Hand Picked Top Lenders We Know, Trust and Recommend
Each of these individuals have their own unique qualities and loan programs
Meet Our Mortgage Lenders
Samantha Quirante
Mortgage Loan Officer – Mountain America Credit Union
Sandy: 10600 South
Midvale: Union Park Avenue
West Jordan: 9000 South
Office: 801-325-6172
Cell: 801-793-0511
NMLS 487126
squirante@macu.com
https://www.macu.com/squirante
Dan Allen
RōBUS Mortgage
5295 S Commerce Dr, Ste 205
Salt Lake City, UT 84107
Office: 801-590-4499
Cell: 801-898-2983
NMLS 801113
dallen@robusmortgage.com
Marc Johnson –
Robert Whitaker –
Unified Lending
Guide: Key Steps to Buying a Home in Utah
1. Assess Your Financial Readiness
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Review Your Credit Score: Most Utah lenders require a score of 620 or higher.
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Calculate Your Budget: Include down payment (often 3-20% of purchase price), closing costs, and monthly expenses.
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Estimate Pre-Approval Amount: Use mortgage estimator tools to see what you can afford.
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Check for Assistance: Investigate Utah down payment assistance programs (programs list).
2. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage
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Contact Local Lenders: Shop rates and ask about first-time buyer incentives.
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Pre-Approval Letter: Strengthens offers and shows sellers you’re serious.
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Gather Documents: Proof of income, tax returns, bank statements, ID.
3. Hire a Knowledgeable Utah Real Estate Agent
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Find a Local Expert: Choose an agent familiar with your target neighborhoods.
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Discuss Your Needs: Share your priorities for location, schools, commute, and property type.
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Understand Representation: Utah agents work as buyer’s agents, listing agents, or dual agents—know who’s representing your interests.
4. Start House Hunting
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Online Listing Sites: Use Utah MLS, Zillow, Redfin, and local agent websites.
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Open Houses & Tours: Visit homes in person to assess neighborhood and property condition.
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Evaluate Priorities: Balance needs vs. wants; consider future resale value.
5. Make an Offer & Negotiate
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Market Analysis: Your agent will help determine a fair offer based on recent sales.
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Draft the Offer: Includes offer price, earnest money, and contingencies (financing, inspection, appraisal).
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Negotiate Terms: Be prepared for counteroffers; multiple offer situations are common, especially in urban areas.
6. Complete Due Diligence
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Home Inspection: Hire a licensed inspector to check the property for issues (including radon, termites, and earthquake risks common in Utah).
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Appraisal: Required by most lenders to verify the home’s value.
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Title Search & Insurance: Confirms no outstanding liens or ownership issues.
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HOA/CC&R Review: For condos or communities with associations.
7. Secure Your Mortgage
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Choose Loan Type: Conventional, FHA, VA, and Utah Housing loans each have different requirements and benefits.
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Rate Lock: Lock in your mortgage interest rate—timing can matter in a moving market.
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Finalize Application: Submit last required documents; lender will underwrite your loan.
8. Review & Sign Closing Documents
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Final Walkthrough: Verify that repairs are made and the property is as agreed.
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Closing Disclosure: Review loan terms, fees, and cash-to-close.
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Sign Documents: You’ll meet at the title or escrow office to finalize the purchase and get the keys.
9. Move In & Celebrate!
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Transfer Utilities & Services: Set up water, power, internet, and garbage collection in your name.
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Change Address: Update addresses with banks, postal service, and subscriptions.
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Enjoy Your New Home: Welcome to homeownership in Utah!
News and Blog Posts
Keys to Success for First-Time Homebuyers
Keys to Success for First-Time Homebuyers Buying your first home is an exciting decision and a major milestone that has the power to change your life for the better. As a first-time homebuyer, it’s a vision you can bring to life, but, as the National Association of...
Today’s Real Estate Market: The ‘Unicorns’ Have Galloped Off
Today’s Real Estate Market: The ‘Unicorns’ Have Galloped Off Comparing real estate metrics from one year to another can be challenging in a normal housing market. That’s due to possible variability in the market making the comparison less meaningful or accurate....
Remember and Honor Those Who Gave All
Remember and Honor Those Who Gave All We remember and honor those who gave all. Some Highlights
The Benefits of Selling Now, According to Experts
The Benefits of Selling Now, According to Experts If you’re trying to decide if now’s the time to sell your house, here’s what you should know. The limited number of homes available right now gives you a big advantage. That’s because there are more buyers out there...
Why Buyers Need an Expert Agent by Their Side
Why Buyers Need an Expert Agent by Their Side The process of buying a home can feel a bit intimidating, even under normal circumstances. But today's market is still anything but normal. There continues to be a very limited number of homes for sale, and that’s creating...
What You Need To Know About Home Price News
What You Need To Know About Home Price News The National Association of Realtors (NAR) will release its latest Existing Home Sales Report tomorrow. The information it contains on home prices may cause some confusion and could even generate some troubling headlines....
Homeowners Have Incredible Equity To Leverage Right Now
Homeowners Have Incredible Equity To Leverage Right Now Even though home prices have moderated over the last year, many homeowners still have an incredible amount of equity. But what is equity? In the simplest terms, equity is the difference between the market value...
South Jordan City Council has recently announced the annexation of over 2,000 acres of land
South Jordan City Council has recently announced the annexation of over 2,000 acres of land. This move is expected to bring significant growth and development to the area. The annexed land is located in the western part of the city and includes several large parcels...
Is Now a Good Time to Buy in Utah
Buy or Sell with Marty Gale "Its The Experience" Principal Broker and Owner of Utah Realty™ Licensed Since 1986 CERTIFIED LUXURY HOME MARKETING SPECIALIST (CLHM) PSA (Pricing Strategy Advisor) General Contractor 2000 (in-active) e-pro (advanced digital marketing)...
Why Today’s Housing Market Is Not About To Crash
Why Today’s Housing Market Is Not About To Crash There’s been some concern lately that the housing market is headed for a crash. And given some of the affordability challenges in the housing market, along with a lot of recession talk in the media, it’s easy enough to...
Some of our past clients comments, raves and recommendations.
“Marty Gale far exceeded our expectations as a Buyers Agent in the recent purchase of our home. His knowledge of the Utah real estate market is exceptional and with his experience in residential home construction he was able to provide beneficial advice in selecting well-built homes. The network of professionals that Marty works with are top shelf, his recommendations for home inspection and mortgage broker were perfect. Customer service from this team of professionals is some of the best we have worked with; this is our fifth home purchase. You will not be disappointed in choosing to work with Marty!”


