Closing with Confidence welcomes Eric Putt, branch manager with Waterstone Mortgage in Winter Park, for a conversation on financing a home purchase without the surprises that derail deals late in the process. Eric walks through the assistance programs buyers overlook, including Hometown Heroes, and clears up the confusion around what actually counts as a first-time homebuyer under Florida versus conventional guidelines.
He also details the red flags lenders watch for between loan approval and clear to close, from untraceable cash deposits to buy now, pay later withdrawals that never show up on a credit report. With more than 20 years serving Central Florida buyers and a career built on construction to permanent lending, Eric brings a grounded, practical view of what keeps a closing on track.
For anyone eyeing a purchase in the next year, this episode offers a clear place to start.
In this episode, you will hear:
- Florida’s Hometown Heroes program and the surprisingly wide range of eligible professions
- How first-time homebuyer status differs under conventional lending guidelines versus Florida’s own definition
- The real breakdown between down payment funds and closing cost assistance
- Common red flags that can stall a loan between approval and clear to close
- Why buy now, pay later withdrawals are drawing more scrutiny from lenders
- Smart ways to renegotiate price or terms late in a contract without jeopardizing financing
- Three concrete steps to take now for anyone planning to buy within the year
Resources from this Episode
Hometown Heroes – https://www.floridahousing.org/programs/homebuyer-overview-page/hometown-heroes
Eric Putt (Waterstone Mortgage) – https://www.waterstonemortgage.com/originators/eric-putt
Follow and Review:
We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple ‘+’ in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.
