VP, Mortgage Banker

Sarah Alvarez is a Vice President, Mortgage Banking at William Raveis Mortgage.

In 2022, Alvarez personally originated over $35 million in her rookie year with William Raveis Mortgage as a part of the Melissa Cohn Group, while the team saw originations of more than $275 million. Alvarez specializes in helping first-time homebuyers who are navigating the complicated purchase process. As both a mortgage broker and banker working with over 60 different investors and lenders, Alvarez can offer a wide range of services to all types of borrowers. Through William Raveis, she has access to the best products available. Whether it's someone needing a low down payment, or a borrower with complex tax returns, she has the expertise to get it done. She is licensed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Florida.

A graduate of Deerfield Academy and Vanderbilt University, Alvarez has been at William Raveis Mortgage since 2020 when she joined her mother, industry legend Melissa Cohn, as part of the Melissa Cohn Group. Prior to joining William Raveis Mortgage, Alvarez served as Director of Referrals at real estate brokerage Stribling & Associates where she worked for nearly a decade. During her time there, she was responsible for creating and maintaining an extensive international referral network which represented over $100 million in annual sales, and generated $2 million in gross commission income. Additionally, Alvarez earned two national referral awards from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE), including the coveted Pinnacle Award, recognizing Stribling as one of the top referral departments in the country. Alvarez resides in East Hampton, New York.

Business Insider article - “Why Fixed-Rate Mortgages Are Still Better Than ARMs in 2024”
https://www.businessinsider.com/fixed-rate-mortgages-better-adjustable-discount-points-interest-rate-savings-2024-3

CNN article - “Interest-only mortgages: How they work and why they’re usually unwise”
https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/money/interest-only-mortgages

CNN article - “What credit scores do you need for a mortgage?”
https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/money/credit-score-requirements-for-mortgage

CNN article - “Find competitive rates for HELOCs in January 2024”
https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/money/heloc-rates-01-22-2024

MPA article - “When is the right time to buy a house?”
https://www.mpamag.com/us/mortgage-industry/industry-trends/when-is-the-right-time-to-buy-a-house/471256

Credible article - “Buying a Home? Here’s How To Get a Mortgage Pre-Approval”
https://www.credible.com/mortgage/how-to-get-preapproved

CBS News article - “Is it a good idea to take equity out of your home? Here's what experts say.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-it-good-idea-to-take-equity-out-of-home-what-experts-say/

WSJ article - “Three Ways to Pay for a Home If a Traditional Mortgage Isn’t on the Table”
https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/three-traditional-mortgage-alternatives-fefd0b82?st=cjofb04bqbug0yp&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Forbes article - “If You’re Buying A Home, Don’t Make Any Other Major Purchases”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/terriwilliams/2023/08/29/if-youre-buying-a-home-dont-make-any-other-major-purchases/?sh=12773cdc3f4b

SF Gate article - “When will mortgage rates go down?”
https://www.sfgate.com/personal-finance/housing-market/article/when-will-mortgage-rates-go-down-18313748.php

Business Insider article - “Will mortgage rates go down? 5 reasons you shouldn't wait for rates to drop”
https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/advantages-to-buying-house-when-mortgage-rates-are-high

Consumer Affairs article - “Mortgagor vs. mortgagee (2023)”
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/mortgagor-vs-mortgagee.html

CNET article - “Compare Current Refinance Rates in August 2023”
https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/mortgages/refinance-interest-rates-today/

MPA article - “Fed Reserve meeting – understanding its actions and impact on mortgages”
https://www.mpamag.com/us/mortgage-industry/market-updates/fed-reserve-meeting-understanding-its-actions-and-impact-on-mortgages/454372

MPA article - “Federal Reserve interest rate hike – what happens next?”
https://www.mpamag.com/us/news/general/federal-reserve-interest-rate-hike-what-happens-next/453852

CNET article - “7 Homebuying Mistakes to Avoid”
https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/mortgages/advice/7-homebuying-mistakes-to-avoid/

Forbes article - “Thinking About Overpricing Your Home? You’re Playing Russian Roulette”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/terriwilliams/2023/07/13/thinking-about-overpricing-your-home-youre-playing-russian-roulette/?sh=227f43882d56

CNET article - “Mortgage Rate Predictions for July and Beyond: Interest Rates Likely to Stay Higher for Longer”
https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/mortgages/advice/mortgage-rate-predictions-for-july-and-beyond-interest-rates-likely-to-stay-higher-for-longer/

NY Post article - “What credit score do you need to buy a house?”
https://nypost.com/mortgages/what-credit-score-is-needed-to-buy-a-house/

SFGATE article - “What is mortgage insurance?”
https://www.sfgate.com/personal-finance/article/what-is-mortgage-insurance-18156427.php

Consumer Affairs article - “Types of mortgage loans”
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/types-of-mortgage-loans.html

Consumer Affairs article - “How to get a mortgage”
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/how-to-get-a-mortgage.html

Apartment Therapy article - “6 Important Things Everyone Needs to Know About Mortgage Rates This Winter”
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/mortgage-rates-winter-2023-37198734

Hunker article - "Can't Afford to Buy a Home? Buydowns May Be the Answer You're Looking For"
https://www.hunker.com/13775620/home-buydowns

Business Insider article - "The average mortgage interest rate by state, credit score, year, and loan type"

Business Insider article - "More Buyers Are Getting Adjustable Mortgages, Betting Rates Will Fall"
https://www.businessinsider.com/adjustable-rate-mortgages-arms-risks-betting-rates-fall-2022-8

Real Simple article - "Do You Really Need That 20% Down Payment on a House?"
https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/money/home-finance/do-you-need-20-percent-down-payment-on-house