Before you dig in — a word from Brian
“Schenectady has the best entry prices around here, and your ZIP code decides a lot about the house you get.”
Brian MarchandSr. Loan Consultant · NMLS #481563
The lender who actually answers - and gets it closed. From first-time buyers to refinances across the Capital Region, Brian Marchand makes the mortgage the easy part.
“Schenectady has the best entry prices around here, and your ZIP code decides a lot about the house you get.”
Brian MarchandSr. Loan Consultant · NMLS #481563
Program guidelines on this page last verified . Guidelines, limits and program terms change — verified figures are current as of that date, not a commitment to lend.
Buying or refinancing a home in Schenectady shouldn't mean chasing down a lender who never calls back. Brian Marchand has spent years helping buyers across Schenectady County and the wider Capital Region - from first-time buyers to homeowners refinancing.
What Schenectady clients say again and again is simple: he answers. Text him on a Saturday, call him after hours, ask the "silly" first-timer question - you'll get a real answer, quickly, in plain English.
And when a file is tricky, that's exactly when Brian does his best work. Second opinions welcome.
What actually decides your payment here, in plain language.
Schenectady has real supply of multi-unit properties, and on an owner-occupied purchase a portion of market rent can typically count toward qualifying income. The appraiser has to complete a rent schedule to support it. It is one of the most effective ways to buy here on a modest income.
The “City that Lights the World,” home to GE, Union College and the revitalized Proctors district. Its historic Stockade - one of the nation’s oldest neighborhoods - sits near affordable homes drawing first-time buyers.
Neighborhoods & areas: Stockade · Upper Union St · Bellevue · Woodlawn
Population, home value and income are U.S. Census / ACS estimates. For general reference only.
The school districts, the programs that can shrink your out-of-pocket, and the details worth handling before you make an offer.
The city is served primarily by the Schenectady City School District, with surrounding addresses falling into Mohonasen, Niskayuna or Rotterdam.
Brian works with 3% & 5%-down conventional, FHA (3.5% down), zero-down VA, plus USDA in the rural stretches of Schenectady County, and SONYMA first-time-buyer loans with down-payment assistance. First-time buyer? He'll line up every credit you're eligible for.
The region's best multi-family market, with historic neighborhoods and real condition variance block to block.
Schenectady runs from the Stockade's genuinely historic homes to GE-era neighborhoods to dense two-to-four unit stock across the city. Public water and sewer. Condition varies dramatically street to street, which means the appraisal and the inspection matter more here than the listing photos.
Two documents decide how much rent counts, and lenders generally use the lower of the two: the appraiser's Form 1007 rent schedule and the actual signed lease. Keep a good tenant below market for years and that below-market figure is often what gets used — which can sink a file that looked fine on paper.
In neighborhoods where a renovated house sits beside a neglected one, the appraiser's choice of comparables decides your value — and so does how the square footage was measured, since finished basement space generally does not count the same as above-grade living area. Two appraisers can reach different numbers on the same house here.
SONYMA loans carry a federal recapture provision: sell at a gain within roughly nine years while your income has risen substantially, and a portion of the benefit can be owed back. Most borrowers never trigger it, and the amount is capped. But it is a real term of the loan, and it belongs in the decision rather than in the fine print.
Brian is amazing! He's a great communicator and makes himself available. Every time I reached out, he'd answer or call me right back.
Great communication, and felt like they were family - making sure we were all doing good. You don't see that very often.
Always on top of everything, step by step. He's always a phone call and a text ahead, and he doesn't waste time to respond.
Super knowledgeable, and always answered my questions quickly. He got me a great rate and made my home purchase a smooth and easy process!
A great experience for the first time buying a house. Great personality and he knows his stuff. Brian makes you feel at ease.
Worked with Brian in the past at another institution and it was a great experience. That's the reason I continued to work with him now.
Verified reviews from Google, Zillow, Facebook & Experience.com · See all 169 reviews →
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More answers: 500+ questions on buying in the Capital Region →
Brian Marchand · Sr. Loan Consultant, New American Funding · NMLS #481563
Works on mortgages for buyers and homeowners in Schenectady and the Capital Region. Licensed in New York State. New American Funding, NMLS #6606 · 18 Computer Dr E, Suite 103, Albany, NY 12205.