Secure Your Dream Home This Thanksgiving Season
Unlock the Door to Your Dream Home This Thanksgiving with Expert Mortgage Guidance Tailored Just for You!
A Little About me
Hi, I’m Amanda LaRussa, your local mortgage broker and proud San Diego neighbor. After spending several years in Arizona, my family and I recently made the move back to California — and I couldn’t be happier to call San Diego home again.
Life here just feels right — running on the beach, chasing my kids between school, baseball, and cheer, and family days filled with sunshine, laughter, and maybe a little sand in the car. When I’m not working or cheering from the sidelines, you’ll find me snowboarding, baking something sweet, or getting involved in local community events.
As a mortgage broker, I bring that same sense of community and care into my work. I believe buying a home is more than a financial decision — it’s a life moment. My goal is to make that experience personal, transparent, and stress-free, helping families find not just a house, but a place they truly love to call home
Feeling Thankful
The older I get, the more I find myself slowing down to appreciate the simple things — a quiet morning run, the sound of the ocean, my kids laughing in the backseat, or a friendly wave from a neighbor. Life moves fast, and every day we face choices. I choose kindness. I choose gratitude. And I choose to help others whenever I can.
We’re living in times where so many are carrying heavy burdens — from rising costs and job loss to health battles or losing loved ones. Those realities remind me daily how fortunate I am — to have my health, to live in beautiful San Diego, and to wake up each morning with the chance to make someone’s day a little easier.
That’s what drew me to the mortgage industry. Homeownership isn’t just about interest rates or loan programs — it’s about stability, security, and hope for the future. My mission is to offer education, guidance, and transparency, especially when life feels uncertain. Because when someone invests in a home, they’re really investing in their story — and I’m grateful to be part of helping write that next chapter
Explore Our Mortgage Options
Discover mortgage solutions crafted to ensure your financial prosperity and comfort.
New Home Purchase
Every home tells a story — and every move has a reason behind it.
Maybe you’re buying your first home, full of excitement (and maybe a little nervousness) as you take that big step toward building your future.
Maybe your kids are grown, and you’re ready to downsize, simplify, and spend more time doing the things you love.
Or maybe your family is growing, and you’re dreaming of a bigger backyard or a neighborhood with top-rated schools and friendly faces.
Whatever your “why” is, I’m here to walk beside you through it all.
As your local mortgage broker, my role goes beyond rates and paperwork. I take time to understand your story, your goals, and your lifestyle — because a home loan should fit you, not the other way around. From explaining loan options in simple terms to helping you plan for what’s next, my goal is to make the process transparent, stress-free, and empowering.
Buying a home isn’t just a financial decision — it’s a personal journey. My promise is to guide you with honesty, education, and heart, so you can move confidently into the next chapter of your life… wherever that may lead.
Bridge Loan
Imagine finding your next dream home before your current one has sold — exciting, right? But then reality hits: how do you buy the new home if all your money is still tied up in your current one?
That’s where a Bridge Loan comes in.
A bridge loan is a short-term loan that lets you use the equity from your current home to help purchase your new one — before your old home sells. It’s like building a financial bridge from one home to the next, so you don’t have to rush into selling or miss out on the perfect new place.
People often use a bridge loan when they:
Find a new home before selling their current one
Want to make a strong, non-contingent offer
Need funds for a down payment without touching savings
Prefer to move first, then list their old home after
It’s a helpful option for families who need flexibility during a big transition — because life doesn’t always line up perfectly between “sold” and “bought.”
If you’re in that in-between stage, I can help you explore whether a bridge loan makes sense for your situation and how to make the move as smooth as possible.
Refinancing
Lately, I’ve been hearing the same question from friends, neighbors, and clients — “Is now a good time to refinance?”
The truth is, with rates starting to trend downward, many homeowners are finally seeing opportunities to lower their monthly payments or reach their financial goals faster.
A general rule of thumb is that refinancing makes sense when you can reduce your interest rate by at least 0.5%. And here’s the good news — you can often roll your refinance costs into your new loan, which means you don’t have to pay anything out of pocket. Plus, you can skip one month of mortgage payments in the process.
