A Reverse Mortgage Masterclass — Taught, Not Sold
You've spent decades paying for your house. It's time your house paid you back. A reverse mortgage converts your home equity into tax-free cash* while you keep ownership and keep living at home. In the next five minutes, I'll show you exactly how — then you decide.
Free consultation · No obligation · No pressure. *Borrowers must continue paying property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and maintain the home.
Regional Sales Manager · 40+ Years in Mortgage Lending
Eliminate your monthly mortgage payment. Create a monthly income stream. Build a growing line of credit for whatever life brings. Fund the remodel that lets you stay in the home you love. Stop spending retirement worrying about money — and start spending it living. Your equity built this option. All that's left is to use it.
Your Course Syllabus
As a former college professor, I believe the best financial decisions come from real understanding — not sales pitches. Here's what we'll cover together.
Lesson 01
Think of the mortgage you've had all your life running in one direction: every month, money flowed from you to the bank. A reverse mortgage simply turns that flow around.
A reverse mortgage — most commonly the FHA-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) — is a loan available to homeowners generally age 62 and older that lets you convert a portion of your home's equity into cash. Instead of making a monthly mortgage payment to a lender, the lender can pay you — and repayment is deferred until you sell the home, move out permanently, or pass away.
Reverse mortgages are heavily regulated by the federal government. Before you can even take out a HECM, you're required to complete a counseling session with an independent, HUD-approved counselor — a consumer protection designed to make sure you fully understand the loan before signing anything. As an educator, I love that requirement.
Why do people use them? To eliminate an existing monthly mortgage payment, supplement retirement income, cover healthcare costs, fund home improvements so they can age in place, delay drawing Social Security, or simply create a safety net of accessible cash. Your equity, your goals.
Lesson 02
The mechanics are simpler than most people expect. Here's the flow of money in a traditional mortgage versus a reverse mortgage:
Money flows out
Money flows in
We talk through your goals, then you complete a required session with an independent HUD-approved counselor — your built-in second opinion.
Your home is appraised and a financial assessment confirms you can comfortably keep up with taxes, insurance, and upkeep.
Any existing mortgage is paid off first — eliminating that monthly payment — and remaining proceeds come to you the way you choose.
*Borrowers must continue to pay property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and home maintenance costs, and live in the home as their primary residence.
Pop Quiz — With Instant Answers
Move the sliders for a ballpark, no-strings estimate. In 2026, FHA counts home value up to $1,249,125 toward a HECM — the highest limit in history.
Older borrowers and higher-value homes generally qualify for more. Home value above the FHA limit may fit a jumbo/proprietary program — ask Tom.
Your balance may exceed typical proceeds at this age — but don't rule it out. Program options vary; a quick review will tell you for sure.
Your $1,500/month payment disappears — that's $18,000 a year staying in your pocket. PLUS an estimated $138,000–$171,000 still available to you on top of it.
*Illustrative estimate only — not an offer or approval. Actual proceeds depend on age, interest rates, program, appraised value (HECM value capped at $1,249,125 for 2026), and closing costs, which are not reflected here. †No monthly principal & interest mortgage payment is required; borrowers must still pay property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and maintenance, and live in the home as their primary residence. Annual savings shown is your entered payment × 12.
Lesson 03
One of the most flexible features of a reverse mortgage is choosing how the money comes to you. Many of my clients combine options.
Take a single payout at closing — often used to pay off an existing mortgage or a large expense at once.
Draw funds only when you need them. The unused portion of a HECM credit line can actually grow over time.
Receive steady monthly disbursements — for a set term, or for as long as you live in the home — like a paycheck from your house.
Blend approaches: pay off your mortgage, keep a credit line for emergencies, and take a monthly amount for daily living.
Field Study
Illustrative examples based on typical situations — your numbers will differ, and that's exactly why we run yours.
Illustrative scenarios only — not offers, approvals, or actual clients. Proceeds vary by age, rates, program, and appraised value.
Advanced Course — Most Homeowners Have Never Heard of This
Here's the dilemma trapping millions of homeowners: you locked in a 2–4% mortgage rate years ago — the smartest money move you ever made — but now you need cash, and every traditional option forces you to give that rate up or take on a new monthly payment. There's a third option almost nobody talks about: a reverse mortgage in second position.
A second-lien reverse mortgage (like the HomeSafe® Second) leaves your existing first mortgage completely untouched. You keep your rate. You keep making your same payment on the first. The reverse mortgage sits behind it in second position and delivers a lump sum of additional funds — with no monthly payment required on the second, ever.*
No refinancing. No losing the rate you'll never see again. No new monthly payment stacked on top. Your equity works — your rate stays.
*No monthly principal & interest payment is required on the reverse second; you must continue making payments on your existing first mortgage and continue paying property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and maintenance, and occupy the home as your primary residence. The reverse second's balance grows over time as interest accrues. HomeSafe® Second is a proprietary product; program terms, minimum age, and availability vary by state and are subject to change. Subject to credit approval and financial assessment.
