07/31/2026

Jeff Lichtenstein

Jul 31, 2026

Bizzaro Loans

They say that every person has an imperfect backward duplicate. Not sure if that was Bizarro from Superman or a Twilight Zone episode. But I do find this to be true in real life. I have several of these alternatives Jeff Lichtenstein’s. There is a sports reporter, Gourmet Guru, and even a gastroenterologist Jeff Lichtenstein. The only time anyone has ever mistaken me for being a doctor was when this lady was trying to butter me up to buy time shares and said, “is it Mr. Lichtenstein or Dr. Lichtenstein”.

But there are two Bizarro Jeff Lichtenstein’s I have encountered. Jeff Lichtenstein is or was the founder of the Posh, Florida Design Magazine. I looked him up and AI says that Jeff Lichtenstein shifted his role from media legacy mogul to President and Broker of Echo Fine Properties. Hopefully that isn’t a tell that the fear of overvaluation of AI on Wall Street as a hunk of junk is true. Whatever hallucinated drug AI is on, that Jeff Lichtenstein isn’t me. I know this because he called me in the early 2000’s screaming. Jeff Lichtenstein ranted and raved at me at 10pm for 15 minutes that the ad for Jeff Lichtenstein in his magazine wasn’t really Jeff Lichtenstein and Jeff Lichtenstein had stolen his identity. Finally, he said, “Are you really Jeff Lichtenstein?” I said that my mom had been calling me that for years. A decade later a couple treated me rudely on a showing as they thought I was Jeff Lichtenstein but realized the error, when I wasn’t that Jeff Lichtenstein. I finally met Jeff Lichtenstein after he returned $10,000 that Bank of America inadvertently thought was intended for Jeff Lichtenstein but accidentally sent to Jeff Lichtenstein. Jeff Lichtenstein called me and promptly returned it to the proper Jeff Lichtenstein. Me. See, that Jeff Lichtenstein wasn’t such a bad fella.

Another Jeff Lichtenstein wasn’t so nice. This is a Jeff Lichtenstein that lives in Trenton New Jersey. I was getting ready to close on a home when the mortgage broker called and said we couldn’t close as I owed American Express $225,000 + interest for items purchased at Techno Electronics. I never lived in Trenton, nor did I have an American Express card or ever shopped at Techno Electronics. American Express acknowledged this but wouldn’t write a note saying that I wasn’t Jeff Lichtenstein unless the NJ court system would write a letter saying I wasn’t Jeff Lichtenstein. And the court system said they needed a letter from American Express saying I wasn’t the real Jeff Lichtenstein before they would write a letter saying I wasn’t Jeff Lichtenstein. After 1 ½ days I finally convinced some lady (who I think just wanted to get me off the phone with this crazy story) decided to break into some filing cabinet in the Trenton court system that proved that this other Jeff Lichtenstein was the NJ bizarro Jeff Lichtenstein. We finally did get the loan. But a good mortgage broker would have helped. Unfortunately, I didn’t know Ryan Brown back in 2002.

As mortgage rates and affordability are in the news, I thought it would be appropriate to interview Rayn Brown who’ve I’ve done business with north of a decade on all things mortgage related. New Florida savings programs are out now, where rates are headed reverse mortgage and much more. 30 questions in all as you never want to be in a position of a bizzarro loan.

1. What are current rates?

Current rates range based on the down payment, credit score, and product type, but in general, they are in the mid-to-high sixes.

2. Is there more risk of rates going up and if so, how much?

Rates have been steadily trading in a range of the low to high sixes for quite some time now. Who knows what the crystal ball holds, but if inflation can stay down, rates should remain the same or go down. If inflation increases, though, higher rates are on the horizon.

3. With more inflation on the rise, why aren’t rates higher?

If inflation goes up, the rates generally will follow. Typically inflation pushes the 10-year yield which in turn pushes mortgages rates.

4. Can you explain how mortgage rates are more tied to the 10-year yield and not interest rates?

Good timing on this question. A lot of people think that mortgage rates are tied to the federal funds rate or the prime rate, but that is not the case. Mortgage rates are tied more to the 10-year yield, so that is a good barometer. If you want to look for mortgage rates, you can follow the 10-year yield: if it goes up, then mortgage rates typically follow.

