Buying a home is one of the most significant investments that you will ever make. Like most good things, finding the perfect home comes with a lot of work. From your initial search online to your home tour and finally closing, there are many difficult decisions to make along the way. The bottom line is that the entire home buying process can be very stressful, especially when it comes to finding the right mortgage broker and loan for your new home. Since market conditions and mortgage programs change frequently, you have a lot riding on your broker's ability to provide quick and accurate financial advice. Whether you're a first-time homebuyer or own several residential properties, you need a mortgage broker in Brevard County, FL, who can educate you on mortgage rates and provide trustworthy guidance to help you make an informed decision.
My name is Dan Crance - Brevard County's most trusted mortgage loan officer with more than 30 years in the mortgage industry. I bring unparalleled insight and decades of experience into your home loan process. If you're looking for a new home loan, are interested in refinancing your current mortgage, or need information regarding FHA, VA, or other types of loans, Dan Crance is Your Mortgage Man.
Unlike some mortgage loan officers in Brevard County, FL my primary goal is to help you make the right mortgage choice for you and your family. Mortgage lenders have a horrible reputation for turning over clients quickly to expedite cash flow and make the most money possible. While some mortgage brokers come off as pushy and impatient, I encourage my clients to take as much time as they need to ask questions and review their mortgage agreements. I'm here to help answer those questions and provide you with easy-to-understand advice so that you can rest easy knowing you made the right choice. I could say that I strive to provide service that exceeds your expectations, but I'd rather show you. In the end, I want you to leave feeling confident in the loan you've selected, as well as in your choice of broker.
Clients choose my mortgage company because I truly care about helping them navigate the often-confusing landscape of the mortgage process. I am fiercely dedicated to my clients and make every effort to provide them with trustworthy advice and an open line of communication.
In my business, I work for two different customers. On one hand, I have the buyer: the person entrusting me with the responsibility of guiding them through one of the most important decisions ever. Serving homebuyers is not a task that I take lightly. I work with them daily to help them through the process and provide timely updates and news on their mortgage status. On the other hand, I have the realtor: the person who works with my client to find their dream home. Since their commission is in my hands, working with realtors is also a very important task. I update these agents on the status of their customers weekly. Only when I take care of both parties can I say my job as a mortgage loan officer is complete.
As a mortgage broker with more than 30 years of experience, I pledge to give you the highest level of customer service while providing you with the most competitive loan products available. That way, you can buy the home of your dreams without second-guessing your decision.
At Classic Home Mortgage, our team works diligently to close on time without stress or hassle. Whether you're a seasoned homeowner or are buying your new home in Brevard County, FL we understand how much stress is involved. Our goal is to help take that stress off of your plate by walking you through every step of the home loan process. Because every one of our clients is different, we examine each loan with fresh eyes and a personalized approach, to find you the options and programs you need.
With over 30 years as a mortgage professional in Brevard County, FL Dan Crance will help you choose the home loan, interest rate, term options, and payment plans that fit your unique situation.
30-Year Loan - This loan is often considered the most secure option to choose. With a 30-year loan, you can lock in a low payment amount and rest easy knowing your rate won't change.
FHA Loan - If you're not able to make a large down payment, an FHA loan could be the right choice for you. With an FHA loan, many of our clients have successfully purchased a home with less than 4% down.
VA Loan - This loan is reserved for military veterans and active-duty men and women. Those who qualify may be able to purchase a home with no down payment and no Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).
Choosing a home loan is an important step in the home buying process. At Classic Home Mortgage, we are here to make choosing a loan as easy as possible, so you can focus on the joys of being a homeowner. Contact our team of experts today and ask how you can get pre-qualified for your home loan in Brevard County, FL.
Because home mortgage rates in the U.S. have been so low over the last year, many current homeowners are opting to refinance their home loans. Simply put, refinancing is replacing your existing mortgage with a different mortgage under new terms. Homeowners who refinance their homes enjoy lower interest rates, lower monthly payments, and even turn their home's equity into cash. If you're interested in refinancing your home, it all begins with a call to your mortgage broker in Brevard County, FL - Dan Crance.
Refinancing from a 30-year to a 15-year mortgage might seem counterproductive on the surface because your monthly payment usually goes up. However, interest rates on 15-year mortgages are lower. And when you shave off years of your previous mortgage, you will pay less interest over time. These savings can be very beneficial if you are not taking the mortgage interest deduction on your tax returns.
