Steve Cartwright’s introduction to the home market was with a hammer and two-by-fours at a construction site. Cartwright spent a good amount of his career building homes from the ground up, until four years ago when he turned his attention to the financial side of the business. “My wife works for AmeriFirst and told me that there was great opportunity to help people at this company.”

When Cartwright joined AmeriFirst he quickly found his niche as one of its first-time homebuyer “experts.” “Having a background in building and development, I have insight into every aspect of what’s needed to build a home.”

“I apply my previous experience in the building industry to working with first time homebuyers especially. It’s a difficult situation when you’ve never purchased a home. You can do all the research and educate yourself but at the end of the day, you still don’t know what it’s like to go through the financial and emotional process of purchasing your first home.”

Cartwright explains that he acts as both loan officer and confidant to first time homebuyers. “I act as their tour guide through the process. When they come to me, I go beyond helping them obtain a loan for the best possible rate; I educate the buyer line item by line item about ways they can improve their credit score and what to look for when searching for the perfect home.”

For example, Cartwright says that he digs deeply into his experience as a builder to point out some of the potential pitfalls of home ownership. “If you’ve never been a homeowner there are plenty of things you may not consider happening, such as what to do if you have a plumbing leak.” Other issues such as roofing, heating and cooling, electrical headaches and structural issues are also discussed and how as homeowners this is a financial responsibility that needs to be budgeted for.

He adds that he and his clients also take a sharp look at the homebuyer’s credit report. “This may also be the first experience the borrower has with examining their credit report. I take great pains to detail each aspect and item on the report, even if their credit is fine.”

Cartwright says that he explains how each area of the credit report impacts the borrower’s credit score and how the borrower could improve that aspect. For example, if paying bills on time is a problem, the homebuyer will see a drastic drop in score. Cartwright might refer the borrower to a credit counselor or offer suggestions on ways to meet bill paying deadlines each month.

“It’s all about walking them through the entire process that makes a difference to my clients. I care and see everyday ways to make the first time home buying process clearer and a journey filled with education and opportunity.”

If you’re considering a new home purchase, meet with Steve, one of AmeriFirst's top loan professionals. Contact him at (269) 488-9531 or drop him an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .