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LAPLACE — Local, experienced and trusted are a few words that come to mind when describing certified public accountants.

Demetria Robinson Carter’s 25-year career as a CPA gave her the financial expertise needed to help others achieve their dreams of home ownership. Her new mortgage broker firm, DRC Mortgage Lending LLC, is now open at 359 Belle Terre Boulevard in LaPlace.

Carter launched the new business on Jan. 14, 2021 on the date that would have been her mother’s 81^st birthday. Being raised in a single parent home, Carter watched her mother budget money from a low-wage income with no advanced financial education. She had amazing empathy and a desire to assist others in any way she could, and the apple did not fall far from the tree. Carter has dedicated her career to helping others take control of their finances.

“The American dream is not merely to own a home, but to enjoy complete financial success. That’s why your mortgage needs to be part of a holistic financial plan built on integrity and performance,” Carter said. “I think being a CPA brings a personal touch to it of being subject matter experts. Banks are typically subject matter experts in loaning money, and being a CPA is synonymous with being a subject matter expert in debt management.”

Carter understands the importance of looking at an individual’s whole financial picture. While a person’s income and credit report may qualify them to purchase a $300,000 home, those figures alone do not account for all the intricacies and expenses of day-to-day life.

Putting children through private school, financially supporting family members or even planning vacations can easily make finances tight, and an emergency added on top of that (such as a global pandemic) can prove devastating.

“Being a CPA puts a more personal spin to it. I don’t want to see someone get in a home, get financed and then six months down the road, something happens and they can’t afford it anymore,” Carter said. “I want to look at the totality of the person financially by having a personal relationship with them.”

Carter can help those on the fence of not qualifying for a loan strengthen their credit and implement money-saving techniques into their daily routines. Clients with excellent credit are not limited on loan options, but Carter said DRC Lending can assist in finding the best rates possible.

“We can better negotiate rates on a wholesale level than a retail level,” Carter said. “I don’t have all the overhead that a bank usually does because they have to cover fixed costs. This is another stream of revenue for me, and I can cut rates because I don’t need to have that large retainage coming back to me.”

DRC Mortage Lending offers FHA, USDA, conventional and VA loans. According to Carter, government-backed conventional loans are intended to help lower middle-class people who may not be able to afford a 20 percent down payment on a home. FHA loans are available to families that earn above the threshold of conventional loans. Both types of loans can allow people to get into a home with three percent down, along with a home mortgage premium.

Rural development loans financed by the USDA can allow homebuyers to close a sale with zero down, based upon income and credit.

DRC Mortgage Lending can also assist in refinancing, and Carter said there is no better time than now to take advantage of historically low interest rates. Assessor Lucien Gauff III told L’OBSERVATEUR that rising property values and decreasing interest rates were among the biggest financial trends of 2020 in St. John the Baptist Parish.

Even those who purchased a home within the last year or two at four to five percent may be able to shrink their interest rate to 1.99 to 2.5 percent, presenting a significant cost savings to the homeowner. Carter expects the low interest rates will hold for 2021 but will rise once again as the economy recovers from COVID-19.

Those interested in purchasing or refinancing a home can sign up through the safe and secure online platform. Carter invites those who are not as technologically savvy to call the office or make an appointment for a face-to-face meeting.

For more information, call 985-359-5626, visit drcmortgage.com or email demetria.carter@drcmortgage.com.