Solskolnickprofessorhomeloan

08/30/2026

I’ll be honest with you.
There are a lot of things I am not the right person to ask.
Best pizza in New York? I have opinions, but so does everyone else.
Top 10 movies of all time? My kids would tell you I still haven’t seen half of them.
Seven steps to launch your business?
Five morning routines to boost your energy? Not my lane.
But here is what I do know.
If you are buying a home — or you know someone who is — there is something most buyers don't find out until it is too late.
A pre-approval is not a commitment to lend. It says so right on the document. What it tells a seller is: this buyer looks good on paper, but we haven’t actually underwritten the loan yet. In a market where buyers are going up against cash offers, that gap can cost you a home.
What I provide is different. A TBD — To Be Determined — Commitment. That is an underwritten commitment for a loan amount, issued before you have even found a property. The big banks do not offer this. It is a structural limitation of how they operate, not a knock on them.
Specialized mortgage banks (MINE), do!
What it means for you: you walk into a negotiation as a committed buyer, not a hopeful one.
I am hosting a free Zoom this Thursday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m. to walk through exactly how this works.
Register at professorhomeloan.com.
If you know someone about to search for a home, this is worth sharing with them.

08/20/2026

Real estate agents: Give your buyers more certainty before they start house hunting.
A standard pre-approval may not be enough when your buyer is competing in a multiple-offer situation.
Pre-approval letters typically include this disclaimer:
“This is not a commitment to lend.”
That uncertainty can make it harder for an offer to stand out—especially when competing against cash buyers or offers supported by fully underwritten financing.
A To Be Determined (TBD) Mortgage Commitment may provide a stronger financing foundation before your buyer submits an offer.
With underwriting completed upfront, your buyer’s file can be reviewed using the required income, asset, credit, and other documentation—before they find a home.
Potential advantages include:
✅ Stronger financing presentation when submitting an offer
✅ Greater confidence for buyers, sellers, and agents
✅ Fewer financing conditions after contract
✅ A smoother, potentially faster path toward closing
Many depository banks do not typically offer this type of TBD commitment.

If you’re working with a qualified buyer who wants to make a stronger offer, let’s discuss whether a TBD commitment may be appropriate.
Call or text me at 914-380-0600, or schedule a conversation here:
https://lnkd.in/gde3W_bq
Subject to lender guidelines, underwriting, verification, and final approval.
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08/15/2026

I fell asleep in an almost empty field.

I woke up inside Woodstock.

August 16, 1969. I’d hitched a ride from Narrowsburg, New York — where I was working that summer — accumulated a couple of vacation days, and sat down in what looked like a sparsely populated field on a Friday afternoon.

Saturday morning, I opened my eyes to a city’s worth of people.

That black circle in the photo? That’s me. Row 1188 in front of the stage.

I was there for Richie Havens, Joan Baez, Ravi Shankar, Janis Joplin at 3am, the Who at dawn, Santana, Canned Heat, Mountain, Creedence, Grateful Dead, Sly & the Family Stone.

I was there when nobody had a name for what it was yet.

56 years later, I sat down with a researcher at the New York Historical Society. My account of that weekend is now part of the permanent archive at the Museum at Bethel Woods.

People ask what I remember most.

Not the mud. Not the rain.

I remember falling asleep in a field and waking up inside something that changed American music, American culture, and a generation’s sense of what was possible.

Most of the defining moments in a life are like that. You don’t recognize them while you’re sitting in them.
Friday (August 16) performers:
Richie Havens
Swami Satchidananda
Sweetwater
Bert Sommer
Tim Hardin
Ravi Shankar
Melanie
Arlo Guthrie
Joan Baez
Saturday (August 17) performers:
Quill,
Country Joe McDonald,
Santana
John Sebastian
Keef Hartley Band
The Incredible String Band
Canned Heat
Mountain
Grateful Dead
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Janis Joplin & the Kozmic Blues Band
Sly & the Family Stone
The Who
Jefferson Airplane
Sunday (August 18)
The Band
Johnny Winter
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Sha Na Na
Jimi Hendrix

08/14/2026

Most people fall in love with a house before they understand the loan.

That’s not a criticism. It’s just the order things happen in. You find the place. Then you figure out how to pay for it.

The problem? By the time you’re standing in a kitchen you want to live in, the decisions that shape your next 30 years are already being made — often without you understanding what you’re agreeing to.

I wrote this book for that moment. The one before you’re in too deep to ask the questions you should have asked at the start.

HOME LOANS MADE SIMPLE: THE 12 STEPS TO SUSTAINABLE HOME OWNERSHIP®

It’s free. Digital or printed. Your choice.

