Talk to the Lender
Program and regulatory figures verified October 10, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Four documents answer almost every question on this site, and three of them are easier to act on while the agreement is still a draft.
How to reach us
Call or text Mike at (480) 296-6513. Email mcerto@cfmtg.com. You reach the person who originates the loan, and the conversation is confidential.
★★ The four documents
- ★★ The deed. It gives the date you both went on title, which decides the twelve-month joint-ownership condition, and under Fam. Code § 2581 it is also the document that can rebut the joint-form community presumption. Why the date matters
- ★★★ The current property tax bill. Not an estimate from the purchase price. We need the assessed value, because Rev. & Tax. Code § 63 means it survives the buyout and it is what we escrow. On a long-held California home this is usually much better news than people expect. Why
- ★★★ The draft agreement, while it is still a draft. What the lender must be able to read in it
- ★★ Any support order, with its end date. Support must be documented to continue at least three years from application to count as income. The conditions
★★★ Why "before signature" is the whole message of this site
Two of the requirements on this site need your former spouse's cooperation: the written agreement must be signed by all parties, and it must cover the disposition of the refinance proceeds.
★★★ While terms are being negotiated, the other side is engaged, represented and signing documents anyway. Once everything is settled and both people have moved on, going back for one more signature can take weeks, and the leverage to ask is gone. ★★ That is the entire argument for calling early, and it costs nothing.
★★ What we will say that a brochure would not
- ★★★ When it does not work. A one-income buyout of a two-income house sometimes does not qualify at any price on any product. We will say so early rather than let a settlement be built around a number that cannot be financed.
- ★★ When waiting is wrong. The twelve-month rule is worth reaching for if the anniversary is weeks away. If it is far off, months of continued financial entanglement with a former spouse is usually the worse trade, and we will say that too. How we think about it
- ★★ When it is jumbo. Above your county limit the agency protections do not apply. In parts of California that is the typical house. Where
What we will not quote over email
Rates or payment figures. They depend on your file and on the day, and a number sent on Tuesday is wrong by Friday. Current terms against your actual position, on a call.
★★ Outside our lane, and we mean this strictly
We are a lender. We are not a law firm. We do not draft or review settlement documents as counsel, do not represent you or your former spouse, do not advise on custody or occupancy, take no position on how your property should be divided, and give no tax advice. We make no attorney referrals and receive nothing for introductions.
★ Nothing here is affiliated with any California court, county assessor or government agency.
Useful pages first
- ★★★ Why a buyout is a limited cash-out, read this one first.
- Prop 13 survives the transfer.
- What the agreement has to say.
- Qualifying on one income.
Mike Certo, NMLS #260555. Cornerstone First Mortgage, NMLS #173855. Equal Housing Lender. This is not a commitment to lend. Loans are subject to borrower, property and program qualification.
Frequently asked questions
What should I send a lender for a California divorce buyout?
Four documents: the deed, which establishes the joint-ownership date; the current property tax bill, which gives the assessed value we escrow; the draft settlement agreement, while it is still a draft; and any support order, with its end date. Mike Certo, NMLS #260555, at Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855, on (480) 296-6513 or mcerto@cfmtg.com.Why should I talk to a lender before signing the settlement?
Because two financing requirements need your former spouse's cooperation: the written agreement must be signed by all parties and must cover the disposition of the refinance proceeds. That is straightforward while terms are being negotiated and difficult once everyone has concluded and moved on.Will you tell me if the buyout will not work?
Yes. A one-income buyout of a two-income house sometimes does not qualify at any price on any product. We would rather say so early than let a settlement be built around a figure that cannot be financed.Can you review my settlement agreement or recommend an attorney?
No to both. We are a lender, not a law firm; we do not draft or review settlement documents as counsel and we represent no party to a dissolution. We make no attorney referrals and receive nothing for introductions.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about mortgage financing during and after a divorce. Not a loan commitment, and not legal, tax or financial advice. Cornerstone First Mortgage is a lender; it is not a law firm, does not represent any party to a dissolution, does not make attorney referrals, and takes no position on how property should be divided. California property-division rules are set by the Family Code and applied by the courts; the reassessment exclusion in Revenue and Taxation Code section 63 is administered by county assessors. Agency requirements described here are Fannie Mae Selling Guide provisions current as of the date shown and are subject to change and to lender overlays. Housing market figures describe the twelve months to August 2026 and are not a forecast. All loans are subject to borrower, property and program qualification.