The people behind Loan Experts.
Loan Experts is the national home for the mortgage guides and the lending team led by Mike Certo. Same standard in every state we serve: plain English, honest math, and a real person on the phone.
Who we are
Mike Certo is a Branch Manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage (NMLS #173855), a direct lender. Mike carries NMLS #260555 and has spent his career on the files most lenders find awkward: the self-employed borrower whose tax returns hide what they actually earn, the buyer stuck between selling and buying, the investor sitting on equity but short on W-2 income. This site is where our team collects what we've learned and hands it to you before you ever pick up the phone.
We work across 17 states. The programs, limits, and tax rules shift as you cross state lines, so our guides speak in national, program-level terms, and our team confirms the specifics for your state when we talk. VA, FHA, USDA, conventional, jumbo, physician, bank-statement, and investor/DSCR financing all live under one roof.
How we work
One team stays with your file from the first call to the closing table. The person who answers when you reach out is the same person tracking your loan, not a handoff to a call center queue. When you send a scenario, our team calls you back within 5 minutes during business hours. No auto-dial loop, no salesy follow-up. A real conversation about your numbers.
Mike's rule is simple: if a program is wrong for you, we say so. Sometimes the honest answer is to wait a few months, pay down one balance, or use a loan type you hadn't heard of. That answer is free, and it's the one that earns the next referral.
What you get
Ten guides, each written for one kind of buyer or homeowner, with no rate bait and no jargon walls. A pre-approval process that runs in 24 to 48 hours for a straightforward file. And a team that treats your privacy and your time as the point, not the friction. Start with the guide library, read the one that fits your situation, or send us your scenario and get a straight answer.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Mike Certo?
Mike Certo is a Branch Manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage and carries NMLS #260555. He has built his career on the files most lenders find awkward: self-employed borrowers, move-up buyers caught between selling and buying, and investors rich in equity but short on W-2 income. This site collects what his team has learned and hands it to you up front.
What is Cornerstone First Mortgage?
Cornerstone First Mortgage is a direct lender, NMLS #173855, and the company Mike Certo originates through. Being a direct lender means the underwriting and funding happen in-house, not passed off to a third party, which keeps your file moving and the answers straight. Mike leads a branch of that lender and stays on your loan from first call to closing.
What areas do you lend in?
The team is licensed to lend in 17 states. Programs, loan limits, and tax rules change as you cross state lines, so the guides stay national and program-level while our team confirms the details for your location. VA, FHA, USDA, conventional, jumbo, physician, bank-statement, and investor/DSCR financing all live under one roof.
How do I get started?
Two easy paths. Read the guide that fits your situation, or send us your scenario and take the quick match. Either way, when you're ready for real numbers, our team calls you back within 5 minutes during business hours. Pre-approval runs in 24 to 48 hours for a straightforward file, with no obligation and no pressure.
Program details, limits, and eligibility change and vary by state; confirm your scenario with our team. This is not a commitment to lend. Loans are subject to buyer and property qualification. Equal Housing Lender.
Ready when you are.
Get pre-approved in 24 to 48 hours for a straightforward file, or talk to our team first to figure out which path fits.