Orlando-based · serving all of Florida
Florida mortgage broker.
Shahram Sondi is an Orlando-based, Florida-licensed mortgage broker serving borrowers across the state — one point of contact who compares multiple wholesale lenders instead of selling one bank’s shelf. Not a bank, not an online call center: scenario-first guidance with the real numbers, wherever in Florida you’re buying.
Florida markets aren’t the same.
A South Tampa flood file, a Lake Nona new-build, a Cape Coral canal home, a Jacksonville VA purchase, and a Tallahassee first-timer with student loans are five different loans. Insurance, flood and wind coverage, condos, CDD and HOA costs, new construction, jumbo, VA eligibility, and income documentation can all change which lender fits.
A broker compares the file across a wholesale lender panel and routes it to the one that prices it, approves it, and closes it — comparing rate, APR, points, lender credits, cash to close, and underwriting tolerance. No channel is automatically cheaper; the value is the comparison and the local strategy behind it. For the channel breakdown, see Florida mortgage companies compared and how to choose a mortgage lender.
The real payment is more than rate.
Across Florida, your monthly payment is shaped by county property taxes and escrow, Florida homeowners insurance and wind/hurricane coverage, flood insurance where applicable, and any HOA, CDD, or condo dues — plus a VA funding fee, FHA mortgage insurance, or conventional PMI depending on the program. Condo purchases can also involve a project or warrantability review. All of it feeds your debt-to-income and what you qualify for.
Compare rate, APR, points, lender credit, monthly payment, and cash to closeon the same scenario, and get realistic insurance quotes early — flood and wind coverage may be required and can affect the payment, so it’s worth checking early. Your county’s specifics are covered on each city page below. This is mortgage and payment planning, not tax, insurance, appraisal, inspection, condo-association, or legal advice.
Local guidance across Florida.
Dedicated city pages for the markets below — each with its own ZIP context, official county resources, payment reality, and the financing issues that actually come up there. Pick the closest market to start.
Buying in another Florida market? That’s fine — send your scenario and Shahram will help compare your options statewide. Program availability and guidelines apply to every file.
Loan options across Florida.
Each program prices and qualifies differently. The right one is matched to your file — availability, eligibility, and rules can change.
Conventional loans
Credit- and LTV-driven pricing with removable PMI.Learn moreFHA loans
Government-insured access with its own mortgage insurance math.Learn moreVA loans in Florida
Eligible veterans may use 0% down with no monthly PMI — subject to VA/lender guidelines.Learn moreJumbo loans
Above the conforming limit — reserves and credit-driven.Learn moreCash-out refinance
Rate-and-term or cash-out — compare the break-even before you commit.Learn moreBenefits of a VA loan
0% down potential, no monthly PMI, and the tradeoffs.Learn moreNew to the numbers? Start with what a down payment is and see current Florida rate examples. Examples are not quotes, approvals, or rate locks.
Florida mortgage questions.
What does a Florida mortgage broker do?
A Florida mortgage broker compares your loan across multiple wholesale lenders instead of selling one bank's product, then matches your file — credit, income type, down payment, property, and goal — to the lender whose pricing and guidelines fit it, and guides the loan through underwriting to closing with one point of contact. Across Florida's different markets, that also means planning for insurance, flood, condo review, VA eligibility, and income documentation before they surface in underwriting.
Does a Florida mortgage broker serve the whole state?
Shahram Sondi is an Orlando-based, Florida-licensed mortgage broker serving borrowers across Florida — Central Florida, Tampa Bay, the Treasure Coast, Southwest Florida, Northeast Florida, and the Capital region. Work is done by phone, email, and secure document upload, so you don't need to be in Orlando. Program availability and guidelines still apply to every file.
Is a mortgage broker better than a bank for a Florida home loan?
It depends on the file. A broker can shop pricing and guidelines across many wholesale lenders, which often helps on self-employed, jumbo, condo, FHA, VA, or credit-sensitive scenarios — and on Florida-specific friction like insurance and condo warrantability. Some banks have strong portfolio products for certain files. The honest answer is to compare specific Loan Estimates; a broker simply gives you more shelves to compare from one place. No one can promise the lowest rate on every file.
How do Florida insurance and property taxes affect mortgage approval?
They're part of the payment, not a side note. County property taxes, Florida homeowners and wind/hurricane insurance, flood insurance where applicable, and any HOA, CDD, or condo dues all feed your escrow and your monthly payment — and because they count toward your debt-to-income, they can change what you qualify for. Florida insurance pricing has been volatile, so a realistic quote early matters. This is mortgage and payment planning, not tax or insurance advice.
Can you help if I am buying outside Orlando?
Yes. Beyond Central Florida, there's dedicated local guidance for Tampa, St. Petersburg, Port St. Lucie, Cape Coral, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee, plus statewide support for other Florida markets. Each market has its own payment reality — flood and wind insurance, condos, new construction, CDD, VA/military, or first-time-buyer dynamics — and the file is matched to a lender that fits that scenario.
Can you compare FHA, VA, conventional, jumbo, and refinance options?
Yes — comparing programs side by side is a core part of the job. FHA, VA, conventional, and jumbo price and qualify differently (mortgage insurance, VA funding fee, credit-based pricing, reserves, occupancy rules), so the right comparison is a full Loan Estimate for each across the same scenario, not just the headline rate. Refinances are compared on the break-even, payment, and goal.
Do you charge a borrower-paid broker fee?
The Mortgage Expert is typically compensated through lender-paid broker compensation on eligible loans, not a separate borrower-paid broker fee. Your Loan Estimate will still show normal third-party and lender closing costs.
How do I compare rate, APR, points, and lender credits?
Look at rate and APR together, plus points, lender credits, monthly payment, and total cash to close — on the same scenario, same lock period, same day. A lower rate with heavy points can cost more than a slightly higher rate with a credit, depending on how long you keep the loan. The Florida rates page shows examples three ways so you can compare the structure, not just a headline number.
Send your scenario.
Tell me what you’re working with — purchase or refinance, city/county, estimated price or loan amount, credit range, down payment, property type, occupancy, VA eligibility if applicable, and any condo, new-construction, flood, or insurance questions — and I’ll help compare your options.
Estimates only. Not a Loan Estimate, not an approval, not a commitment to lend, not a rate lock. Final terms depend on verified credit, income, assets, property, loan program, lock date, lender conditions, and actual third-party fees. The Mortgage Expert · NMLS 2412313 · Equal Housing Opportunity.