FHA loans are notorious for paying premiums for the life of the loan. Mortgage insurance premiums for FHA loans can cost borrowers as much as $1,050 a year for every $100k borrowed. The only way to get rid of mortgage insurance premiums is to refinance to a new loan that the Federal Housing Authority does not back.
Sometimes, borrowers with adjustable-rate mortgages refinance so they can switch to a fixed rate, which lets them lock in an interest rate. Doing so is beneficial for some homeowners who like to know exactly how much their monthly payment is each month. Conversely, some homeowners with fixed rates prefer to refinance to an adjustable-rate mortgage. Homeowners often go this route if they plan on selling in a few years and don't mind risking a higher rate if their plans fall through.
Finding the right loan can be a difficult proposition, even if you have been through the process before. This is especially true since mortgage rates and market conditions change frequently. If you're like most of my clients, you probably have questions about interest rates, refinancing options, and a litany of other topics. To help alleviate some of your stress, here are just a few common questions with answers so that you can better educate yourself as we work our way to securing your loan.
Whether you're selling, buying, refinancing, or building the home of your dreams, you have a lot riding on your home loan specialist. When you need a mortgage broker who works tirelessly for you, answers your questions, provides guidance, and does so with a genuine smile, Dan Crance is your mortgage man. Contact Dan today at 843-478-5612 to get pre-approved and discover why Brevard County, FL loves Classic Home Mortgage.
After hours by appointment only. CONTACT DANCrafting and fabric retailer Joann has said about 500 of its stores nationwide will close.The Ohio-based chain announced Wednesday plans to close the stores amid a filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It’s the company’s second bankruptcy filing in the last 12 months.There are approximately 850 Joann ...
Crafting and fabric retailer Joann has said about 500 of its stores nationwide will close.
The Ohio-based chain announced Wednesday plans to close the stores amid a filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It’s the company’s second bankruptcy filing in the last 12 months.
There are approximately 850 Joann stores. The list of closures includes 36 in Florida.
"This was a very difficult decision to make, given the major impact we know it will have on our Team Members, our customers and all of the communities we serve," Joann said in a statement to USA TODAY on Wednesday. "A careful analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the Company determined which stores should remain operating as usual at this time."
The list of stores closing released Wednesday did not include the one Brevard County location.
It’s located at 1537 W. New Haven Ave., West Melbourne.
Here's a list of Florida stores that are closing.
California has the most stores on the list with 61 followed by Florida.
Joann began in 1943 as a fabric destination. Over the years it expanded to include crafting and decorating items with about 850 stores in 49 states.
Spitzer is a Trending Reporter. She can be reached at MSpitzer@Floridatoday.com.
Following in the footsteps of other districts around the state, Brevard Public Schools is set to approve Dave Ramsey's Christian-based financial curriculum for high schoolers at Tuesday's board meeting.The course is meant to "help students avoid loans...
Following in the footsteps of other districts around the state, Brevard Public Schools is set to approve Dave Ramsey's Christian-based financial curriculum for high schoolers at Tuesday's board meeting.
The course is meant to "help students avoid loans and other money traps" and give them "the secure future they deserve," according to Ramsey's website.
Despite the curriculum being built on an evangelical Christian worldview and how to honor God with your money, the text was approved for use in Florida public schools in 2023 by the state board of education.
Pasco County's school board unanimously approved the curriculum in 2023 despite reviewers saying the textbook was "riddled with problems" and included quotes from Scripture to back up key points, according to a report by WUSF. Ramsey's website doesn't say how many other districts in Florida use the curriculum. FLORIDA TODAY reached out for clarification but received no response.
Brevard's school board will vote on whether or not to approve it on Tuesday at the 5:30 p.m. meeting, according to the agenda published on the district's website. Members of the public can comment ahead of the vote.
Ramsey, the founder and CEO of Ramsey Solutions — a company that provides financial undefined services with a Biblical-based worldview — is a personal finance expert and host of "The Ramsey Show" podcast. According to his website, he fought his way out of bankruptcy and millions of dollars in debt, then set out to change the "toxic money culture" and provide a Bible-based financial curriculum for people from all walks of life.
The legitimacy of his financial advice has been debated for more than 10 years, with a Reuters article from 2013 calling his investing advice that of a "financial illiterate." The article adds that his advice is targeted toward people who generally won't be able to afford to invest in the ways he suggests anyway. He offers encouragement to save money, though doesn't excel at explaining how to do so, critics said.
"Foundations in Personal Finance" is a high school curriculum that covers topics such as budgeting and saving, avoiding debt, investing and more. The curriculum includes a textbook, as well as videos with finance experts and online student activities.
It was approved by the Florida Department of Education for the 2023-2024 school year for the Florida high school course Personal Finance and Money Management, as well as its honors counterpart.
Ramsey's book was on The Florida Department of Education's list of approved materials for the 2023-2024 school year. The list of approved materials for the 2025-2026 school year is still being finalized.
Ramsey's website says the material in "Foundations in Personal Finance" and "Foundations in Economics and Personal Finance" meets the requirements for two different Florida high school courses and claims that 45% of schools in the United States use the Foundations curriculum.
The recommendation to use Ramsey's book came from Brevard's Personal Finance Review Team and community members who reviewed the books at Viera Middle School in October, according to the district's website. The book was also available to view for feedback online from Sept. 20 through Nov. 18, with feedback shared with the District Review Team.
Florida's Personal Financial Literacy course is designed to introduce students to concepts including the American economic system, personal and family management of resources and income, money management, saving and investing, spending and credit, consumer information and taxation, financial planning and the role of financial institutions, according to the Florida Department of Education.
It became a required class for high schoolers during the 2023-2024 school year, when a financial literacy course law signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis took effect.
According to the Council for Economic Education, in 2024, 35 states required students to take a course in personal finance to graduate from high school.
If the school board approves the curriculum at the Tuesday school board meeting, Brevard County residents can contest the selection within 30 days. For any petitions received within this timeframe, the school board will be required to hold at least one public hearing before an "unbiased and qualified hearing officer" who cannot be an employee of the district, according to their website. Petitioners must be given an opportunity to present their issue with the curriculum. The school board's decision after the hearing is final.
Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@floridatoday.com. X: @_finchwalker.
Brevard County animal shelter to close; 22 dogs need homesA dog rescue in Titusville is seeking help after the owners announced they are being forced to shut down, leaving 22 dogs in need of new homes.The BriefTITUSVILLE, Fla. - A Central Florida Dog Rescue is in need of help after the owner said she's being forced to shut down and has 22 dogs who need homes.Furever Home Anim...
A dog rescue in Titusville is seeking help after the owners announced they are being forced to shut down, leaving 22 dogs in need of new homes.
TITUSVILLE, Fla. - A Central Florida Dog Rescue is in need of help after the owner said she's being forced to shut down and has 22 dogs who need homes.
Furever Home Animal Rescue says it will be shutting its doors on March 4. After the Titusville dog rescue shared on social media that they were closing, community members and other shelters came out in droves to help. On Sunday, 17 dogs were adopted.
"The community today came out of the blue, just surpassed our expectations, and did step up," said Jenelle Scurlock, the owner of Furever Home Animal Rescue.
However, the rescue has 22 dogs that still need homes.
"I'm worried for the animals that we have," said Dawn Lafferty, a manager with Furever Home Animal Rescue. "We're just asking for anybody who can step up and give dogs a great home."
The rescue said the reason they’re shutting down is in part that they cannot afford to fix their roof, which would cost $60,000, and said code enforcement also cited them for several other violations.
"They want the roof completely replaced," said Lafferty. "We have patched it. We have repaired it. We can't replace it. There's no funds to replace the roof."
Richard Lange volunteers at the Titusville rescue and has a rescue of his own too. He’s hoping a company can step up to help them fix the roof so that maybe they can keep the doors open.
"I'd like to reach out to somebody that can give us a hand and get this done so that we can save more dogs' lives," said Lange.
With less than a month until they plan to shut down for good, they’re hoping someone can give their dogs a forever home before then.
"Just please share our story and help us get these 22 amazing dogs into a family," said Lafferty.
If you’d like to adopt one of their dogs or help please reach out to the shelter, and you can also visit them at: 2605 Flake Rd, Titusville.
Nearly a year ago, Space Coast felt impacts of big coastal quakeWhen you think about earthquakes, Florida’s probably not the first state that comes to mind. But that doesn’t mean they can’t happen.In fact, Florida was rattled nearly one year ago after a nighttime earthquake was reported off the coast of Brevard County, ...
When you think about earthquakes, Florida’s probably not the first state that comes to mind. But that doesn’t mean they can’t happen.
In fact, Florida was rattled nearly one year ago after a nighttime earthquake was reported off the coast of Brevard County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Recommended Videos
While the 4.0-magnitude earthquake startled many along the Space Coast, earthquakes aren’t generally a huge threat to the state, as Florida isn’t over any active fault lines.
In fact, Florida is one of only four states that had no earthquakes between 1975 and 1995.
However, that hasn’t stopped earthquakes from popping up in the Sunshine State in the past.
USGS data shows that several quakes were clustered along Florida’s northwest border, though the strongest ever reported was much closer to Central Florida.
The University of Florida reports that shortly before midnight on Jan. 12, 1879, the largest earthquake on record struck the state, possibly centered in Putnam County.
That earthquake weighed in at a magnitude of 4.4, with nearby residents experiencing two back-to-back quakes.
According to accounts at the time, the earthquake was felt in Cedar Key, Gainesville, Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Tallahassee.
While the impacts can vary, USGS researchers explain that earthquakes can generally become damaging once the magnitude reaches above 4 or 5.
“A pair of 30-second tremors, possibly centered in the Palatka area, sent crockery tumbling off shelves and jolted startled residents awake in a large part of North Florida,” researchers said.
Another earthquake — though smaller — was reported near Jacksonville in 1900, sitting at a magnitude of 3.5.
“At 11:15 a.m., residents reported seismic activity that lasted no more than 10 seconds and caused little damage to city buildings,” the Florida Historical Society wrote about the quake.
Meanwhile, other strong earthquakes had their strength felt in Florida, though they didn’t originate in the state.
One notable example is the 1886 Charleston Earthquake, which reportedly sparked a tsunami along Florida’s east coast.
[READ: Here’s how many times Florida has seen tsunamis. Could one strike again?]
Another case happened in 2006, when a strong 5.6-magnitude earthquake deep in the Gulf of Mexico caused tremors throughout several southern states, including Florida.
Another cluster of earthquakes was triggered in 2016 and again in 2021 off the coast of Flagler County by what the USGS lists as “experimental explosions.”
These were set off due to the U.S. Navy’s explosives testing, which was aimed at making sure Naval ships could withstand the force of such blasts.
While earthquakes are still incredibly rare in mainland Florida, there’s always the chance of another one popping up.
But just how high are those chances? Here’s what News 6 Meteorologist Jonathan Kegges had to say:
“We have minimal earthquakes in Florida because we are located on the North American plate, far away from any fault lines. The closest fault line to Florida is near the Caribbean Sea, north of Puerto Rico.
Earthquakes typically happen on fault lines where two plates moving in opposite directions meet. Most of the time when an earthquake is recorded in Florida, it’s from human activity like drilling or the Navy training.”
News 6 Meteorologist Jonathan Kegges
More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter
Email Address
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily:
Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.
Newly released data from Realtor.com for November shows that potential buyers and sellers in Brevard County saw slightly lower home sale prices than the previous month's median of $335,000.The median home sold for $333,750, an analysis of data from Realtor.com shows. That means November, the most recent month for which figures are available, was down 0.4% from October.Compared to Novembe...
Newly released data from Realtor.com for November shows that potential buyers and sellers in Brevard County saw slightly lower home sale prices than the previous month's median of $335,000.
The median home sold for $333,750, an analysis of data from Realtor.com shows. That means November, the most recent month for which figures are available, was down 0.4% from October.
Compared to November 2023, the median home sales price was down 0.4% compared to $335,000.
Realtor.com sources sales data from real estate deeds, resulting in a few months' delay in the data. The statistics don't include homes currently listed for sale and aren't directly comparable to listings data.
Information on your local housing market, along with other useful community data, is available at data.floridatoday.com.
Here is a breakdown on median sale prices:
In November, the number of recorded sales in Brevard County dropped by 13.4% since November 2023 — from 800 to 693. All residential home sales totaled $277 million.
Across Florida, homes sold at a median of $384,810 during November, up 1.3% from $380,000 in October. There were 23,309 recorded sales across the state during November, down 10.1% from 25,936 recorded sales in November 2023.
Here's a breakdown for the full state:
The median home sales price used in this report represents the midway point of all the houses or units listed over the given period of time. The median offers a more accurate view of what's happening in a market than the average sales price, which would mean taking the sum of all sales prices then dividing by the number of homes sold. The average can be skewed by one particularly low or high sale.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Realtor.com. Please leave any feedback or corrections for this story here. This story was written by Ozge Terzioglu.