A Strong Home Foundation & Finances- How Small Investments Today Save Big Money Tomorrow
Behind the scenes advice on keeping a strong foundation at your home and in your finances. Real ways real people are investing a little today to save a lot tomorrow.
A Strong Home Foundation & Finances- How Small Investments Today Save Big Money Tomorrow
Host: #JoGarner #MortgageExpert 901 482-0354
Co-Hosting #JonathanGreer #RedeemersGroup.com
Also featuring #EdHill #MastersRoofing 901 273-6594
Subscribe for weekly Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe podcasts with show notes www.JoGarner.com
#foundationrepairs #concreterepair #crawlspacerepair #creditrepair #mortgagetips
LET’S GET STARTED…(Jo) (Good morning, Memphis! Welcome to our internet listeners and podcast listeners across the 50 states! . Today is June 20th, 2026. I’m your host, Jo Garner, Mortgage Loan Originator. You can connect with me at www.JoGarner.com. Our general topic is A Strong Home Foundation & Finances- How Small Investments Today Save Big Money Tomorrow
Thank you to attorneys Shelley Rothman and Rob Draughon of Griffin, Clift, Everton and Maschmeyer Law Firm for sponsoring THIS episode of Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe. When you are ready to buy a home or refinance one, Shelley Rothman and Rob Draughon can help you will the title work and closing . (901) 752-1133.
Introducing Jonathan Greer, Redeemers Group –We are happy to introduce you to Jonathan Greer, Director of Commercial Growth in the Sales and Marketing Department. You have been with Redeemers Group for 6 years. Redeemers Group is a foundation, basement, crawlspace and concrete repair company You are a lifelong Memphian and graduate of Christian Brothers High School and the University of Memphis. Welcome to Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe, Jonathan Greer. Take a minute or so to tell our listeners a little about yourself and the types of services you offer at Redeemers Group. (Jonathan has 1.5 min or so to intro…)
(Jo) The Richest Man In Babylon by George Clason
In ancient Babylon, two young scribes named Arkad and Murad earned the same ten copper pieces each week. Murad loved the fine silks and rich wines of the city marketplace. He spent every coin as soon as it hit his palm, promising himself he would save when he became a master scribe.
Arkad decided to take just one copper piece from every ten and buy small fractions of trading ships heading across the sea. He started this habit at age eighteen. By age forty, Murad was still working long hours just to pay for his daily food. Arkad had become the wealthiest man in Babylon. His tiny, early shares in those ships had bought more vessels, creating a river of gold that flowed into his pockets even while he slept.
The core wisdom in this story is to pay yourself first, live within your means and invest in the businesses where you have familiarity. Invest early, allowing your investments to grow. Owning real estate and taking care of it is a great way to invest in yourself.
Story of Ian Iverson—real estate investor from the Mid-West who started young and small and built his empire
Back in the late 1980’s I met a young man in his twenties that we will call Ian Iverson. We were in San Diego at a real estate investing conference. He and I spent several hours together that week comparing real estate strategies and life goals. What impressed me about Ian is that he had already purchased his first property with little down buying his primary residence. But, since Ian wanted to free up as much money as possible for buying more real estate, he lived frugally in the back bedroom and rented out the rest of his home to a local white collar professional man.
He found some really good investment deals from other investors. Ian found a banker who would give him a credit line on the house he already owned to give him the down payment to buy a duplex from one of the investors he knew from a landlord association. Ian plodded along year after year, one property at a time, buying and sometimes fixing up property but keeping them all for rental income. Through many good times and bad, slow but sure, Ian planted his seeds to gradually build his real estate empire. Today Ian is in his 50’s and does not have to work. He lives well with his family out in the country with land, a barn and horses. He is living his dream. People like Ian are an inspiration to persevere through the uncomfortable times, stay frugal, invest his money like planting seeds into real estate that sprouts and produces more and more seed that Ian continued to plow back into improving the homes he owned and getting more and more in rent while his property continued to go up in value.
