With over 45 years of industry experience, Harry Jensen is a true mortgage expert. Harry got his start as a mortgage banker in 1972 with Palomar Mortgage and opened his own mortgage brokerage firm, Jensen Mortgage Company, in 1976. Over the course of his 40-plus year career as a mortgage broker Harry has originated, processed and closed thousands of loans for satisfied borrowers. Harry’s experience spans virtually every type of loan from FHA, VA and other low down payment programs to down payment assistance grants and reverse mortgages.
Harry has worked with a wide range of lending institutions including wholesale lenders, savings and loans, banks, credit unions, insurance companies and private money lenders. He has guided countless borrowers through the mortgage process and coordinated a multitude of third party services on behalf of his clients including escrow, title, attorney, home inspections and appraisal reports.
Simply put, Harry possesses unmatched expertise about the ins and outs of the mortgage process. His position as an authority on mortgages is reflected by his numerous speaking engagements as well as the many articles and industry thought pieces he has authored over the years. Harry developed FREEandCLEAR to enable others to learn and benefit from his nearly five decades of mortgage industry experience.
Harry is a licensed mortgage professional (NMLS #236752).
Prior to entering the mortgage industry, Harry honorably served in the United States Air Force (USAF) which took him to Texas, Alabama, Florida, Alaska and eventually back to his home state of California. Harry holds a degree in Physics from San Diego State University.
Harry writes about numerous mortgage topics for FREEandCLEAR and makes significant contributions to our guides, mortgage expert insights, loan programs and Q&A offerings. Some of Harry's favorite articles, posts and guides are below.
What Size Down Payment Do I Need to Buy a Home? Learn how much money you need to put down to buy a home and why it may be less than you think. Review different sources of funds for your down payment including savings, grants and gifts
How Much Home Can I Afford? Learn the factors that determine what price home you can afford including your down payment and mortgage amount. Understand how your interest rate and loan program impact how much home you can buy
Mortgage Lender Options Understand your lender options when you apply for a mortgage including national and local banks, mortgage banks, mortgage brokers credit unions and private money lenders. Learn the positives and negatives for each type of lender so you can select the one that is right for you
How to Compare Mortgage Proposals Understand the key items and documents you should focus on when you compare proposals from different mortgage lenders. Shopping for a mortgage is one of the best ways to save money and this post explains how to shop the right way
FHA Mortgage Guide This in-depth guide explains what you need to know to get an FHA loan and reviews key program terms including required credit score, debt-to-income ratio, loan limits and FHA mortgage insurance premium
VA Home Loan Guide Written by a veteran for veterans and active duty military personnel, this comprehensive guide walks you through the VA home loan process and addresses key topics such as program eligibility, the VA funding fee ans the residual income analysis that is used to determine your mortgage amount
How to Compare No and Low Down Payment Programs There are a wide variety of low down payment programs available to qualified applicants. Understand how to compare the qualification requirements and eligibility guidelines to find the program that is right for you
How a Reverse Mortgage Works Understand the ins and outs of the reverse mortgage process including how much money you can borrow, qualification requirements, types of loan programs and questions every prospective borrower should ask
Harry's work for FREEandCLEAR has been referenced in numerous national and industry publications including the Washington Post, MReport, MPA (Mortgage Professional America), Realty Biz News and Inman.