EP 432: From Flipping Houses To Funding Dreams With Town Square Mortgage

What makes Lindsay Menz with Town Square Mortgage a good neighbor?

Ready to ditch the 20 percent down myth and get clear on what it actually takes to buy a home? We sit down with Lindsay Menz of Town Square Mortgage, a loan officer who started in construction and house flipping before moving into lending. That hands-on background shapes how she guides buyers through options that fit real lives—whether you are purchasing your first place, upsizing for a growing family, downsizing after the kids leave, or eyeing a vacation rental that pays for itself.

Across our conversation, we break down the most common barriers that stall buyers. Lindsay details how low-down and even zero-down programs work, when down payment assistance can cover cash to close, and what lenders really look for beyond a single credit score. If you have been stuck waiting for “perfect timing,” you will hear practical ways to define readiness, use seller credits and temporary buydowns, and create a refinance plan if rates shift later. We also talk investor strategy: second homes in beach or mountain markets, Airbnb considerations, and loan products designed for rental income.

What sets this chat apart is Lindsay’s blend of financial savvy and property sense. She knows the difference between a deal that looks good on paper and one that truly supports your goals, budget, and season of life. With a strong lender-agent network across DFW and lending options nationwide, her team focuses on removing friction—clearing up credit confusion, mapping next steps, and partnering with agents to find the right property. You will leave with a simple message: if it is the right time for you, there is a path forward.

Subscribe for more candid, local conversations with experts helping neighbors thrive. Share this episode with someone who thinks they “can’t qualify,” and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

to learn more about Town Square Mortgage go to: https://www.tsmlending.com/team-1/lindsay-menz

Town Square Mortgage

612-590-4200

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Intro

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

SPEAKER_02 0:10

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a mortgage lending company? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing our good neighbor, Lindsay Menz, with Townsquare Mortgage. Lindsay, now it is lovely to have you on, and we are so excited to learn about you and your company. Please start by telling our listeners just a little bit more about your company.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it. I am a mortgage loan officer. I am with Townsquare Mortgage. We are a DFW-based mortgage lending company, but we also lend throughout the United States. So we can help anyone, basically anywhere throughout the US.

SPEAKER_02 0:54

Wow. Now getting into your background a little bit, how did you originally get started in this business?

SPEAKER_01 1:02

That's a great question. I have a very kind of interesting journey that brought me to mortgage lending. Actually, I grew up my dad was a contractor. So he did huge renovation projects. One of his biggest projects was turning a hotel into apartments in the mountains in France. And so I grew up around the construction world, grew up in homes. He built my childhood home from the ground up. So really cool experience to grow up in and around. But I actually flipped my very first house that I ever flipped on my own in 2007. And that's how I kind of got into the real estate realm. I loved real estate, loved the real estate market, went to open houses all the time. But I started flipping houses in 2007 and haven't really looked back since then. So I was flipping houses full-time. I was, you know, stay-at-home mom with three kids, but managing these flipping projects. And I was actually approached by the branch manager of a mortgage company asking me if I would join their team. Mortgage lending is a very male-dominated industry, and they wanted to diversify a little bit more and bring some female leadership into their organization. So I joined, I took my MLO test two weeks later, passed, and hit the ground running. We've been going crazy since then.

Myths About Down Payments And Credit

SPEAKER_02 2:22

Wow. Now, today, what is that most common myth or misconception you get asked on the day-to-day?

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Yeah. Do I need 20% down to buy a home? Or how can I even qualify? I don't think I have enough money, or my credit score isn't good enough. So, really, most people think I don't know how to qualify, or I'm not going to qualify. And that's not true. You don't need 20% down to buy a home. You can put as little as 0% down, 3% down to get into a home. And the reality is there's so many opportunities and programs available for down payment assistance, upfront cash to close. There's opportunities for zero-down programs that help you get a loan to get into a home. And really that provides the opportunity for someone to come to the table with almost little to no money. And credit score, credit score, you can really qualify, even if you're in the upper 500 credit score, you can still purchase a home. There are opportunities to get into a home with a lower credit score.

Who We Serve And How We Reach Them

SPEAKER_02 3:29

Wow, Lindsay. Now, switching gears for a second. We know marketing is the heart of every business. So who are some of your ideal customers that you're helping and how are you attracting them? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

Anyone that wants to buy a house, whether it's a first-time home buyer, somebody upgrading their home, somebody downgrading, maybe life circumstances have changed, or maybe you're an empty nester and you realize you don't need the same amount of space. But also work with a lot of real estate investors. Are you looking for a home at a beach where you can utilize it for fun with your family, but then rent it out on the off season? Or do you love the mountains and you want to buy a ski vacation home? Um, Airbnb that and get to utilize it yourself. Really, anyone that wants to buy a home, I can help you with great opportunities, great loan programs to help you get into a property. Really, we have social media that we work a lot on social media, but also just word of mouth. I have a lot of relationship-based marketing that is done just by the sphere around me and my friends and family and a lot of real estate agents that I work with.

SPEAKER_02 4:37

Wow, Lindsay, with so much great information. I have to ask, have you ever thought about having your own podcast before?

SPEAKER_01 4:45

That's a great question. Um, I've done a lot of podcast interviews, but I've never um wanted to jump into like a real estate podcast or a local podcast. But that's a great question.

SPEAKER_02 4:57

Now, circling back to your business and what it's really about, you know, what is the biggest takeaway you would like our listeners to gather from learning more about Town Square mortgage?

SPEAKER_01 5:09

Don't feel like it's not the right time to buy a house. The reality is there's no perfect moment. You're always gonna have another baby that's coming or an upcoming wedding for a child that you're gonna pay for. There's no perfect timing. It's just a question of is it the right time for you? And if it is, then let's find ways to overcome any challenges or roblox, whether it's money for down payment or it's raising your credit score or finding the right home. I work with really amazing real estate agents throughout DFW, and I know we can help you find the right property for your family, your story, your needs.

SPEAKER_02 5:47

Final question for you today, Lindsay. Where can our listeners go to learn more about Townsquare Mortgage?

SPEAKER_01 5:54

Yeah, so just Google Lindsay Men's Townsquare Mortgage. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok. You can also find my website out there, but really many opportunities to find us.

SPEAKER_02 6:06

Well, Lindsay, I really appreciate you being on the show today, and we wish you and your business the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_01 6:14

Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it.

Where To Find Lindsay And Closing

SPEAKER_00 6:17

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpfrisco.com. That's gnpfrisco.com or call 469 221 9345.