What do YOU want to accomplish with YOUR mortgage? I can help you with a mortgage for your first home or your fortieth home. Connect with me today at jogarner.com
(Jo) Jonathan Greer with Redeemers Group, let’s talk about concrete and crawlspaces. We have about 5 minutes or so before we go to break and we can continue after that. (Jonathan has about 5 minutes until break to launch his topics)
Foundation Issues Don’t Kill Deals—Uncertainty Does
Introduction
- Brief personal introduction
- Recently stepped into Director of Commercial Growth role
- Redeemers Group serves residential and commercial property owners
- Focus on protecting property value and solving structural and moisture issues
Main Talking Points
- Foundation issues are often misunderstood in real estate
- A foundation problem does not automatically kill a transaction
- Uncertainty kills deals more often than repair costs
- Buyers, sellers, Realtors, and lenders need answers, not assumptions
- Many foundation issues can be repaired, documented, and warrantied
Real Estate Audience Connection
- Repaired foundations can be less risky than unknown foundations
- Encourage inspections early in the transaction
- The earlier problems are identified, the more options everyone has
Transition to Break
- “Most expensive repairs don’t start as major problems. They start as small cracks, small drainage and moisture issues that go unnoticed.”
OUTRO: You’re on Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe. I’m your host, Jo Garner, Mortgage Loan Originator. What do YOU want to accomplish with YOUR mortgage? I can make the mortgage process EASY for you with the right mortgage. Connect with me at JoGarner.com When we come back, we will be hearing more from Jonathan Greer of Redeemers Group, Foundation and Crawlspace Repair. Ed Hill of Masters Roofing will be coming in to offer a few tips too. See you back in just a moment.
2nd segment is after first break 8 minutes 50 seconds
( Waaka Waaka song in background ) COMIC QUERIES (you probably already know the answer, but we will ask anyway
(Jo ) Riddle 3: Hired a local handyman to do some odd jobs for me. I gave him a numbered list, but when I got back, he had only done items 1, 3 and 5. When I asked him why he did not complete projects 2 and 4, what was his answer
(Jonathan) Answer: ” I only do odd jobs”
(Jonathan) Riddle: Riddle: What has lots of interest but never asks you about your weekend?
(Jo) Answer: A mortgage
(Jo) Today on Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe we are talking about
A Strong Home Foundation & Finances- How Small Investments Today Save Big Money Tomorrow.
I’m your host, Jo Garner, Mortgage Loan Originator . For your home purchase or a mortgage refinance you can brag about,. We can find the right mortgage product and make the mortgage process EASY on a traditional mortgage, on special programs and outside-of-the-box mortgage programs too. Connect with me at JoGarner.com
Jonathan Greer of Redeemers Group www.RedeemersGroup.com
TALKSHOPPE TIP
ED HILL OF MASTERS ROOFING IN BARTLETT, TN
Talk Shoppe is one of our major sponsors on Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe. Talk Shoppe offers free networking and education to our local business community. If you join the Talk Shoppe Sponsor team, you can get a wide variety of marketing venues at a below-market price. Ed Hill of Masters Roofing is a Talk Shoppe sponsor, supporting our business and real estate community. Ed Hill, you have a long list of happy customers who have given you great reviews for your work on their roof repairs and replacement. What is our Talk Shoppe Tip from the roof today? (Ed gives a tip -about a minute long)
How do we contact you? 901 273-6594
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TOPICS BY JONATHAN GREER OF REDEEMERS GROUP
Hidden Problems That Cost Homeowners Thousands
Water is the #1 Enemy
- Water causes most crawl space, basement, and foundation issues
- Memphis soil expands and contracts dramatically with moisture changes
- Poor drainage creates movement beneath homes
What Homeowners Should Look For
- Standing water after rain
- Cracks in drywall
- Doors and windows sticking
- Uneven floors
- Musty odors
- High humidity in crawl spaces
Protecting Home Equity
- Homeowners track interest rates and home values
- Few homeowners track the condition of the asset itself
- Deferred maintenance is the silent killer of home equity
- Small preventative investments often save tens of thousands later
Investor/Realtor Message
- Investors win by protecting assets, not just acquiring assets
- Annual inspections and preventative maintenance outperform emergency repairs
Commercial Growth Tie-In
- Same issues affect commercial buildings
- Property managers, churches, warehouses, multifamily, retail centers
- Why strategic partnerships help identify and solve problems before they become capital expenditures
Key Quote
“We’re not just in the foundation repair business. We’re in the asset protection business.”
