Jim Blackburn
Jim Blackburn is Fort Lauderdale's preferred mortgage lender for buyers relocating from the Northeast, international and foreign national buyers, VA loan applicants, and investors financing income properties across all 84 Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods. As Olga Blackburn's lending partner, Jim is embedded in the Fort Lauderdale real estate community — listing agents know his name, which means pre-approval letters from Stairway Mortgage carry weight in a competitive offer situation. Whether you're financing a $300K Lauderdale Manors starter home or a $8M Las Olas Isles estate, Jim structures the loan to close on time.
Loan Programs Jim Offers
Conventional Loans
Standard purchase loans with 5–20% down. Best rates for buyers with strong credit and documented W-2 income. Most common loan type for Fort Lauderdale single-family homes.
Jumbo Loans
For purchase prices over $766,550 — standard for Coral Ridge, Las Olas Isles, Harbor Beach, and most waterfront properties. Jim has extensive jumbo experience in the Fort Lauderdale luxury market.
FHA Loans
3.5% down payment with more flexible credit guidelines. Ideal for first-time buyers in Lauderdale Manors, Melrose Park, Essex Tower condos, and the affordable south-side corridors.
VA Loans
$0 down for qualifying veterans, active military, and surviving spouses. Fort Lauderdale's proximity to multiple military installations makes VA loans a significant part of Jim's book. See our BAH & VA Loan Guide.
Foreign National
Specialized financing for non-US residents and non-citizens purchasing Fort Lauderdale real estate. Jim structures foreign national loans for buyers from Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Canada, the UK, and beyond. See our International Buyers Guide.
Investment & DSCR
DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loans qualify based on rental income rather than personal income — ideal for investors buying in the Riverland corridor, Melrose Park, or anywhere with strong rental fundamentals.
The Pre-Approval Process
Submit the Form
Fill out the form above. Jim reviews it same day and calls you to go over your situation, loan options, and the documents needed.
Get Your Letter
Jim issues your pre-approval letter typically within 24 hours of receiving your documents. The letter specifies your approved loan amount and is valid for 90 days.
Tour with Confidence
Hand the letter to Olga and start touring. When you find the right property, your offer is backed immediately — no delays waiting for financing approval.
Why Pre-Approval Before Touring Matters in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale's most desirable neighborhoods — Victoria Park, Las Olas Isles, Coral Ridge, well-priced Riverland homes — receive multiple offers within days of listing. In that environment, a buyer without a pre-approval letter is invisible. Listing agents won't schedule showings for unqualified buyers, and sellers won't accept offers without financing certainty.
Beyond the competitive advantage, pre-approval shapes your entire search. Jim's pre-approval tells you exactly what you can buy, what your monthly payment will look like at different price points, and whether FHA, conventional, or jumbo is the right structure for your situation. Buyers who skip this step routinely fall in love with homes they can't actually qualify for — and waste weeks of time as a result.
- Listing agents in Fort Lauderdale know Jim. A pre-approval from a recognizable local lender carries more weight than an online rate-shopper letter or a bank pre-qualification. When the listing agent sees Stairway Mortgage, they know the loan will close.
- It costs nothing and takes under 10 minutes. Fill out the form. Jim calls you. You gather a handful of documents. Letter issued within 24 hours. There is no downside to doing this first.
- It protects you from overpaying. Buyers without clear financing sometimes overbid in a competitive situation, then discover they can't actually close at that number. Pre-approval sets a hard ceiling that protects you from that mistake.
What Buyers Say About Jim
"Jim had our pre-approval letter ready in less than 24 hours. When we found our home in Coral Ridge, we made an offer that same afternoon and the sellers accepted over two competing offers because ours was fully backed."
"As a foreign national buyer from Brazil, I expected the process to be complicated. Jim explained everything clearly, structured the loan correctly from day one, and we closed in 45 days. Incredible."
"I'm self-employed and had been turned down by two other lenders before Jim. He understood exactly how to structure the loan using my business returns and we closed without any issues."
"Jim walked us through the VA loan process step by step. Zero down, closed in 30 days, and he was reachable every time we had a question. Best lender experience I've ever had."