Hi, I'm Melissa...
Your

Mortgage Consultant

Your Mortgage Consultants

We make the home loan process as simple as possible by guiding you through every step.

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Refinance a Home
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Ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction among Mortgage Origination Companies
For J.D. Power 2024 Award information, visit www.jdpower.com/awards.
Melissa Taka Kershner

Mortgage Consultant

NMLSR

1509845

State license
State licenses
Cell Phone
360-433-8552
Office Phone
Address:

10002 NE. 13th Avenue

Suite 110

Vancouver
WA
98686
Languages:  
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Melissa Taka Kersner, NMLSR# 1509845, is a knowledgeable and approachable Mortgage Consultant with a passion for guiding clients through the home loan process. Whether you're a first-time homebuyer, refinancing, or exploring investment opportunities, Melissa takes the time to understand your financial goals and tailors her guidance with clear communication and attention to detail. She knows her stuff – and she’s here to help you navigate every step with confidence.

Outside of work, Melissa enjoys wine tastings with friends, traveling, attending ballet performances, and unwinding with a good book alongside her cat, Ophelia.

Prefer Meeting in Person?
Visit us in Fort Myers, FL
About ME

Empowering Our Community Through 18 Years of Expert Lending Support.

With over 18 years of personal lending experience, I've had the privilege of assisting over 1500 clients, and we're committed to continuing our legacy of community impact and client satisfaction.

18

+ Years

of serving our customers

1500

+

Loan Officers in all 50 states
It includes a review of your Financial Statement. This service is complimentary.
PREQUALIFICATION PROS
There is peace of mind in completing this early step in the homebuying.
EXPEDITED SERVICE
Typical turnaround times are 24 to 48 hours. We're open on weekends too.
Apply for Coop or Condo prequalification letter
STRENGTHEN YOUR OFFER
Your Coop or Condo offer stands out to sellers when you use this complimentary service.

Ask Us About
Pathway To Prosperity

Learn more

Ask Us About
Pathway To Prosperity

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What's your home worth?
Get your free home valuation report!

I'm here to answer allyour mortgage questions

  • Do I need to save for a 20% down payment?

    No! With FHA loans you can get approved for as little as 3.5% down, VA and USDA loans can offer you $0-down options, and with Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) you can get into your new home with less than a 20% down payment. Whatever your situation, you have options.

  • Are Pre-Qualification and Pre-Approval the same thing?

    No. Pre-qualification and pre-approval are two different things. Pre-qualification means that a mortgage lender has reviewed your financial records and believes you will qualify for a loan. A pre-approval is a conditional committment from a lender that they will lend you the money for a mortgage.

  • What's the difference between an adjustable and a fixed rate mortgage?

    A fixed rate mortgage means that the interest rate is set when you take out the loan and will not change. With an adjustable rate mortgage, the interest rate may go up or down after a certain amount of time. Many adjustable rate mortgages will start at a lower interest rate than fixed rate mortgages.

  • What is Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)?

    Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is a type of insurance you may be required to pay if you are taking out a conventional mortgage with a downpayment that is less than 20% of the home's overall value. If you refinance your home with a conventional loan and your equity is less than 20% of the home's value, you may also be required to pay PMI. Private Mortgage Insurance protects the lender in the event that you stop making payments on your loan.

  • Can I access my home equity before I finish paying off my loan?

    Yes! Your mortgage advisor can help you find the right refinance and reverse mortgage options to help you access your home equity before you've finished paying off your loan. This can help with covering the cost of remodels, college tuition, long-term care plans, and more! Talk to your mortgage advisor to find out how you can access your home equity to cover any of your life's needs.

  • What do I do if I can't afford my mortgage payment anymore?

    The first thing you should do in the event that you can't afford your mortgage payments anymore is reach out to your lender. An experienced mortgage advisor can help you find options, such as refinancing or restructuring your loan, to help you keep up with your payments. Always reach out to your lender to ensure that you can keep up with your payments and stay in your home.

What our customers are saying

Vancouver WA
Apr 10, 2020

We had several challenges with our loan and Melissa worked very hard to get us through the process with a great result.

Yacolt WA
Apr 10, 2020

Melissa went above and beyond to make our home purchase smooth and an enjoyable experience. She was always willing to answer any questions I had, which were many. I would highly recommend her to any of my friends and already have!

Woodland WA
Jul 21, 2021

Melissa Kershner was very professional and prompt, but most importantly, she was personable. 10/10 experience.

Vancouver WA
Jul 12, 2021

Melissa was on top of each step and communicated with us helpful tips.

Vancouver WA
Dec 03, 2020

Communication and availability was fantastic. Answers and follow-through were given in a timely manner.

Vancouver WA
Dec 03, 2020

Melissa was extremely knowable and explained everything in detail. She was willing to answer all our questions whenever we called or emailed. I appreciate her warm friendly personality. I can feel her smile over the phone.

Vancouver WA
Nov 09, 2020

Melissa went above and beyond in her assistance with my loan. She was professional yet compassionate when we encountered obstacles during the refinance process. Melissa worked hard to secure me the best loan and continually kept things moving forward. I highly recommend Melissa to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and emotionally intelligent mortgage professional.

Portland OR
Nov 06, 2020

Stock options for her.

Vancouver WA
Oct 23, 2020

You helped me through the whole process of purchasing a new home. It was great service and I was able to move in on the appointed date. Thank you so much.

Battle Ground WA
Oct 04, 2020

Melissa was fantastic in keeping us up to date on the process of our loan, what was needed and what our options were for the various loans. She was very friendly, and I never felt like she didn’t have time to answer our questions.