(You can talk about whatever topics regarding concrete and crawlspaces and foundations ) Here are some ideas:
3RD SEGMENT 12 minutes
( Small Victories song by Allen McCool playing in background)
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For Did You Know today…(see if you can guess the answer before we do)
Ed -
Question: What famous Memphis restaurant was accidentally started when a business man accidentally discovered a coal chute and an elevator shaft in the foundation that was the key to his now world-famous menu item?
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(Jo ) Hint #1: This restaurant is located just across the street from The Peabody Memphis, deep down in General Washburn Alley in a basement of a historic commercial building.
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(Jo) Hint #2: In 1948, looking for a way to expand his menu, the tavern owner discovered an old, bricked-in coal chute and an elevator shaft built into the foundation of the building. He converted it into a makeshift indoor charcoal smoker, accidentally inventing a world-famous Memphis dry-rub barbecue menu item.
- Jonathan ANSWER: The Rendezvous (famous Bar-B-Que Restaurant)
(Jo) Today on Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe we are talking about Today on Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe we are talking about A Strong Home Foundation & Finances- How Small Investments Today Save Big Money Tomorrow.
I’m your host, Jo Garner, Mortgage Loan Originator . For your home purchase or a mortgage refinance you can brag about,. We can find the right mortgage product and make the mortgage process EASY on a traditional mortgage, on special programs and outside-of-the-box mortgage programs too. Connect with me at JoGarner.com
Jonathan Greer of Redeemers Group www.RedeemersGroup.com
Ed Hill of Masters Roofing 901 273-6594
TOPICS COVERED BY JO GARNER, LICENSED MORTGAGE OFFICER
MORTGAGE TIPS
Hidden Problems That Cost Homeowners Thousands
Mortgage Officer
1. Get a home inspection so that you are not unpleasantly surprised with a very expensive repair situation right after buying your home. Expensive repairs could include needing to suddenly replace your heating and air conditioning system. Replacing the roof is a very important repair but also a very expensive one. Foundation repairs could be expensive in certain situations. The home inspection can let you know before you buy the home so that you can negotiate better with the seller or be able to have money available later to handle the repairs. Getting a home warranty can also help.
2. Review the subdivision covenants and restrictions and, if the property is a condominium, review closely the condo bylaws. If your reason for buying the condominium is because a few years later, you want to buy your dream home and use rental income from renting the condo to tenants to help pay for your dream home, AFTER you buy the condo is not when you want to discover that the bylaws prohibit using the condo for rental property.
After you close on your home is not when you want to discover that you can’t run your type business from that location and you can’t part you RV in the driveway.
3. Work on your credit report. The higher your credit score, the lower your borrowing cost. As a mortgage officer, I can share some helpful tips with you on what works to keep your credit in tip top shape. In my book “Choosing the Best Mortgage-The Quickest Way to the Life You Want,” I share a lot of tips on methods people have used to optimize their credit scores to lower borrowing costs.
One of the stories is about Sam and Sally Smith, a young couple who wanted to grow their family but needed a larger home and preferably one that they could buy and start building their wealth.