Get the eBook → https://solskolnick2.book.live/mortgage-lenders-buyers-book

Want a printed copy? Send your address to [email protected] or text 914-380-0600 and I’ll mail it to you directly.

08/04/2026

Memo to R.E. agents.
Subject: Your buyer just lost another one.
I’m guessing you know this feeling.
Your buyer has lost their second… third… maybe fourth offer. They’re exhausted. You’re frustrated. And somewhere in the back of your mind you’re thinking, is there anything we could have done differently?

What's the value of that pre-approval your buyer is carrying? The one from the depository banks that clearly states, “This is not a commitment to lend.” It’s an opinion. And sellers know it.

There’s a product called a (Property) To Be Determined Commitment — a fully underwritten loan approval completed before your buyer ever tours a single home. Same documentation as a standard pre-approval. However, we provide real underwriting upfront. When your buyer submits that offer, sellers and their agents see something they can actually trust.
The depository banks don’t offer this. As a mortgage only bank, I do.

I’ve been lending in Westchester and the NY Metro area for 20 years, with buyers who need to compete — not just show up.
I would love to work with you and yours.
914-380-0600 [email protected]

07/27/2026

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that Baby Boomers are dominating the 🏡 market. For those aged 61 and above, the dynamics of home buying have evolved since the last time you navigated this process.

The 2026 market demands a new mindset regarding financing
and purchasing💰. Loan products are now more varied, and the required documentation has changed significantly. Remember the Good Faith Estimate (GFE)? This standby was retired in 2015!

As Professor 👨‍🏫 Home Loan, I am a nationally recognized mortgage strategist and a multi-year Five-Star Award-winning mortgage consultant, including for 2026. Let me guide you through The Keys to Sustainable Homeownership™. Reach me at 914-380-0600 or via email at [email protected].

MORTGAGE DECISIONS IN MID-LIFE ARE DIFFERENT.

Want the inside scoop? Here is the link to my chat with Mary Foerster, creator and host of Real Estate Connections podcast.
https://lnkd.in/eXGsD-Jq

According to the 2026 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report, buyers aged 61 to 79 remain the largest generational force in home buying, accounting for 42% of buyers (unchanged from last year) and an impressive 55% of sellers.

07/14/2026

Planning to by a home within the next 12-18 months?
Let me help you paint the picture.
Let's discuss The Keys to Sustainable Homeownership™.
Key #1
Buying Power
Not what you qualify for. What you can comfortably own.
Key #2
Financing Power
Understanding loan products instead of chasing rates.
Most buyers are never taught the difference.
Key #3
Competitive Power
Get a property to Be Determined Lending (TBD) commitment before you shop. Don't waste your energy and time with a pre-approval which is explicitly "Not a commitment to Lend"
Key #4
Equity Power
Buying isn't the finish line. - It's the beginning of building wealth.
Key #5
Staying Power: Preparing to respond to life changes.

Let's chat: Call or text 914-380-0600. Email: [email protected]

07/01/2026

15 Literary Events Around Westchester County This Summer

Fill summer days with book-centric events offered at these spots throughout Westchester.

Fill summer days with book-centric literary events offered at these happening spots throughout Westchester.

07/01/2026

The purchase market is more competitive than ever!
Join DAVID WHARTON, editor in chief of Mortgage Point, and me on the new MP Access podcast on You Tube "Smarter Home Buying in Today's Market" to gain essential insights into the crucial steps for informed homebuying now.

Let me demystify a pre-qualification, a pre-approval, and the power
of a "To Be Determined Commitment Letter" for strengthening your
offer in a very competitive market.

Gain essential insights into the mortgage industry with Solomon Sko...

06/25/2026

Hey there, and welcome to the Financially Fit Couple! This podcast is all about answering the questions busy, married couples find themselves asking about their finances. I’m Matthew Gray, your host and a Certified Financial Planner. Join me as I interview topic expert Sol Skolnick, to find out how to pursue your goals and live financially healthy lives. Let’s get started
Hey there, and welcome to the Financially Fit Couple! This podcast is all about answering the questions busy, married couples find themselves asking about their finances. I’m Matthew Gray, your host and a Certified Financial Planner. Join me as I interview topic expert Sol Skolnick, to find out how to pursue your goals and live financially healthy lives. Let’s get started!

Matthew Gray interviews mortgage banker Sol Skolnik (“Professor Home Loan”) about financing residential investment properties. Skolnik explains his background entering lending in 2006 and why sustainable loan fit matters after seeing risky pre-cra...