Meet Walt Schulz

Cut through the noise.
Retire with confidence.

Buying or refinancing real estate comes with a lot of noise. I help you cut through it, and together we create a plan you understand.

Book a Clarity Call My Story

Nearly 30

years in mortgage lending

First Home to
Retirement Home

every move in between

Purchase & Refinance

residential and investment loans

Annual Check-ups

Financial Fitness, every year

Education

free fiscal literacy classes, CE for Realtors and financial planners, and more

Salem

local roots, serving clients nationwide

A quick hello

A couple of minutes on who I am, how I work, and why I do this.

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Why I do this

People ask me why I got into the mortgage industry. The honest answer? I thought it was something almost everyone would need, so the demand would always be there.

I've learned it's much more than that. It's moments.

The moment a family gets the keys to their first home.
The moment the nursery finally gets its own room.
The moment someone who thought they couldn't qualify finds out they can.
The moment someone who rebuilt after bankruptcy hears the word "approved."
The moment a single parent, starting over, walks into a home that's theirs alone.
The moment a family brings Mom and Dad home to live with them, and there's room for everyone.
The moment a couple in their 60s realizes they can retire comfortably because of the plan we put in place together.
The moment a senior who was about to lose their home gets to stay, and finally sleeps through the night again.

Those moments are why I do this. I believe that when people have clarity, their whole life gets better. And I believe everyone deserves great advice, without pressure, without confusion, and without the hype.

A mortgage is never really about the mortgage. It's about what it makes possible. The stability. The roots. The future.

Walt

What makes working with me different

I'm not your typical loan officer. I'm a mortgage advisor and debt strategist, someone you work with for life, not just on one purchase or refinance. Here's what that means for you.

01

Advice first, loan second

We start with your goals, not a product. Sometimes the right answer is "not yet," and I will tell you that, along with exactly what to do to get there.

02

A payment that works today

I won't stretch you to the max or count on rates dropping later. Your payment needs to fit your life right now, with room to breathe.

03

You will understand every number

Plain language, side by side options, and the "why" behind each one. If something is confusing, that's my job to fix, not yours to figure out.

04

Your whole financial picture

I work alongside financial planners, CPAs, and attorneys, so your mortgage fits your retirement, taxes, and estate plan instead of fighting them.

05

Education you can use

Through free webinars and fiscal literacy classes, I teach how money and mortgages really work, whether or not you ever borrow from me.

06

Every stage of life

First home, move up, investment and commercial property, and reverse mortgages for homeowners 62 and older. One advisor who knows your story.

Your home is part of your retirement plan

For most people, their home is their biggest asset. The way you finance it today shapes how you live later. Here is how we plan for that together.

Working years

Pay it off on purpose

We structure your loan around when you want to retire, so the payoff date is a choice, not an accident. Buying, refinancing, or paying down, every move has a reason.

Approaching retirement

Use your equity wisely

Rightsizing, helping family, or easing withdrawals from retirement accounts. We look at your equity alongside your planner and CPA, so it supports the bigger plan.

Age 62 and older*

Reverse mortgages (HECM)

Access your home equity and have the option to make a monthly mortgage payment or not. You stay on title, and we walk through the pros and the cons honestly, together with your family.

*In some states, private reverse mortgage programs are available to homeowners 55 and older.

How we work together

Five simple steps. No pressure at any of them.

1

Clarity: Dreams and Goals Call

A relaxed conversation about where you are and where you want to go. Bring every question you have.

2

Discovery Meeting: Your Plan

You get clear options in plain language, with the costs, the payments, and the long term impact laid out side by side. You choose with confidence.

3

Shopping for the Right Home

With your plan in hand, you shop with confidence, not guesswork.

A pre-approval letter updated for each offer you make
A payment estimate on any home you're considering, usually same day
I work hand in hand with your Realtor so your offer stands out and gets accepted with a competitive advantage

4

Close with Confidence

No surprises at the closing table.

A full recap of everything we discussed, in writing
Before you sign, we walk through your final numbers line by line and compare them to your plan
You sit down at closing already knowing every number

5

Beyond Closing

Closing day is the start of the relationship, not the end.

I watch rates for you, and call when a refinance or another loan option would actually make sense
Your Annual Financial Fitness Check-up, every year
Even when your payment goes to another loan servicer, I'm still your advisor, just a call or text away

My Philosophy

My job really begins when we close.

Most lenders get you into a loan, and then you never hear from them again.
That's not how we work.

Every year, our clients get an Annual Financial Fitness Check-up.
We look at more than just the mortgage.

✓

Your home's value

Has your home gained enough value to remove your mortgage insurance*, without a refinance?

✓

Your mortgage

Is your loan still working for you, or is there another option that would work better?

✓

Your protection

Are there gaps in your insurance, or a need for a will or trust? We connect you with trusted professionals.

✓

Your taxes

Could tax planning with the help of a CPA put more money back in your pocket?

From first home to retirement home.

We partner with you for life, on your first home, every move in between, and all the way to your last home.

*Mortgage insurance removal is subject to loan program and loan servicer requirements.

A typical mortgage experience vs. the Schulz Team experience

What many borrowers get	What you get with me
A rate quote and a sales pitch	A conversation about your goals and a written plan
Jargon and fine print	Plain English answers to every question
Pressure to lock in today	Time and information to decide with confidence
Qualified for the maximum	A payment that fits your life today
Your loan in a silo	Coordination with your planner, CPA, and attorney
Silence after closing	Annual Financial Fitness Check-ups, from first home to retirement home

What clients say

★★★★★

"Walt was outstanding to work with throughout the entirety of the home buying process. I couldn't recommend him and the team any higher. Walt is extremely knowledgeable and personable and really cares about making the best deal happen for you. Thanks to the Schulz team!"

Caden S., Google Review

Have we worked together? Share your experience on Google

The code I live by

Know Your Code Live It Share It

The best advice comes from people who are clear on their values and actually live them. Honesty, clarity, and service guide every recommendation I make.

When you work with me, you get the same advice I would give, and have given, my own family.

Rooted in Salem

It's about bringing people together and serving one another. Here is where you will find me outside the office.

Shop with a Cop

I run Shop with a Cop in Marion County, pairing local kids with law enforcement officers for back to school and holiday shopping days. Hundreds of kids, and some of the best days of my year.

First Home IQ

Free monthly webinars that help people understand money, credit, and homeownership before they ever apply for a loan.

Classes and Education

Free fiscal literacy classes on budgeting, home buying, retirement, and more, plus CE classes for Realtors and financial planners.

Client Chef's Nights

I host private chef dinners for clients, where we learn to cook something great together right at the table. Part cooking class, part great conversation, all community.

For financial planners, CPAs, and attorneys

Your clients trust you with their financial future. I'm the mortgage partner who protects that trust: no pressure, no surprises, and recommendations that fit the plan you have built with them.

Let's Connect

Mortgage education for your teamA class series from mortgage basics through advanced loan strategy and reverse mortgages, built on real client case studies.
Coordinated planningI work alongside you, so the mortgage supports the retirement, tax, and estate plan instead of working against it.
Clear communicationYou stay informed at every step, and your client hears the same message from both of us.