SISTER BROKERAGE · PORTFOLIO HOME REALTY
Save Financial mortgage + 1% buyer rebate. One Mike Basti, two licensed brokerages.
When you buy a home through Save Financial's sister real estate brokerage Portfolio Home Realty (DRE #02232009), you receive 1% of the purchase price back at close of escrow — and finance it through Save Financial for our typical competitive rate advantage over banks. The combined savings on a $1.2M Newport Beach purchase: $12,000 cash back plus roughly $130-$200/month lower mortgage payment.
The math: combining mortgage savings with the buyer rebate
Two California-licensed businesses, one Mike Basti, two ways to save on the same transaction.
Example: $1,200,000 Newport Beach home, 20% down
| Savings Source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Portfolio Home Realty 1% buyer rebate | $12,000 at closing |
| Save Financial vs. bank rate (~competitive wholesale pricing advantage) | ~$2,160/year ($180/month) |
| 10-year savings on rate advantage | ~$21,600 |
| Combined 10-year savings | ~$33,600 |
How the two businesses work together
- Find your home with Portfolio Home Realty. A full-service buyer's agent representing you across 49 SoCal cities (Newport Beach, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, plus 43 more). DRE #02232009.
- Get pre-approved with Save Financial. Concurrent pre-approval through our mortgage brokerage (NMLS #377740). Most clients get pre-approved in 24-48 hours.
- Write a competitive offer. Portfolio Home Realty writes your offer with Save Financial's pre-approval letter — sellers see a strong, financially-ready buyer.
- close efficiently. Coordinated transaction with shared admin between the two offices.
- Receive your 1% rebate at closing. Take it as cash, apply it to closing costs, or use it as a mortgage rate buy-down — your choice.
Smart way to use your 1% rebate: rate buy-down
Most clients take the 1% as cash. But for the financially savviest move, apply it as a permanent rate buy-down on your Save Financial mortgage.
On a $1,200,000 home with $960,000 financed, your $12,000 rebate equates to roughly 1.25 points of rate buy-down — translating to a meaningful lower mortgage rate for the entire 30-year loan life. Over 30 years, that competitive rate reduction saves approximately $58,000-$65,000 in interest — roughly 5x the upfront rebate value.
Where Portfolio Home Realty operates
Portfolio Home Realty serves 49 cities across Los Angeles County and Orange County:
- Westside LA: Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Malibu, Westwood, Venice
- South Bay: Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Palos Verdes, Torrance, El Segundo
- Marina & Coastal: Marina del Rey, Culver City, Long Beach, Seal Beach
- San Fernando Valley: Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Burbank, Glendale
- Orange County: Newport Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Yorba Linda, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, Mission Viejo, Tustin, plus more
See the full list of cities and detailed market data →
Why use Portfolio Home Realty over a discount brokerage?
The "1% rebate" model used by Portfolio Home Realty is not a discount brokerage — it's a full-service buyer brokerage that simply operates more efficiently than traditional firms and passes the savings to buyers.
Every Portfolio Home Realty transaction includes:
- Full MLS access and unlimited property tours
- Offer writing and price negotiation
- Inspection coordination
- Disclosure review
- Escrow management start to finish
- Coordinated communication with the Save Financial mortgage team
The rebate doesn't come from cutting services. It comes from the fact that both businesses share the same office addresses (Newport Beach + Marina del Rey), the same admin team, and the same operational overhead — letting Portfolio Home Realty operate at a lower cost than firms that need to fund retail brokerage offices independently.
Tax treatment of buyer rebates
Per IRS guidance, buyer rebates are generally treated as a purchase price reduction — not income — and are not reported as taxable income. Always confirm with your CPA or tax advisor for your specific situation.
Lender compatibility
Most conventional, FHA, and VA loans allow buyer rebates. Portfolio Home Realty navigates this with your Save Financial loan officer upfront — and in rare cases where a specific lender restricts rebates, we structure the rebate as a closing cost credit instead.