Mike Certo, Branch Manager.

Who I am.

I'm Mike Certo, Branch Manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage. NMLS ID #260555. I've been originating mortgages long enough to know which programs change each year, which underwriting overlays kill which deals, and which lenders are bluffing when they say they "can do that one."

I lead an Alabama-licensed team at Cornerstone First Mortgage. Every loan goes through experienced loan officers, not junior LOs running files in the background, and not a national call center bouncing your file around when something gets complicated. You get a direct line and real return calls.

What I believe about lending.

Most mortgage marketing is a sales pitch. This one is not. Buying a home in Alabama is hard enough on its own. Saving the down payment. Finding the place. Getting through underwriting. You do not need a lender adding spin on top of it.

So my approach is simple:

• Real numbers, not estimates. When you ask "what does the payment actually look like?", I run the math with your real scenario, not a stock advertised number. Including the program tradeoffs.
• Honest about which loan actually fits. A low down payment loan can carry a bit more cost than a bigger-down conventional loan. If you're better off putting more down or taking a different path, I'll tell you, even if it means steering you out of a more profitable loan for me.
• Specialize in complications. Self-employed borrowers, jumbo buyers with student debt, contingency removal, investors at scale, doctors in residency. Those are the files we do our best work on, and the ones we bring home.
• One person on your file. Me. Through closing. You text my real number when something comes up.

How we work with buyers.

First call: 20 minutes, free, no commitment. We talk about your timeline, your situation, what's making you nervous, and whether buying now even makes sense. We tell you what programs fit and which don't, including programs that aren't profitable for me but might fit you better.

If you're ready to move forward, the pre-approval typically takes 24-48 hours after we have credit and income docs in. After that, you have a number to put in front of agents. For a first purchase, we start with the first-time buyer program guide and narrow to the two or three programs that actually fit your county and income.

How we work with real estate agents.

If you're a listing agent and your buyer is contingent on selling, call me. The Buy Before You Sell program is designed to remove that contingency so the deal closes clean.

If you're a buyer's agent with a self-employed buyer, a jumbo with student debt, an investor with #5, a doctor in residency, or a buyer with non-traditional credit, call me. Those are the files I close. Read the For Agents playbook.