Before you dig in — a word from Brian
“Scotia is one of the most walkable villages in the region and it trades fast. The flood determination near the river is the first thing I pull.”
Brian MarchandSr. Loan Consultant · NMLS #481563
The lender who actually answers - and gets it closed. From village homes off Mohawk Avenue to houses near Collins Park, Brian Marchand makes the mortgage the easy part.
“Scotia is one of the most walkable villages in the region and it trades fast. The flood determination near the river is the first thing I pull.”
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 in Scotia shouldn't mean giving up when a file gets complicated. Brian Marchand has helped buyers throughout Schenectady County, from first-time buyers in the village to families buying into the Scotia-Glenville district.
Inventory moves quickly here, so a verified pre-approval matters - and along the river, so does the flood determination.
Been told “no” somewhere else? That’s exactly where Brian goes to work. Second opinions welcome.
A walkable village that trades quickly, a river that affects insurance on some addresses, and a county rate that shapes every approval.
Scotia's walkability, Collins Park and Mohawk Avenue keep demand steady, and good listings do not sit. A pre-approval with income and assets verified is what lets you act the day something lists.
Low-lying village addresses near the river can fall inside a FEMA special flood hazard area, where flood insurance is required for the life of the loan and the premium counts in your debt-to-income. The determination gets pulled in week one.
A walkable village across the Mohawk from Schenectady - Collins Park, a real Main Street, and a school district families move for.
Neighborhoods & areas: Mohawk Avenue · Collins Park · Sacandaga Road · Glenville line · Riverside
Population is a U.S. Census figure for Scotia. USDA eligibility is set by address and the maps change. 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.
Scotia-Glenville CSD serves the village and much of the surrounding town.
Brian works with 3% & 5%-down conventional, FHA (3.5% down), zero-down VA, plus renovation financing for older village homes, and SONYMA first-time-buyer loans with down-payment assistance. First-time buyer? He’ll line up every credit you’re eligible for.
A compact Schenectady County village with older housing and river-adjacent parcels.
Scotia is a walkable village grid — largely 1920s through 1950s single-families on modest lots, centered on Mohawk Avenue, with some two-families mixed in and public water and sewer throughout. Consistent housing of a consistent era, which makes appraisals here more predictable than in towns that span four building decades.
Mid-century houses sometimes have aluminum branch wiring, which is not a loan problem by itself but is an insurance problem — some carriers decline it, others require remediation at the connections. Since a hazard policy has to be in force at closing, an insurance quote during attorney review is the cheapest hour you will spend.
Most of the village is served by the Scotia-Glenville district. Since the school portion is the largest line in a Schenectady County tax bill, I price every payment off the actual parcel rather than a county average — and the comparison against neighboring districts is worth running before you narrow your search.
A surveyor measures the structure's lowest floor against the base flood elevation, and that single document drives the premium — sometimes dramatically. On an older home near the Mohawk, obtaining one before you finalize your offer can change what the property costs you every month for as long as you own it.
Brian and his team were awesome and really helped me with a pretty complicated process. Can’t recommend them enough!
Brian explained everything well, was very thorough, and always answered my questions quickly. I would recommend him to everyone.
I highly recommend Brian. He consistently provides a five-star mortgage experience for my clients - quick response and deep knowledge.
Verified reviews from Google, Zillow, Facebook & Experience.com · See all 169 reviews →
Type in your address to see the real driving distance and time from your doorstep to every town we serve nearby.
Enter your address to see the real driving distance and time to every town we serve nearby.
Sorted by drive time - closest first. Tap a town to find it on the map.
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 Scotia and the Capital Region. Licensed in New York State. New American Funding, NMLS #6606 · 18 Computer Dr E, Suite 103, Albany, NY 12205.