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
What Are the Experts Saying About Future Home Prices?
What Are the Experts Saying About Future Home Prices?A worldwide pandemic and an economic recession have had a tremendous effect on the nation. The uncertainty brought about by both has made predicting consumer behavior nearly impossible. For that reason, forecasting...
Utah Homebuyers Are in the Mood to Buy Today
Homebuyers Are in the Mood to Buy TodayAccording to the latest FreddieMac Quarterly Forecast, mortgage interest rates have fallen to historically low levels this spring and they’re projected to remain low. This means there’s a...
Top Reasons to Own a Home in 2020
Find your home today!
Want to Make a Move? Homeowner Equity is Growing Year-Over-Year
Want to Make a Move? Homeowner Equity is Growing Year-Over-YearOne of the bright spots of the 2020 real estate market is the growth in equity homeowners are experiencing across the country. According to the recently released Homeowner Equity Insights...
Three Reasons Homebuyers Are Ready to Purchase In 2020
Three Reasons Homebuyers Are Ready to Purchase This YearA recent survey by Lending Tree tapped into behaviors of over 1,000 prospective buyers. The results indicated 53% of all homebuyers are more likely to buy a home in the next year, even amid the current health...
Real Estate Tops Best Investment Poll for 7th Year Running
Real Estate Tops Best Investment Poll for 7th Year RunningEvery year, Gallup conducts a survey of Americans to determine their choice for the best long-term investment. Respondents are asked to select real estate, stocks/mutual funds, gold, savings accounts/CDs, or...
How Did Covid-19 pandemic affect Salt Lake County home sales
How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect Salt Lake County home sales? In April, sales of all housing types fell to an eight-year low, and were down 28 percent compared to April 2019. The silver lining? Deferred spring home sales are now being realized as the market...
Are You Ready for the Summer Housing Market?
Are You Ready for the Summer Housing Market? As the health crisis started making its way throughout our country earlier this spring, sellers have been cautious about putting their homes on the market. This hesitation stemmed primarily from fear of the spread of the...
Is a Recession Here? Yes. Does that Mean a Housing Crash? No.
Is a Recession Here? Yes. Does that Mean a Housing Crash? No. On Monday, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) announced that the U.S. economy is officially in a recession. This did not come as a surprise to many, as the Bureau defines a recession this way:...
Real Estate Will Lead the Economic Recovery
Real Estate Will Lead the Economic RecoveryWith more U.S. states reopening for business this summer, and as people start to return to work, we can expect the economy to begin improving. Most expert forecasts indicate this economic recovery will start to happen in the...
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!”