5. What’s the strangest thing a client tried to include in a mortgage?

When clients have a lot of equity and they go to refinance, they can do what’s called a cash-out refinance to pay off debts and other things. We’ve had some doozies in the past, like clients paying off $20,000 cruises and things like that. I remember a time when a client was sitting in my office with his wife, and the wife did not know that he had charged her $7,000 wedding ring on a credit card with Kay Jewelers. When we were going through the items we were paying off for the refinance, the wife was like, “Hey, what is that?” He had to explain right there that he did not pay for the ring in cash but had charged it to a credit card. It was a bit of an uncomfortable moment.

6. I hear there are down payment monies available through the Hometown Heros program. Who is eligible and what are the benefits? How long will the program last?

Yes, the Hometown Heroes program was released on July 1st of 2026. There is $60 million available, and since it’s such a popular program, the funds will most likely run out by November. This is a first-time homebuyer assistance program that serves our local communities for first responders, healthcare workers, military, and people who work for K-12 schools. The program provides up to $35,000 for down payment and/or closing costs!

7. Do you have any programs to protect someone if they buy now and rates were to drop?

Yeah, since we service our loans, the great news is if rates go down, we do allow our clients to refinance each time after three payments. We waive all our fees so they can drop their rate and refinance them once it makes sense. The rule of thumb is a 1% drop.

8. I know you have relationships with local appraisers. How important is that?

Having quality, certified local appraisers can make or break a deal. Period. Fortunately, we do have a private panel with the top five appraisers in our market. They are the best of the best, and it is so important to have them on your side.

9. What are the pros and cons of going with something like yourself versus an online company?

We have local branches in our community, so having face-to-face interactions—or simply knowing there’s a place you can go to talk to somebody, even after post-closing about your loan—always makes a huge difference. You’re not going to sit in a 1-800 number call queue for hours on end trying to get hold of somebody. We also typically offer much better rates and fees than some of the online companies, with much more transparency and knowledge of the local market.

10. How about with a bank you have a relationship with?

Mortgage lending is a very small part of a bank’s sales funnel, so the customer service and the quality of advice that you’re going to get is going to be very low compared to dealing with a direct mortgage lender. Additionally, banks typically take 45 to 60 days to close a loan, and our average is 14 days.

11. Are there any other specific programs for investors:

Yes, we specialize in investment loans. We have investor loans that do not require tax returns, where we just underwrite it based on the cash flow of the property. These are good and offer excellent low rates.

12. Craziest mortgage stories ever?

We’ve had some doozies over the years, but some of the funnier ones are always the individuals who are involved in, let’s say, activities that don’t necessarily match my moral compass (ladies of the night or things of that nature).

Fortunately, if you are in a cash business and you deposit those funds into a business bank account, we do have a bank statement loan that can get you qualified with only 10% down. Under mortgage guidelines, there aren’t any restrictions on the type of employment, though of course it does have to be a legal type of employment. We’ve also had situations where people have tried applying for loans with people who are deceased, or they’ve been married and didn’t tell their wife about it. So, there have been some doozies over the years.

13. Why did you get into the business?

Buying a home changed my life and was the first time that I learned about building wealth. This is why I love to help people get into homes, so they can start building wealth for their families.

14. We’ve been doing loans with you with 7-14 days’ approval times which make us competitive with cash offers since both still need at least a 7–10-day inspection period. Why is the 30-day mortgage approval over with you and how do you do that?

In my opinion, any lender that needs longer than 14 days to approve a file either doesn’t have a great system or is unsure about the deal. I think at the very maximum, loan contingency should be 14 days. If your lender cannot do that, you should find a new lender.

15. After all the condo legislation that occurred from the Surfside tragedy which resulted in mandatory inspections, repairs, assessments if necessary and proper reserves, is it easier to get a condo loan?

Condominium loans are getting tougher. They are updating the rules where associations now must have 15% of their assessment income geared towards a reserve budget. Over time, this will make the condo market more stable, but condo approvals are currently a little difficult to get just because of all the regulations.

16. There has been talk about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac being sold off. Do you have any concerns?

No, I don’t think there would be any concerns, but I’m not super privy to any of that information. These are legacy institutions and have made an enormous impact on our country.

