Author: Anthony Bird

My name is Anthony Bird, an owner of Riverbank Finance, a Grand Rapids Mortgage Company, based here in Michigan. I am a graduate from Grand Valley State University majoring in both Business Management and Marketing. I have been a mortgage professional in Michigan for 6 Years with experience as a retail bank loan officer as well as for private mortgage companies. Riverbank Finance is a local mortgage company that values community and the West Michigan Area. We hire only licensed loan officers that can custom tailor loans for our client's needs. If you have any real estate or mortgage questions, call me at 616-365-5792 or email me at info@riverbankfinance.com and I will do whatever it takes to help. Learn more about me on my Google Profile: About Anthony Bird. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

How to Use Your Tax Refund to Buy a Home

Posted on April 8, 2026 by - Buying a Home, First Time Home Buyer

use your tax refund to buy a home

Tax refund season and home buying season land at almost exactly the same time every year — here is how to use your tax refund to buy a home! For a lot of buyers, that refund check is the missing piece for first time home buyers. The average federal refund this year is running close… Read more »

VA IRRRL: How Veterans Are Saving $200+/Month With One Simple Refinance

Posted on April 4, 2026 by - va, VA Loan

VA IRRRL refinance loan in Michigan

If you bought or refinanced your home in 2023 or 2024 — when mortgage rates were at their peak — there’s a good chance you’re paying more than you need to right now. And if you have a VA loan, there’s a program built specifically to fix that: the VA IRRRL. Most veterans have never… Read more »

2026 Conventional Condo Guideline Changes: What Buyers Need to Know

Posted on March 27, 2026 by - Buying a Home, Mortgage Tips

Fannie mae new guildelines for condos

Conventional Condo Guideline Changes If you’re buying, financing, or working with condos, things just changed. In March 2026, Fannie Mae dropped Lender Letter LL-2026-03 conventional condo guideline changes — a significant overhaul to conventional condo guideline requirements that affects project reviews, reserve funding, insurance rules, and more. Some of it makes life easier. Some of… Read more »

2026 Conventional Loan Limits in Michigan

Posted on March 16, 2026 by - Local Michigan

2026 conventional loan limits

2026 Conventional Loan Limits in Michigan have been put into action, jumping up yet again as home values have continued to increase throughout 2025. The FHFA has officially announced the 2026 Conventional Loan Limits at $832,750 for Single Family Homes. Each year, the FHFA adjusts the conforming loan limits based on its third quarter House Price… Read more »