Sam’s credit was rough since he racked up credit cards from his college days. His score was around 565—too low for any mortgage products. We worked on a credit strategy to get his credit cleaned up and for a higher credit score. Sam paid off a couple of things. But, what made the biggest and quickest difference is when he paid the balances down on his credit cards to show he used less than 25% of the full credit lines on each card. He made his payments on time and after just a couple months or so, his credit was good enough for him to qualify for a good mortgage program with down payment assistance.
Sally’s situation was very different. She did not have credit at all. For her getting the credit scores up was quick and easy. Her parents had an old credit card that they only used a very small portion of the credit limit on it. They had been making their payments online. When they added Sally as an authorized use, Sally’s credit produced a good credit score in about 30 days.
Ways to Save Money On Your Mortgage
Prepay principal payments as soon as possible and as often as possible. When you get a 30-year mortgage, begin immediately making at least one Principal and Interest payment each year and you can eliminate 5 to 6 years of mortgage payments. That is a lot of savings for a relatively small investment early in the process.
Work with a mortgage officer who listens and ask questions. I do that for my mortgage clients. I have heard so many people come to me after closing a mortgage with an online mortgage company. They will say things like, “ We bought a house a few months ago and got a $200k loan with a $1800/month payment. Now we have an extra $100k to pay down toward the unpaid balance but the mortgage company will not reduce my payment.”
If they had talked to me before they went online somewhere and they had shared with me about the fact they would be selling an inherited property later in the year, I could have structured the mortgage so they could exercise a one-time recast to a lower payment when they prepaid 20% of more of the unpaid balance to lower their payments.
Get preapproved. If you are buying a home, go ahead and send the mortgage officer your income and asset supporting documents and let the lender run credit. Once an underwriter has approved your credit and supporting documents, you will have a much stronger preapproval letter than someone else who is making an offer competing with your offer on the same house.
MAKE YOUR PLAN. LET’S WORK YOUR PLAN. IF THE DEAL WORKS FOR YOU TODAY, LET’S DO IT TODAY. I can make the mortgage process easy. Connect with me at www.JoGarner.com You can email me at Jo@JoGarner.com or call me at (901) 482-0354
4th Segment 8 minutes and 50 seconds
(THE SONG UpBeat Inspirations PLAYING IN BACKGROUND ) INSIGHTS & INSPIRATIONS
Small Investment Today Brings Big Wealth Tomorrow
From ages six to 13 this young man purchased six-packs of Coca-Cola bottles from his grandfather’s store for 25 cents. He sold the bottles for 5 cents each making a 20% profit. At age 13 his took on multiple paper routes and magazine sales to his newspaper customers .
With money from the paper route, this young boy started small investing in stocks. Because he started with these small amounts so early, he gave his money an incredibly long “runway.” He even bought some real estate. Had he started investing at age 30 instead of age 11, Warren Buffett’s modern multi-billion dollar net worth would be a small fraction of what it is today. Over 99% of Warren Buffett’s net worth was accumulated AFTER his 50th birthday.
Do you want to enjoy a better life and not have to work harder to get there? Investment early and often and let it compound over time. Real estate has a track record of going up over time and has contributed to over 90% of the millionaires in the world.
Whether you are buying your first home or your second, third or thirtieth, I can help you find the right mortgage program and make the mortgage process easy. Connect with me today at 901 482-0354.
(Jo) Today on Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe we are talking about A Strong Home Foundation & Finances- How Small Investments Today Save Big Money Tomorrow.
