Florida mortgage guidance since 2004
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Florida mortgage experts · Serving since 2004

Mortgage clarity for every move.

One local team. Multiple wholesale lenders. Straight answers for homebuyers—and a partnership built to help real estate professionals grow.

20+years serving Florida
7 daysteam availability
Numerouswholesale lending options
60+five-star reviews
Built for real-world borrowers✓ First-time buyers✓ Veterans✓ Medical professionals✓ Investors✓ Self-employed
Trusted by Florida families
★★★★★60+Five-Star ReviewsReal experiences from Florida homebuyers, homeowners and investors
“Rice Financial was amazing through the process. Victoria and Erik were always there walking us through everything.”
Charlie Chirico · Verified client
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Financing that fits

More options. Better questions. A clearer decision.

RFG compares eligible solutions, explains the practical tradeoffs and helps clients choose with confidence.

01Flexible everyday financing

Conventional Loans

Learn how conventional mortgages work, including down payments, mortgage insurance, property types and qualification considerations for Florida homebuyers.

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02Government-insured home financing

FHA Loans

Understand FHA loans, mortgage insurance, down-payment considerations, property standards and the homebuying process in Florida.

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03A home loan benefit earned through service

VA Home Loans

A practical Florida VA loan guide covering eligibility, the Certificate of Eligibility, funding fees, appraisals and zero-down possibilities.

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04Eligible rural and suburban financing

USDA Home Loans

Learn how USDA Guaranteed home loans can provide qualifying Florida buyers with a no-down-payment option in eligible areas.

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05Financing beyond conforming limits

Jumbo Loans

Explore jumbo mortgage considerations for higher-priced Florida homes, including reserves, documentation, property review and loan structure.

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06Professional mortgage solutions

Doctor and Medical Professional Loans

Mortgage options designed for eligible physicians and medical professionals, with consideration for student debt, contracts and career-stage income.

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07Property-cash-flow qualification

DSCR Loans for Florida Real Estate Investors

Learn how DSCR investment-property loans evaluate rental income, debt service, reserves and property performance rather than traditional personal income alone.

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08Alternative income documentation

Bank Statement Loans for Self-Employed Borrowers

Understand how bank statement mortgage programs may evaluate qualifying self-employed income using eligible deposits and business expense factors.

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For homebuyers

Know what comes next—before it becomes urgent.

A strong homebuying experience begins with a realistic payment, organized documents and a loan plan built before the offer.

Build Your Buying Plan
  1. 01

    Goals before calculations

    Start with timing, comfortable payment, funds, property and future plans.

  2. 02

    A reviewed preapproval

    Evaluate credit, qualifying income, assets and loan-program fit.

  3. 03

    Property-level guidance

    Update the payment for taxes, insurance, HOA, CDD and the actual offer.

  4. 04

    Proactive closing communication

    Keep the client and real estate team aligned through each milestone.

Interactive planning tools

Start with a payment range—not a guess.

Use RFG’s educational calculators to explore principal and interest, debt-to-income ratio and estimated funds. Then request a personalized review.

Open the Calculators
Estimated principal & interest$2,355/month

Educational estimate only. Taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance, HOA/CDD and other costs are not included.

RFG PARTNER MILESTONEClear to closeEveryone aligned. Client informed.

ApplicationUnderwritingClosing

For Realtor partners

A lending partner who helps protect the relationship.

Your client’s mortgage experience reflects on you. RFG combines personal access, multiple lending options and a team process designed to keep buyers educated and responsive.

  • Thorough preapproval conversations
  • Weekend and after-hours availability
  • Property-specific payment scenarios
  • Proactive milestone communication
  • Long-term buyer education and nurturing
For brokerage leaders

Bring practical mortgage education to your team.

RFG lunch-and-learns help agents recognize financing opportunities, set clearer expectations and build confidence around real client scenarios.

Mortgage processVA buyersAssistance programsSelf-employed borrowersInvestor solutionsNew construction
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Mortgage knowledge center

Useful answers for real buying decisions.

Original, reviewed resources help clients and real estate professionals understand the questions that affect approval, payment and closing.

01From planning to keys

The Mortgage Process, Step by Step

A clear guide to mortgage planning, preapproval, home shopping, appraisal, underwriting, Closing Disclosure and closing.

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02A stronger beginning

Mortgage Preapproval: Prepare Before You Shop

Learn what mortgage preapproval reviews, which documents may be needed and why payment planning matters before making an offer.

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03Understand the funds before closing

Florida Mortgage Closing Costs Explained

A practical guide to lender, title, appraisal, insurance, tax, prepaid and escrow costs that can affect a Florida home purchase.

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04Prepare without guesswork

Credit and Mortgage Readiness

Learn how mortgage lenders review credit reports, scores, payment history, utilization, inquiries and disputed accounts.

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05How monthly obligations are evaluated

Debt-to-Income Ratio and Homebuying

Understand how mortgage lenders calculate debt-to-income ratio and why the qualifying ratio is different from a comfortable personal budget.