Lesson 04
Reverse mortgages carry old reputations from decades ago. Today's loans are among the most regulated consumer products in America. Let's grade the most common myths.
Myth
Fact
You keep the title and remain the owner. The lender holds a lien, just like any mortgage. You can sell your home at any time, and any equity above the loan balance is yours.
Myth
Fact
A HECM is a non-recourse loan. Your heirs will never owe more than the home is worth. If the balance exceeds the home's value, FHA insurance covers the difference — your family's other assets are never touched. Heirs can keep the home by repaying the balance, or sell it and keep any remaining equity.
Myth
Fact
You cannot be forced out for as long as you live in the home as your primary residence and meet the loan terms — paying property taxes and insurance and maintaining the property. That protection is written into the loan.
Myth
Fact
Financial planners increasingly view home equity as a strategic retirement asset. A standby line of credit, for example, can help retirees avoid selling investments in a down market or delay Social Security to earn a larger benefit. It's a planning tool — not a panic button.
Myth
Fact
Most of my reverse mortgage clients still have a mortgage balance. The reverse mortgage pays it off first — which is exactly how many homeowners eliminate their monthly payment and free up cash flow overnight. And if you'd rather keep your current low-rate mortgage untouched, a reverse second may let you do exactly that.
Lesson 05
Qualifying for a reverse mortgage is more straightforward than a traditional loan — there's no minimum credit score requirement for a HECM, and income requirements are far more flexible.
Elective — A Sensitive Subject, Handled with Care
"Gray divorce" — divorce after 50 — has surged, and the family home is usually the biggest asset on the table. Traditionally that meant one painful choice: sell the house you both love, or one spouse takes on a new mortgage payment on a single income. A reverse mortgage opens a third path — often a far kinder one.
Here's the problem with the traditional playbook: after a divorce, one income has to do what two used to. Qualifying for a new mortgage gets harder exactly when the payment gets heavier. And selling under pressure means both of you may leave money — and a home full of memories — on the table. The equity you built together can do better than that.
The spouse keeping the home uses a reverse mortgage to pull equity out and pay the other spouse their share of the settlement — without taking on a monthly mortgage payment at the very moment cash flow is tightest.
Sell the shared home, split the proceeds — then each spouse (62+) uses their share as a substantial down payment on a new home with a reverse mortgage covering the rest. Two fresh starts, and neither one carries a monthly mortgage payment.*
*Borrowers must continue paying property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and maintenance, and occupy the home as their primary residence. HECM for Purchase requires a down payment typically around 45–65% of the purchase price depending on age and rates. This is not legal advice — always consult your attorney regarding your settlement.
You now know more about reverse mortgages than most homeowners ever will. The next step takes five minutes: a free, personalized review of your numbers — your home, your equity, your options. If it's right for you, you'll know. If it isn't, I'll be the first to tell you. Either way, you walk away with clarity.
Meet Your Instructor
Tom Jarboe is dedicated to helping homebuyers, homeowners, and real estate investors achieve their financial and homeownership goals through personalized mortgage solutions, strategic guidance, and exceptional customer service.
With more than 40 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Tom has built a reputation for integrity, leadership, and a client-first approach. As a Regional Sales Manager, he has helped thousands of families navigate the home financing process while mentoring and developing mortgage professionals throughout his career.
Tom earned his Master of Real Estate Development from USC and furthered his education through executive studies at Harvard Business School, specializing in Data Analytics and Business Strategy. Having also served as a college professor, Tom believes education is the foundation of great financial decisions — which is exactly why this page teaches before it asks.
Tom proudly serves clients throughout the nation and specializes in Reverse, Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, Down Payment Assistance, and Refinance loan programs. His mission is to build lifelong relationships by delivering trusted advice, personalized service, and mortgage solutions tailored to each client's unique needs.
Off the clock you'll find Tom at a concert, on the golf course, buried in a good book — or teaching, because some habits never retire.
Report Card
Four decades. Thousands of families. Here's what that experience feels like from the other side of the desk.
"We came in convinced reverse mortgages were a scam — our kids thought so too. Tom spent two full meetings just teaching us, invited our son to join by phone, and never once pushed. When we finally decided, it was OUR decision. Our mortgage payment is gone and we sleep better than we have in years."
"You can tell Tom used to be a professor. He drew the whole thing out on paper — what happens to the loan, what happens to the house, what happens when we're gone. Every question got a straight answer, including the ones about fees. No other lender we talked to did that."
"After my husband passed, the monthly payment was eating my Social Security alive. Tom set up monthly payments from my equity instead. He even told me an option that would have paid HIM more wasn't the right fit for me. That's when I knew I could trust him."
Testimonials reflect individual experiences; results vary. Compensation was not provided for statements.
Office Hours — Open Q&A
Final Exam? No — Just a Conversation.
Tell me a little about your situation and I'll prepare a no-obligation review of what you may qualify for — estimated proceeds, program options, and the honest pros and cons for your goals. Rates and program limits change; the homeowners who come out ahead are the ones who know their numbers before they need them.
Takes 30 seconds — your free guide opens instantly on the next page, and Tom personally follows up within one business day.