I’m your host, Jo Garner, Mortgage Loan Originator . For your home purchase or a mortgage refinance you can brag about,. We can find the right mortgage product and make the mortgage process EASY on a traditional mortgage, on special programs and outside-of-the-box mortgage programs too. Connect with me at JoGarner.com
Jonathan Greer of Redeemers Group www.RedeemersGroup.com
REAL ESTATE TIP OF THE WEEK
Jonathan Greer’s Tip (about 1.5 minutes)
60-90 Second Tip
Walk Your Property After a Heavy Rain
- The next time Memphis gets a hard rain, grab an umbrella and walk around your property
- Look for standing water near the foundation
- Check gutters and downspouts
- Make sure water is moving away from the home
- Look for erosion, pooling water, or areas where the ground slopes toward the structure
Why It Matters
- Water is the leading cause of foundation and crawl space issues
- Most major repairs start as minor drainage problems
- A few hundred dollars in drainage corrections can prevent thousands in future repairs
Closing Line: “One of the smartest investments a homeowner can make isn’t necessarily upgrading their kitchen or bathroom—it’s protecting the structure that holds the entire house together.”
Ed Hill’s Tip (1 minute)
Jo Garner’s tip :
Tip: If you are making on offer to buy a house and you know the seller is willing to offer assistance, it is better to take the assistance by having the seller paying your closing costs instead of lowering the sale price.
If you simply ask the seller to lower the sales price, it will take years to finally realize the full value of the concession. On the other hand, if you ask the seller to pay your closing costs, you will realized 100% of the value of that concession on the day you close and purchase the home.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Talk Shoppe equips with education, engages by offering connection opportunities between business people and empowers businesses in a supportive community. Talk Shoppe meets every Wednesday 9A-10A CT at Independent Planning Group’s conference room 110 at Clark Tower 5100 Poplar Ave 1st floor Memphis, TN
(Thank you Ben Hunter 901 660-2912 outstanding Financial Professional at Independent Planning Group for being Talk Shoppe’s location sponsor)
Talk Shoppe on Wednesday June 24th, 2026 9AM CT come equip, engage and empower YOUR business and your networking group at Talk Shoppe’s Business Builder Mixer. Bring your favorite breakfast snack and be ready to build some lasting business referral relationships. Coffee is provided. Find out more at www.TalkShoppe.com
Thank you to Tiffany Thornburg of Empowered With Trust Solutions. Are you ready to set up dental vision and your other health benefits Is it time to select your Medicare plan? Contact Tiffany Thornburg of Empowered With Trust Solutions at 901 643-5400.
When it is time to reward yourself with a great memory-making vacation, there are some plans that can help take first-class vacations at a fraction of the normal price. Want to know how? Call Peggy Lau, she can show you how. 901 289-0747.
Happy Father’s Day weekend. Hats off to the father’s who have been there as a model and support to their families.
MAKE YOUR PLAN. LET’S WORK YOUR PLAN. IF THE DEAL WORKS FOR YOU TODAY, DO IT TODAY.
Subscribe for weekly Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe podcasts with show notes at www.JoGarner.com
SPECIAL NOTE: REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE SHOPPE DOES NOT ENDORSE 100% OF THE CONTENT ON THIS EPISODE. REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE SHOPPE RECOMMENDS THAT YOU CONSULT WITH A FINANCIAL, LEGAL OR OTHER CERTIFIED, LICENSED PROFESSIONAL BEFORE ACTING OR INVESTING ON ANYTHING YOU HEAR OR SEE FROM THE CONTENT ON THIS SHOW OR BLOG POSTS. THE INFORMATION WE SHARE ON REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE SHOPPE IS GENERAL IN NATURE MEANT FOR GENERAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND NOT AN OFFER TO LEND. EXAMPLES GIVEN FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ON REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE SHOPPE AND MOST ARE BASED ON TRUE STORIES BUT WE USE FICTIONAL CHARACTERS AND DO NOT DIRECTLY REFLECT REAL PEOPLE OR EXACT DETAILS IN ANY OF THE SITUATIONS. JO GARNER IS A LICENSED MORTGAGE LOAN ORIGINATOR. (EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY) (The Auditory version of this disclosure is played during the show)
QUOTE CORNER: “The fellow that owns his own home is always just coming out of a hardware store.” — Kin Hubbard
“If you owe the bank $100, that’s your problem. If you owe the bank $100 million, that’s the bank’s problem.” JP Getty
REJOINS:
- Brandie Spicer of Howling Wolf Bookkeeping 901 593-9369
- Mark Loden, MKL Personal Budget Service (901) 493-1069
- Silvana Piadade, EXP Realty 901 647-6661
Transitional Music: First Segment “WAAKA WAAKA” (PD) for Comic Queries; “Small Victories” by Allen McCool allenmccool.com for Did You Know segment; “Upbeat Inspiration” by Ikoliksaj for Insights and Inspiration segment.