Every situation is unique — maybe you’re looking to free up cash for home improvements, shorten your loan term, or simply save more each month. Whatever your reason, I’m here to walk you through your options, explain everything clearly, and make sure the numbers truly make sense for you.
If you’ve been wondering when the right time might be, let’s connect and run the numbers together. Sometimes one simple change can make a big difference.
Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
Let’s say you’ve been in your home for a few years. You’ve made your payments, the market’s been strong, and now your house is worth more than when you bought it. That extra value — called equity — is like hidden money sitting inside your walls.
A Home Equity Line of Credit, or HELOC, lets you tap into that equity without selling your home. Think of it as a flexible line of credit that works a lot like a credit card — but one that’s backed by the value of your home and typically comes with a much lower interest rate. You can borrow what you need, when you need it, and only pay interest on the amount you actually use.
Now, here’s where the story gets real — life happens.
Maybe your kids are heading to college and you want to help with tuition.
Maybe your kitchen is long overdue for an update, and you’d rather remodel than move.
Or maybe you’re looking to pay off high-interest debt, build an ADU, or even start an investment project.
A HELOC can be a smart way to make those dreams happen without refinancing your entire mortgage. It gives you flexibility and control over your finances while keeping your low first mortgage rate intact.
When used wisely, a HELOC can be an incredible financial tool — one that helps your home work for you, not the other way around.
If you’ve been curious about how much equity you might have — or whether a HELOC could make sense for your goals — I’d love to walk you through your options and help you decide what’s best for you and your family.
Reverse Mortgage
For many homeowners, the home they’ve worked so hard for has become one of their biggest assets — but most of that value is locked up as equity.
A Reverse Mortgage (officially called a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage) is a powerful tool that allows homeowners 62 and older to unlock a portion of that equity and turn it into tax-free cash — without selling their home or making monthly mortgage payments.
Think of it this way:
You spent years paying into your home. A reverse mortgage simply lets your home start paying you back.
Now, let’s talk about why people use it — because it’s not just for those who are “struggling.”
It can be a smart financial strategy for anyone who wants more freedom and control later in life:
🏡 Avoid tapping credit cards or high-interest debt when expenses rise or inflation hits.
💵 Access cash to invest or diversify your portfolio, letting your money continue to grow elsewhere.
🌴 Enjoy life — travel, spoil your grandkids, or make home improvements that bring joy every day.
💰 Keep your home appreciating while still accessing its value — your property can continue to gain equity even while you draw from it.
Here’s how it works:
With a reverse mortgage, you continue to own your home and live in it just like before. You’re still responsible for property taxes, insurance, and maintenance — but you don’t make monthly mortgage payments. The loan balance simply grows over time and is paid off later — typically when the home is sold, or when the last borrower passes away or moves out.
And what happens then?
When the homeowner passes away, the heirs have choices:
They can sell the home, pay off the reverse mortgage, and keep any remaining equity.
Or, if they want to keep the home, they can refinance the balance into a traditional mortgage.
In other words, a reverse mortgage doesn’t take away your home — it gives you flexibility with the wealth you’ve already built, so you can live the life you’ve earned.
If you or someone you love has built up strong equity and wants to explore options to create more financial breathing room — I’d be honored to walk you through how this could work for your situation, step by step.
Testimonials
Neil G
Amanda is one of the most thorough, verse, educated and kind individuals to work with. Everything with her is seamless. She takes time to thoroughly review every detail. She was a real pleasure to work with and would recommend her to any family or friend.
Casey J
In my years of being in this industry you very rarely get the opportunity to work with people who truly take their knowledge seriously and want to be a true professional. Every deal has its own hurtles and Amanda had a true open line of communication at all hours and made it very clear we were a team and worked with my client till the job was done! Then followed up multiple times to make sure all was good after closing.
Marissa H
Amanda worked super hard and fast and got us the mortgage rate we had been asking for. She was super easy to communicate with, fast at responding and even sent us this beautiful personalized wooden cutting board! Awesome person to work with!