OUR TEAM IS HERE TO SERVE YOU!
The powerhouse Avenue Founder Melissa Sofia and team bring their high level Camp Pendleton VA Education Program off base! Veterans Deven Ortiz, realtor at The Avenue Home Collective and Chris Catania, lender at Guaranteed Rate, teach active duty service members about financial literacy, VA home ownership, and the secrets to building generational wealth through real estate by maximizing their US Military benefits. Learn our secret hacks on fixing credit, how to get your closing cost paid for, and how to get the most out of your service!
About Homeownership for Heroes:
– We have educated over 3,000 service members this year & served over 200 families.
– Over 50% of veterans do not utilize their benefits and we believe that it is directly attributed to the lack of information provided during their years in service.
– Homeownership for heroes has helped their buyers receive over $250,000 towards buyer’s closing costs, directly from the sellers.
– We improve buyers’ results by unlocking the complex VA guidelines and leveraging this military benefit in numerous ways, which include seller credits to pay off a buyer’s personal debts. We can help VA buyers improve their debt to income ratio to qualify for higher priced homes for a lower monthly payment and alleviate financial stress.
– One buyer family we are helping, like many active military families, has lived on base for the past 6 years. That means they have received over $237,600 in housing allowance and paid every dollar towards military housing rent. If they had used that to pay for their own property using their VA loan, this property would have increased $250,000-$500,000 in value over the past few years.
– Less than 25% of active duty service members utilize their VA loan entitlement because most don’t know that they possess VA entitlement 90 days after beginning active duty.
– Deven Ortiz purchased his first property without utilizing the VA loan entitlement because he did not know he possessed it. His service, real estate agent, and lender, never made him aware throughout the home buying process so he purchased his home with a civilian loan product.
Melissa and Deven have partnered with Chris Catania, a mortgage lender from Guaranteed Rate, to bring VA Loan education and service to our military members both active duty and veterans.
Deven Ortiz
Deven Ortiz launched his real estate career after several less than positive experiences with agents while purchasing properties during his years on active duty. With 10 years of military service under his belt, he truly epitomizes hard work, dedication, integrity and brings it full circle into every real estate transaction he deals with. Real Estate is what provided him the financial security to get out and continue to serve in a different capacity.
Deven’s main focus is to educate you on how real estate can impact your future with the MOST powerful loan products available. With a variety of ways to use your VA loan, you should have all the information prior to jumping into the process. Whether you are buying or selling, he will work tirelessly in your best interests! Through his own experiences in purchasing and building multiple properties, Deven understands that buying and selling real estate can be a challenging process. He works diligently and keeps clear and open communication throughout the entire process to help future homeowners and sellers.
Deven brings top-notch negotiation skills, state-of-the-art technology, and team collaboration to the table. He is vested for the long term, building relationships that last far beyond the close of escrow!
The home buying or selling process does not need to be stressful, with the right team in place.
Melissa Sofia
Melissa Sofia, aka The #BOSSMOM creator of The Avenue Home Collective, is as tireless a champion for the first-time buyer as she is for the multimillion-dollar seller. She’ll fight for you like you’re family while listening to you like you’re her best friend. Melissa’s on a mission to make getting your dream house or no-way-it-can-happen deal easy and fun. And make no mistake, with her on your side, amazing things are going to happen.
Melissa and Deven are both Top Producing Agents under Melissa’s brokerage, The Avenue Home Collective. With a heart of gold and your hand to hold,a Melissa will be there every step of the way in educating you and answering all your questions.
Chris Catania
Chris Catania is an active reservist in the US Army, who not only serves his country but is also committed to serving you. As a loan officer, Chris leads a team under the Guaranteed Rate company banner.
Guaranteed Rate is USO’s partnered lender, which allows Chris to work with our service members and their families to provide an elevated level of service.
Book a seminar in which our team members will present an overview of the VA Loan and the benefits you have access to, including the following:
• Learn about what you need in order to qualify for a VA Loan!
• We will teach you the ins and outs about the current real estate market in your area!
• Understand how to leverage your loan even if you’re going on deployment!
• Hear case studies from past Veterans and Active Duty members like yourselves!
