Mike Alkema · Southeast Michigan
Ann Arbor Mortgage Broker: Match the mortgage to your move and the home you will use
Ann Arbor mortgage guidance for relocation, condos and primary-home purchases. Compare financing, payment assumptions and closing plans with Mike Alkema.
Mortgage guidance from Mike Alkema · NMLS #642953 · Updated October 8, 2026.
Build the payment from the actual Ann Arbor property
Start with the address and parcel rather than a citywide price assumption. The City of Ann Arbor property tax and assessment resources provide a starting point for checking city property information. A home with an Ann Arbor mailing address may require records from a different jurisdiction.
Budget taxes after purchase, insurance and association dues alongside principal and interest. If the home needs work, set aside a separate estimate for repairs. The seller’s current monthly costs are useful context, but they do not establish your future costs.
Use Ann Arbor’s energy report in your ownership budget
The City of Ann Arbor’s Home Energy Rating Disclosure program uses a Home Energy Score and an accompanying improvement report. Ask the seller or agent whether the property is covered by the program and request the available report before comparing homes.
- Read the suggested improvements alongside your inspection findings; an energy score is not a home inspection.
- Separate immediate work from optional upgrades, and obtain contractor estimates for the work you intend to do.
- Compare utility history with your expected occupancy. A score or a prior bill does not guarantee your future costs.
If improvements need financing, discuss the scope and timing using the renovation mortgage guide before committing to a loan structure. Check the city property-information tools for the parcel and permit questions.
Local resources reviewed September 24, 2026. Confirm current requirements with the responsible office.
Coordinate a relocation with income documentation
If you are moving to Ann Arbor for a new position, bring the offer terms, anticipated start date and any gap between jobs into your preapproval conversation. Ask what must be documented before closing rather than assuming an offer letter alone will satisfy the lender.
For an illustrative relocation, a buyer may need to choose between closing before the move or renting temporarily while selling another home. Compare overlapping payments, moving expenses and access to sale proceeds. Share the general timeline first; send financial documents only through an approved secure channel.
Separate a condo review from a rental plan
If a condo is on your shortlist, review dues, insurance responsibilities, reserves and any proposed assessments. Use the Michigan condo financing guide to prepare project-review questions. Approval depends on more than the individual unit.
Tell your lender whether you will occupy the property or rent it out. A home for a family member, a personal residence and an investment can require different analysis. Review investment-property financing if rental use is part of the plan, and verify any local and association restrictions separately.
Compare loan options for your primary-home purchase
For an eligible home you plan to occupy, compare conventional financing, FHA loans and, for eligible veterans and service members, VA financing. Compare total payment, mortgage insurance where applicable, closing costs and cash reserves using consistent assumptions. Programs, occupancy rules and property requirements vary.
Use the first-time buyer guide to organize the purchase steps. If you run a business, discuss self-employed income documentation early. For an existing mortgage, ask Mike to compare refinancing costs and your expected time in the home before deciding whether a change makes sense.
Estimate taxes and the complete monthly payment
Michigan ownership transfers can affect taxable value. Review Michigan Treasury’s ownership-transfer guidance and ask the assessor about your parcel. The seller’s bill may not reflect your future taxes. Our property-tax guide explains the questions to raise.
Start with the mortgage payment and affordability calculator, including taxes, insurance and association dues where applicable. Estimates are a planning aid, not a rate quote or loan approval.
Can I assume a condo is eligible because another unit recently sold?
No. A prior sale does not confirm the project’s current eligibility or your loan approval. Ask which association, insurance and project documents the lender needs for your transaction.
Explore related Michigan mortgage guides
Looking beyond Ann Arbor? Explore Saline, Dexter, Chelsea and relocation questions in the Washtenaw County mortgage guide.
Browse all Southeast Michigan mortgage locations.
Talk through your Ann Arbor financing
Share the property type, intended use and timeline. Mike serves Michigan from his Grand Rapids base; this is a service-area guide, not a separate branch office. Use an approved secure channel for financial documents.
Leeward Point Mortgage LLC · Company NMLS #1823590 · Mike Alkema NMLS #642953 · Serving Michigan · Equal Housing Opportunity. Loan programs and eligibility are subject to change and to borrower, property and underwriting approval.
Coordinate relocation, energy costs and closing funds
I would compare three numbers for the actual home before choosing a down payment or financing plan.
- Monthly housing cost: principal and interest, forward-looking property taxes, insurance, applicable mortgage insurance and association dues.
- Cash to close: down payment and settlement costs, adjusted for deposits and eligible credits.
- Cash remaining: moving, repairs, any overlapping housing costs and the emergency savings you want to retain.
Bring the listing and your timeline. I can help compare these assumptions; the final loan still requires borrower, property and underwriting review.
More questions about buying in Ann Arbor
Where can I find the home’s energy report?
Ask the seller or agent whether the home is covered by Ann Arbor’s Home Energy Rating Disclosure program and request the available report.
Does the Home Energy Score replace an inspection?
No. Review suggested improvements with your inspector and contractor. Separate immediate repairs from optional efficiency upgrades in your cash plan.
What if I will start a new job around the move?
Explain the start date, pay structure and closing timeline early. I can identify income documents needed for lender review; a job offer alone should not be assumed sufficient.
How should I compare condo dues with a detached home?
Review what dues cover, insurance needs and planned assessments. Keep project eligibility review separate from your payment comparison.
Reviewed and updated October 8, 2026.
Have a Ann Arbor listing in mind? Send me the address, your timeline and the payment you want to stay near. We can talk through financing and the money you want left after closing.
Ask Mike about your Ann Arbor purchase
I serve Michigan from my Grand Rapids base. My minimum mortgage credit score is 580; individual lenders and programs may require a higher score, and a score alone does not guarantee approval. Use an approved secure channel for financial documents.