"The best investment you can make is in yourself.” - Warren Buffett

Hey Everyone,

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Ridgeline Rundown!

With spring in full swing and buyer activity picking up, it's easy to feel like you need to jump into the market full speed. But before you start scheduling showings or making offers, there’s one essential step I want to bring clarity to: pre-approval. 💡🏡

This week’s highlight, “Pre-Approval Isn’t Commitment – It’s Clarity,” breaks down why getting pre-approved doesn’t lock you into anything—it simply gives you the confidence and insight to shop smart. It’s your roadmap, your advantage, and your best tool for making informed decisions.

Whether you're just curious or ready to go, having the right information up front changes the entire journey.

As always, I’m here to be your guide—offering transparent advice, real solutions, and a personal approach that puts your goals first. Questions? Reach out anytime, or book a time on my calendar. Let’s make your next move your best one yet.

Mortgage Minute

Markets have been shaky, with stocks and interest rates dropping together—typical when investors get cautious. But last week, that pattern flipped: rates spiked while stocks kept falling. This week, bonds are settling down, helping rates ease again. Today marks the third day of declines, with the average 30-year fixed dropping back below 6.875% for top-tier borrowers.

The Insider’s Guide to Real Estate | Tips

Pre-Approval Isn’t Commitment – It’s Clarity

If buying a home is on your radar – even if it’s more of a someday plan than a right now plan – getting pre-approved early is still one of the smartest moves you can make. Why? Because, like anything in life, the right prep work makes things clearer.

The best time to get serious about buying is before you’re ready to buy. Here’s why.

Pre-Approval Helps You Understand Your Numbers

One of the biggest benefits of pre-approval is how it helps you understand your buying power. As part of the pre-approval process, a lender will walk through your finances and tell you what you can borrow based on your income, debts, credit score, and more. That number is power.

Once you have that clarity, you’re no longer guessing. You know what you’re working with. And that gives you the information you need to be able to plan ahead. That way, you’re not falling in love with homes that are outside of your price range – or missing out on ones that aren’t.

Pre-Approval Helps You Move Quickly When You’re Ready

You don’t have to be ready to buy to be ready to buy.

It happens all the time – someone scrolls through listings just for fun, and then BAM – they fall in love with something they see online. But by the time they scramble to connect with an agent and then get pre-approved with a lender, someone else beats them to it, and they lose the home. And you don’t want that to happen to you.

While you can’t control when the right home shows up – you can be ready for it.

Pre-approval isn’t about jumping the gun or rushing your timeline. It’s about making sure you’re ready when it’s go-time. As Experian explains:

Instead of rushing to figure out your numbers, trying to get documentation for your home loan together, and watching the house you love slip away while you wait to hear from your lender, you’re already in the game.

It’s like showing up to the starting line with your shoes tied and your warm-up done – while everyone else is still looking for parking.

But pre-approvals do have an expiration date, so be sure to ask your lender how long it’s good for. Bankrate offers this insight:

The thing is, if you’ve been pre-approved – even if you’re just thinking about casually looking – you have a much better sense of how to navigate your home search within your budget. Plus, you’ll be ready if the perfect home comes along. So why not make it happen?

Bottom Line

Getting pre-approved doesn’t mean you have to buy a house today. But it does mean you’ll know what you’re working with when the right one shows up. If you want to get pre-approved, connect with a lender to get that process started.

In the meantime, let’s have a conversation about what’s on your mind and what you’re looking for.

If the perfect house popped up tomorrow, would you be ready to make a move?

Colorado Springs Social Scene

Military News and Updates

Female soldier becomes the first woman to compete in the grueling Army Ranger contest

WASHINGTON (AP) — A female Army Ranger for the first time competed in the annual Best Ranger Competition, and her two-soldier team finished the grueling three-day event over the weekend and came in 14th overall.

First Lt. Gabrielle White, and her teammate, Capt. Seth Deltenre, were among the 16 teams that made it through the final events, where Ranger teams compete for accolades as the best of the elite military force. All together, 52 teams competed and all of the others were made up of only male soldiers.

Feel free to reach out with any real estate questions—I’m here to help, no matter the state!

Referrals are the biggest compliment, so send anyone my way. Until next time!