INTRO AND OUTRO THEME MUSIC “Country Roads” by Sergie Pavkin
PICK UP YOUR COPY OF “CHOOSING THE BEST MORTGAGE-THE QUICKEST WAY TO THE LIFE YOU WANT” by: JO GARNER
An essential guide for real estate professionals and their customers.
On Amazon and Barnes and Noble
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ABOUT JONATHAN WITH REDEEMERS GROUP FOUNDATION AND CRAWL SPACE REPAIR
Jonathan Greer has been with Redeemers Group for over 6 years leading in Sales and Marketing. He recently stepped into the role of Director of Commercial Growth role, where he is focused on creating strategic referral partnerships to support both commercial and residential projects. Prior to joining Redeemers Group, he spent eight years as Vice President of Big League Movers, where he helped grow the company and build similar referral-driven growth strategies while also launching its storage and delivery divisions. A lifelong Memphian and graduate of Christian Brothers High School and the University of Memphis, Jonathan is passionate about fueling business growth, developing people, serving the community through a business that exemplifies high integrity backed by high execution.
ABOUT JO GARNER-MORTGAGE LOAN OFFICER:
www.JoGarner.com (901) 482 0354 jo@jogarner.com X @jogarner NMLS# 757308 (currently working with Everitt Financial dba Supreme Lending)
ONLINE LOAN APPLICATION : https://jogarner.supremelendingLO.com
“Whatever YOUR personal priorities are, my job is to help you get the mortgage terms that will give you bragging rights when you talk about it and help you score on hitting your goals .”
As a mortgage loan officer, my job is to help you get to the benefits you want from your financing terms. What is most important to you? I can help you find the financing terms that will help you get to what you want. What is your comfort level on a house payment? How much are you comfortable paying down,? What type of financing do you need to get the house you want to buy or refinance?
Different clients have different priorities in life—some are buying their first home with very little down payment funds. Some are recovering from medical challenges, divorces or preparing to send children to college and some are embarking on a long term goal of buying properties to build rental income.”
Jo Garner is a mortgage officer with extensive knowledge in helping her clients find the right mortgage program and making the refinance or home purchase mortgage process EASY. She offers conventional, FHA, VA or other loan programs for primary residences, second homes and investment properties.
Jo can help you look at rent vs buy, when it makes sense to refinance, how to get the best deal on your home purchase financing.
Jo Garner has been in the real estate/financing business for over 30 years. She grew up in West Tennessee and got her start in real estate in Portland, Maine where she first began her real estate career. She received her real estate education from the University of Southern Maine and was personally mentored in San Diego, California by Robert G. Allen, author of Nothing Down, Creating *Wealth and The Challenge.
On moving back to West Tennessee in 1987, she went into business buying and selling discounted owner-financed notes secured on real estate. In 1990 Jo went to work for a residential mortgage company and has been a mortgage loan officer for over 30 years.
In addition to her work in the mortgage field, Jo Garner is the primary sponsor and founder of Talk Shoppe in Memphis. www.TalkShoppe.com Jo Garner also host the radio show Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe airing on the Mighty 990 AM, 107.9 KWAM & streaming on the app https://mighty990.com/app with podcasts and show notes published on www.JoGarner.com Pick up Jo Garner’s book on Amazon or Barnes Noble “Choosing the Best Mortgage-The Quickest Way to the Life You Want”