Mortgage Broker · Friendswood, Texas · NMLS# 2679387
Build Your
Legacy
A home is the first line of it. I'm Chelsea Chase — I shop 170+ lenders to find the loan that actually fits your life, and I stay on your file from application to keys.
Rather write it out? Email chelseachase@mpirefi.com.Who I Help
Four kinds of buyers, one standard of service
Most people don't fit the box a retail bank is built around. Working as a broker means I get to go find the lender who says yes to your situation instead of talking you into the one product on the shelf.
You've never done this before, and that's fine
We'll go through what you can actually afford, what the down payment really needs to be, and which assistance programs you qualify for. No jargon, no rushing, and you'll know your number before you tour a single house.
Moving up without getting stuck between two houses
Selling and buying at the same time is a timing problem as much as a financing one. We'll map out bridge options, contingencies, and what your offer needs to look like to compete.
Financing that scales past the fourth door
DSCR loans qualified on the property's rent instead of your tax returns, portfolio options, and cash-out refis to fund the next one. No cap on the number of properties.
Self-employed, 1099, or income from four directions
Write-offs that help you in April can hurt you at underwriting. Bank statement loans, P&L programs, and asset-based qualifying let your real income count.
About
The person you talk to is the person doing the work
I came to lending as a second career, and the reason was our own first house. I remember sitting in that process feeling completely overwhelmed — nodding along at documents I didn't fully understand, waiting for someone to slow down and explain what any of it actually meant. Nobody ever did.
So that's the job I built for myself. I explain things in plain English, as many times as you need to hear them, and no question is too basic to ask me. Everything in this industry has moved toward portals and automated status emails, and I've gone the other direction on purpose: what I offer is concierge-level service from an actual person who knows your file by heart.
I'm based in Friendswood and work throughout the greater Houston area. As a broker rather than a bank, I'm not limited to one company's rate sheet — I have access to more than 170 wholesale lenders and I charge no origination fee. When something comes up at nine at night three days before closing, you're texting me, not a call center.
Loan Programs
The right loan is the one built for your situation
A short tour of what's available. Which one fits depends on your credit, your down payment, your income structure, and what you're buying — that's the conversation.
Competitive rates and mortgage insurance you can drop once you hit 20% equity. Down payments start at 3%.
3.5% down with flexible credit guidelines. Often the strongest option for a first purchase or after a rough credit stretch.
Zero down and no monthly mortgage insurance for eligible veterans, active duty, and surviving spouses.
Zero down in eligible areas outside the city core — more of Galveston and Brazoria County qualifies than people expect.
Financing above conforming limits for higher-value homes, with competitive pricing for strong borrowers.
Qualify on 12–24 months of deposits or a P&L instead of tax returns. Built for business owners and 1099 earners.
Qualified on the property's rental income. No personal income documentation, no limit on properties owned.
Lower your rate, shorten your term, remove mortgage insurance, or pull equity out for the next project.
Run the Numbers
Payment calculator
Move the sliders to see how price, down payment, and rate change the monthly number. Texas property taxes are estimated at 2.2% of value annually — high, but realistic around here.
Estimated monthly payment
Estimates only, for planning. Not a loan offer, quote, or commitment to lend. Actual taxes, insurance, and mortgage insurance vary by property, county, and program. Rates change daily and depend on credit, loan-to-value, and occupancy.
Get a real quoteThe Process
What actually happens, in order
Every step below has a person attached to it. That person is me.
Consultation
Twenty minutes on the phone. Your goals, your timeline, your income structure, and what you're comfortable spending each month — which is a different number than what you're approved for.
Pre-approval
You send documents, I run credit and structure the file. You get a real pre-approval letter you can put behind an offer, not a prequalification guess.
Lender matching
This is the part a bank can't do. I take your file to the lenders in my network and compare actual pricing and guidelines side by side, then show you the options.
Under contract
Appraisal, underwriting, conditions, insurance. I chase every item and give you a status update before you have to ask for one.
Clear to close
Final numbers reviewed with you in advance, so the figure on your closing disclosure is the one you already saw. Then you get the keys.
Client Stories
What it's like on the other side of the table
Chelsea helped me and my husband buy our first home. It was a smooth and easy process! Chelsea took the time to explain everything and took care to be available to us at any time. She was a joy to work with and we would work with her again!
Melanie · First-Time BuyerHIGHLY recommend Chelsea! We reached out to her when we were looking into options for home equity loans and she made the entire process so smooth and quick. She was able to guide us into the perfect loan for our needs, answered any and all of our questions, and walked us through the next steps to get us closed as quickly as possible. So grateful for her knowledge and research — I know it saved me a ton of time. She's definitely a gem and we would use her again in a heartbeat.
Jessica · Home Equity ClientI can't say enough wonderful things about Chelsea! She is absolutely lovely to work with and, most importantly, she takes exceptional care of my clients. She is knowledgeable, responsive, patient, and always makes sure my clients feel informed and supported throughout the lending process. I appreciate having a lender I can confidently refer my clients to and know they are in good hands.
Kristi · Realtor PartnerFor Real Estate Agents
Your buyer's financing shouldn't be the thing that kills the deal
I co-host open houses, build financing flyers for your listings, run first-time buyer classes for your database, and answer the phone on Saturdays. When a buyer gets declined somewhere else, send them to me before you write them off — a broker has options a bank doesn't.
Questions
Answers before you ask
What does a mortgage broker do differently than a bank?
A bank can offer you one menu — its own. As a broker I submit your file to a network of more than 170 wholesale lenders and compare their real pricing and guidelines against each other. That matters most when something about your file is unusual: self-employment, a recent job change, a credit event, or an investment property.
Do you charge me a fee?
I charge no origination fee. You'll still have third-party closing costs — appraisal, title, taxes, insurance — and I'll show you every one of them in writing on your loan estimate before you commit to anything.
How much do I need for a down payment?
Less than most people assume. Conventional loans start at 3% down, FHA at 3.5%, and VA and USDA can be zero. Texas also has down payment assistance programs that a lot of buyers qualify for and never hear about.
I'm self-employed and my tax returns look terrible. Can I still buy?
Usually yes. Bank statement programs qualify you on 12 or 24 months of business or personal deposits, and there are P&L and asset-based options too. The write-offs that lower your taxable income don't have to lower your buying power.
Does getting pre-approved hurt my credit?
A mortgage inquiry has a small, temporary effect, and multiple mortgage inquiries inside a shopping window are scored as one event — so comparing lenders doesn't stack up damage. It's worth doing right.
What areas do you serve?
I'm based in Friendswood and work throughout greater Houston — League City, Pearland, Clear Lake, Galveston County, and beyond. I'm licensed in Texas and Colorado, so I can also help you if you're relocating to or investing in Colorado.
How long does the whole thing take?
Pre-approval can be same-day once I have your documents. From contract to closing usually runs 21 to 30 days, and I'll tell you upfront if anything in your file is likely to stretch that.
Start Here
Let's find out what you can do
One conversation, no pressure, no obligation. You'll leave it knowing your number and your next step.