Author: Kevin Martini

Kevin Martini (NMLS 143962) is a Certified Mortgage Advisor and Producing Branch Manager at Martini Mortgage Group at Rate in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since 2006, he has originated more than $1 billion in home loans and helped families across Raleigh, the Triangle and North Carolina use their mortgage as a tool to build long-term wealth. Kevin's philosophy is simple: any mortgage company will tell you what you CAN do, but very few will help you understand what you SHOULD do. That's why he built Martini Mortgage Group on a Strategy Before Structure approach. Every home loan is designed around the client's full financial picture, short- and long-term goals, and total cost of borrowing, not just today's rate. Because the team's Certified Mortgage Advisors and Mortgage Strategists are paid a salary rather than 100% commission, their fiduciary-style advice focuses on what's best for the client before, during and long after closing, with the goal of helping families grow their wealth, reduce debt and plan for a debt-free retirement. Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from Nova Southeastern University's Huizenga School of Business & Entrepreneurship. He hosts the Martini Mortgage Podcast, with more than 250 episodes, and shares mortgage strategy and market news on Instagram (@KevinMartiniLive) and YouTube (@MartiniMortgage).

  • Condo Mortgage Rules Raleigh NC: What Changed in 2026

    ByKevin Martini

    Condo mortgage rules Raleigh NC changed in 2026 when Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac retired the fast-track review path roughly 40% of condo loans used to rely on. Kevin Martini and Logan Martini of Martini Mortgage Group have seen the shift firsthand across Raleigh, Wake County, and the Triangle, where North Carolina’s lack of a state reserve-study mandate leaves many HOAs unprepared for the new 15% reserve standard. Buildings with thin reserves or outdated reserve studies can now slow or derail a loan regardless of the buyer’s credit profile. The building’s paperwork, not just the borrower’s file, decides the timeline in 2026.

  • 10 Mortgage Terms Raleigh Homebuyers Need to Know Cold

    ByKevin Martini

    Mortgage terms Raleigh homebuyers need to know cold rarely get explained in plain language until a stressful moment mid-contract. Kevin Martini and Logan Martini of Martini Mortgage Group translate APR, PMI, DTI, due diligence, underwriting, and six other essential terms into the real dollar amounts and deadlines Wake County and Triangle buyers actually encounter. The guide shows why a $400,000 Raleigh loan can carry $165 to $330 a month in PMI, why North Carolina’s due diligence fee is non-refundable the moment it’s paid, and why comparing APR, not just rate, is the only way to see a loan’s true cost. Buyers who read this before writing an offer negotiate from a fundamentally stronger position.

  • Confident Home Buying Decision Raleigh NC: The Honest Truth

    ByKevin Martini

    A confident home buying decision Raleigh NC almost never fails for lack of information, it fails because nobody has translated that information into one buyer’s specific goals, finances, and timeline. Kevin Martini and Logan Martini of Martini Mortgage Group see this pattern weekly across Raleigh, Wake County, and the Triangle, where rate forecasts, price headlines, and well-meaning advice all describe someone else’s situation. Conflicting mortgage advice Raleigh NC gets resolved not by adding a sixth data point but by translating the data already in hand through one buyer’s income, credit, and Cary or Apex timeline. That translation, not another forecast, is what restores confidence before an offer is ever written.