17. What are 3 things people should ask when interviewing a mortgage broker.

You should always ask:

How long have they been in business? What is their process? How many loans do they close per month? You also want to find out if they are a direct lender or a broker. You never want to work with a broker unless you’re in the commercial market, or possibly in the hard money or private equity markets. You want to work with a direct lender, which has lower fees, lower rates, and can service you from start to finish and for the life of the loan.

18. How soon should something thinking about buying a home, contact a mortgage broker?

As early as 12 months. It’s never a bad thing to reach out early so you get to know your numbers and what you need to do to prepare yourself.

19. Perfect client?

The perfect client is really anybody who is kind to our team and who is grateful. Period.

We love working with all clients, whether it’s a $100,000 condo for grandma or a $10 million house for an executive on the Jupiter riverfront.

20. Worst client?

The worst clients are always the ones who are mean and rude to our team members. Or ones that are misrepresent or are not honest.

21. Do you get involved ever with the listing agent?

When our clients are pre-approved, it is very typical that we will call the listing agent when the buyer’s agent makes the offer. There’s a big advantage to this: the listing agent knows that you’re fully vetted by a local lender. With our reputation, it helps to get acceptance from the listing agent. Additionally, we verify that the loan has been fully pre-underwritten and can meet all the contingencies within the contract. This goes a long way.

22. Is credit repair important. If so, how long does it take to repair it?

This really depends on the situation, but on average 60-180 days.

23. Where are you located?

We are located right on Northlake Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens.

24. What advice are you giving to young people right now? Who is having trouble breaking into the market because of affordability issues?

My advice is: don’t wait. Even if you can get something that’s not the perfect property, or a little bit smaller, or needs some work, just get your first house. It changed my life, and it could change yours too. Get in and start building equity. If you can’t afford everything or it makes you uncomfortable, get some tenants: rent out the rooms, put the couch on Airbnb. Do what you can. Start building, create wealth, and change your family tree.

25. Are there any downsides to a reverse mortgage?

Think of a reverse mortgage as a regular mortgage, it’s just that you don’t have to make payments, so the balance goes up every month. The only downside to a reverse mortgage over time would be if you wanted to give your house to your kids or somebody else in your estate when you pass away, as there may not be as much equity. But for a senior who doesn’t have a lot of income, this could be a really good option. They can either purchase a property and not have a payment, or they can refinance an existing mortgage and get rid of their payment to free up cash flow.

26. Fastest deal you’ve ever done:

So the fastest deal I’ve ever done is eight days. By law, that is the fastest you can close for disclosure purposes. As a direct lender, we have our own underwriters, closers, and processors on site, so we can make this happen if need be. Both of those loans were turn-downs from other lenders that had them for over 40 days, and then we turned around and closed them in eight.

27. I once had a buyer who worked for Toys “R” Us and got laid off as they went chapter 11 the day before closing. Deal died. Other than losing a job, are there other things not to do that people should be aware of in that gray zone once under contract and getting a loan?

Well, one of the things that most clients don’t understand or know about is that lenders actually monitor your credit all the way through closing; this is a requirement. If a client goes out and buys furniture before closing for $20,000, or decides to lease a car, this could blow the debt-to-income ratio and, in turn, blow up the deal.

28. Without naming names, what is the most difficult HOA or condo Association experience that you’ve ever had?

Well, I wish I could name names, but I won’t. But there are several of them. The issue with condo associations is that some of them are really poorly managed, or they have poor management companies. Sometimes condo associations work with a management company, or they self-manage, where the people who do the management only work a couple of days a week. Because of this, it is very hard to get information within the time constraints of a contract. There are also other condo associations where the homeowners decide not to cooperate with lenders, or they decide not to have reserves, making it almost impossible for people to get financing. The issue with that is, if buyers and sellers cannot transact there, it affects the property values. Sometimes the homeowners don’t understand this, and a lot of times, the management companies don’t understand this either.

29. How does someone get in touch with you?

Email is [email protected] and phone is 561-253-1807. www.RyanDBrown.com

30. Ryan Brown seems like such a common name. Have you ever been mistaken for a better or worse Ryan Brown?

Well, not really. I know there’s a Ryan Brown that was an actor for Guiding Light back in the ’50s and Beverly Hills 90210, but I’m not that cool.