Camas WA
Sep 28, 2020

Melissa was very responsive and helped me step by step from loan application through the purchase of the property, working closely with my real estate agent. I was selling my home in another state and purchasing a home in Washington. The real estate laws and practices differed between the states. Melissa navigated the issues successfully and took extra time and care to make sure everything went well for me during the entire process. Highly recommended!

Camas WA
Sep 20, 2020

Melissa was a true partner from start to finish, always available for questions. We so appreciated having Melissa in our corner!

Camas WA
Sep 14, 2020

Melissa and her team did a great job facilitating our loan application at a time when the entire mortgage industry was swamped due to high demand from record low interest rates and multiple COVID-19 related factors. Communication was critical and in our case excellent. We closed and recorded on schedule which was the ultimate goal. Thank you!!

Vancouver WA
Aug 23, 2020

Melissa was always there to give us the information that we needed or to help us understand things that maybe might have been confusing. From the 1st phone call I had with Melissa she made me feel as if we had been old friends and knew each other, she was ready to help us through any situation that might come up.

Battle Ground WA
Aug 23, 2020

Melissa makes the process so easy. She is very professional, answers any questions one might have, and is timely in the turnaround process. This is our second experience with Melissa and would recommend her to anyone looking for a mortgage or refinance. Sincerely, Doreen Marchetti

Battle Ground WA
Aug 23, 2020

Melissa really cares for her clients. I feel like I’m being taken care of. She is a dream to work with

Battle Ground WA
Aug 23, 2020

Melissa was friendly, knowledgeable & very easy to communicate with. She presented information clearly and nothing was ever too much trouble. I would not hesitate to recommend her to all of my family and friends.

Vancouver WA
Apr 11, 2020

Melissa was very good at communicating every step of the process. She was quick to respond to questions and was very helpful running different financial scenarios so we could make as informed a decision as possible. She helped make a possibly stressful financing process seem pleasant! I highly recommend working with her.

Wilsonville OR
Apr 10, 2020

Melissa was wonderful. She kept us up to date and well informed throughout the process.

Vancouver WA
Apr 10, 2020

We had several challenges with our loan and Melissa worked very hard to get us through the process with a great result.

Yacolt WA
Apr 10, 2020

Melissa went above and beyond to make our home purchase smooth and an enjoyable experience. She was always willing to answer any questions I had, which were many. I would highly recommend her to any of my friends and already have!

Woodland WA
Jul 21, 2021

Melissa Kershner was very professional and prompt, but most importantly, she was personable. 10/10 experience.

Vancouver WA
Jul 12, 2021

Melissa was on top of each step and communicated with us helpful tips.

Calculate Your Mortgage Payment

  • 3%
  • 3.25%
  • 3.50%
  • 3.75%
  • 4%
  • 4.25%
  • 4.50%
  • 4.75%
  • 5%
  • 5.25%
  • 5.50%
  • 5.75%
  • 6%
  • 6.25%
  • 6.50%
  • 6.75%
  • 7%
  • 7.25%
  • 7.50%
  • 7.75%
  • 8%
Mortgage Amount, $
250,000.00
Total Cost Of Mortgage, $
0.00
Monthly payment:
0.00
P&I
Insurance
Taxes
PMI
HOA

Rent Info

Property information

Loan information

Taxes and insurance information

Calculate now
Name
Before
After
  • Taxes and insurance, $
Before
0.00
After
22,500.00
  • Total PMI, $
Before
0.00
After
4,062.50
  • Total maintenance, $
Before
0.00
After
4,500.00
Total payments
51,996.70
125,872.72
  • Average Monthly Payment, $
Before
866.61
After
2,097.88
  • Monthly Rent Savings, $
Total
1,231.27
  • Tax Savings, $
Before
0.00
After
4,550.00
Total Rent Savings
69,326.02
  • House Appreciation Value, $
Total
382,884.47
  • Proceeds Minus Costs, $
Total
356,082.56
  • Loan Balance, $
Total
234,027.44
  • Equity Appreciation, $
Total
122,055.11
Home Purchase Benefits
52,729.09

Is it financially better to buy a home or to rent? The answer to this question depends upon how much the home costs, how much you are paying for rent, and how much you will have to pay each year in order to maintain your home.

If you were to pay 800.00 per month, for example, and the average rental payment increase was 4.00, you would pay 51,996.70 in a 5 year period toward rent. If you purchased a home and borrowed 250,000.00 with a 6.50 interest rate, and you paid 900.00 every year toward its maintenance, you would pay 125,872.72 in a 5 year period toward mortgage payments if your Federal tax rate is 26.00, you pay 3,000.00 in taxes each year and your annual insurance rate is 1,500.00.

When you consider your tax benefits and the appreciation of your home, however, you will actually SAVE money by purchasing a home. If your home shows an annual appreciation of 5.00 and your selling cost is 7.00, your house appreciation value will be 382,884.47. As a result, your total home purchase benefit will amount to 52,729.09.

Learn more
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4.88 of 5.00
Our average client rating. YTD 01/2023 on experience.com

"Our mission is to provide financing solutions that positively impact lives and make a difference in the communities where we lend."

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President and CEO
President and CEO
Justin Messer
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prosperity
mtkershner@phmloans.com
mtkershner@phmloans.com
mtkershner@phmloans.com
Vancouver
mtkershner@phmloans.com
1644440684524367
Text Link
Melissa Taka Kershner
mtkershner@phmloans.com
360-433-8552
1509845