On November 17,2025, I was desperate. My better-half and I had made an offer on a lovely condo in Grove Isle, Vero Beach Fl. with a 50% down payment in July 2025. We are not rich, but both have healthy retirement incomes and never expected any complications obtaining a mortgage that was comparable to an average new car loan. My partner had been banking with her Credit Union on Wickham Road in Melbourne, Fl. for 20 years and she felt confident they would glide our application through the machinations of "Loan Approval" with little or no aggravation or hindrance. WRONG! After 4 months of hundreds of E-mails, Tasks, Unreturned phone calls, ID Checks, trips to the Credit Union in Melbourne, Multi Hour Consultations, filling out forms, signing contracts and opening bank accounts with our down payment sitting in their vault collecting Interest I was "at the end of my tether" as the Brits would say. 4 months later and we were still at square 1, NO________ LOAN COMMITMENT. DID I MENTION STRESS, we were both basket cases and we had only 2 weeks and 2 days before closing and no Loan. Against my better-half wishes [she still had faith in these "NITS"], I started calling around for help with little hope in finding it. Using Google I shopped Mortgage Brokers and on the third call found Tim Surratt. We talked and I told him our bleak situation made worse by the imminent Closing Date, coupled with a $10,000.00 contractual penalty, if the closing failed. Tim said he could probably help, no promises, but probably, if we got started today, November 17, 2025. "Can you be here in Half an hour"? Being located on the 17th street causeway at A1A, I said "you bet I can". After clearing it with the "Boss", I jumped into the Chariot and was off. Tim and I spoke for about an hour, exchanging facts and possibilities and I left his office relieved and he assured that he could retain a mortgage for us by the Closing. That afternoon the process began, e-mails paperwork, contracts to be signed, hoops to jump through, and verifications now required by all Mortgage companies. BUT, and it's a Big BUT, Tim Serratt was there to help us through the process, IN PERSON. Other accommodations include stretching his office hours and appointments until 6 pm or even 7 pm, no rushing us through the contracts, answering our questions, patience galore, and his consideration for us having been through the "Mortgagee Wars". We Closed on December 11, 2025, 7 days after the initial date, with no penalties, no worries, no stress and the new owners of a lovely condo thanks again to Tim's tireless efforts, communication and connections within the mortgage and real estate community made all the difference in realizing our acquisition. In Short, we would not have Closed without his help.
