just about finding the right home or getting it sold…
👉 It’s about getting all the way to the closing table without surprises.
That’s where the right process—and the right guidance—makes all the difference.
Thinking About Buying or Selling in KC?
Whether you’re in Independence, Blue Springs, or anywhere in the metro…
I’m happy to walk you through exactly what to expect—no pressure, just clarity.
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