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06A confident first purchase

Florida First-Time Homebuyer Guide

A step-by-step Florida first-time homebuyer guide covering budget, preapproval, assistance, inspections, insurance and closing.

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07Turn business income into a clear plan

Mortgage Planning for Self-Employed Homebuyers

A mortgage guide for Florida business owners covering tax returns, cash flow, bank statements, business funds and documentation.

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08Start insurance planning early

Florida Homeowners Insurance and Your Mortgage

Learn how homeowners, wind and flood insurance can affect mortgage qualification, cash to close and property selection in Florida.

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Local Florida guidance

Mortgage planning shaped around the property.

Local pages connect loan education with the insurance, association, property-type and payment questions common across Tampa Bay and Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Florida mortgage guide

Tampa

Tampa buyers can move between historic neighborhoods, established suburbs, condominiums, new construction and investment properties within a relatively small area. That variety makes property-specific payment and financing analysis essential.

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Florida mortgage guide

Riverview

Riverview offers a mix of established neighborhoods and rapidly developed communities. Buyers should compare more than the base price, especially where CDD assessments, HOA dues, insurance and builder incentives affect the full monthly payment.

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Florida mortgage guide

Brandon

Brandon’s central location and wide range of housing types attract first-time buyers, move-up households and investors. A property-level review helps account for taxes, insurance, association obligations and condition before an offer is finalized.

Explore Brandon →
Florida mortgage guide

Apollo Beach

Apollo Beach includes waterfront homes, planned communities, new construction and established properties. Flood coverage, wind insurance, dock or seawall considerations and association costs can make early coordination particularly valuable.

Explore Apollo Beach →
Florida mortgage guide

Wesley Chapel

Wesley Chapel combines major planned communities, new construction, luxury homes and growing employment centers. Comparing CDD assessments, builder incentives, taxes and total cash needs is essential when evaluating seemingly similar homes.

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Florida mortgage guide

Sarasota–Bradenton

The Sarasota–Bradenton market includes coastal condominiums, master-planned communities, second homes, investment properties and year-round residences. Occupancy, association review, insurance and property type can change the appropriate financing strategy.

Explore Sarasota–Bradenton →
Straight answers

Questions about working with a mortgage broker

Every mortgage is specific to the borrower, property and current program requirements. These answers are educational starting points.

What does a mortgage broker do?+

A mortgage broker helps a borrower evaluate eligible mortgage options from multiple wholesale lenders, explains the tradeoffs and coordinates the loan through closing.

How early should I speak with a mortgage professional?+

Ideally, before serious home shopping. Early review creates time to understand the payment, prepare documentation and address questions without contract pressure.

Does RFG work with Realtor partners?+

Yes. RFG supports Realtor partners with preapproval, property scenarios, milestone communication, buyer education, co-branded resources and brokerage lunch-and-learns.

Can RFG help self-employed borrowers and investors?+

RFG can evaluate traditional and alternative-documentation possibilities, including bank statement and DSCR programs when eligible.

Over 60 five-star reviews

Trusted by Florida families. Recommended with five stars.

Real experiences from homebuyers, homeowners and investors who chose The Rice Financial Group for personal guidance and a smoother mortgage process.

5.0 out of 5Over 60 five-star reviews
★★★★★
The Rice Financial Group helped make our transition to our new home an easy process. Even one on one with Bart Rice himself gave my family a sense of care and that we were in good hands. We managed to close everything on time and we appreciate the swift action the team took to make this happen.
Josh DannelleyVerified client · July 2026
★★★★★
Bart and the whole team were great. Tami, you are an excellent teacher. We truly appreciate everything. Keyword with this team: “Trust.”
Anthony VanscooterVerified client · July 2026
★★★★★
I have worked with Rice Financial for numerous mortgages and refinancings. Bart Rice and his team have always been extremely knowledgeable, responsive and service oriented. Bart takes the time to explain and discuss the different options.
Megan DexterVerified client · June 2026
★★★★★
Erik, Victoria and Bart were all amazing and super helpful. They were all very responsive and made the process of buying a new home really easy! I'd recommend them to anyone in the future!
Monique R.Verified client · May 2026
★★★★★
Rice Financial was amazing through the process. Victoria and Erik were always there walking us through everything. Bart Rice, who is the owner, went above and beyond for our family and helped us secure our dream forever home. I can’t say enough about the team. Highly recommend!
Charlie ChiricoVerified client · May 2026
★★★★★
Couldn’t be happier with my choice to use the Rice Financial Group for the mortgage of my new home. The team really made the process easy. Communications and requests were concise and I never felt inundated as I had with previous purchases. Will definitely use the team for my future needs.
Eric S.Verified client · April 2026

Reviews reflect individual client experiences. Every mortgage is subject to application, documentation, credit, property review and underwriting approval. See more reviews →

A clear next step

Ready to talk through the numbers?

Tell us what you are planning. We will help you understand the available paths and decide what makes sense next.

Call RFG813-240-5776