Buying our first home meant learning fast — Arthur answered every question, responded to calls and emails quickly, and stayed on top of every deadline. We closed in about a month.
Verified client · Chicago, ILFirst-time buyer
Skokie · Evanston · the North Shore · Chicago
Hey Arthur, what’s my payment?
Text the question, get the number. No jargon, no runaround — just 21+ years of lending experience and a straight answer from the guy who runs Fairway’s Skokie branch.
★ 4.99 · 234 reviewsNMLS #223052Branch Manager, Fairway Home Mortgage
Arthur BlachnoFairway · Skokie
hey Arthur 👋 what would my payment be on a $450k house in Skokie?
Great question. Depends on your down payment and rate, but let’s ballpark it. Which price are we looking at? 👇
tap one:
Roughly$0/moprincipal, interest, taxes, insurance & PMI
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Average rating
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Client reviews
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Years in lending
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States licensed
Rating and review count per Zillow & Google, September 2026. Licensed in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin & Florida.
21+years
in lending
in lending
Meet Arthur
The North Shore’s mortgage guy — and Fairway’s Skokie branch manager.
Arthur Blachno has spent 21+ years helping people buy homes across Skokie, Evanston, the North Shore and the greater Chicago area. Since 2018 he’s run Fairway Home Mortgage’s Skokie branch on Old Orchard Road — which means the person answering your text is also the person accountable for getting your loan closed.
He’s a North Shore native, married with three kids, and his clients keep saying the same two things: he answers fast, and he tells you the truth even when it isn’t the easy answer.
First-time buyer? Start here.
Four steps from “can I even?” to keys.
Most people wait a year longer than they need to because nobody explained the first step. Here it is.
01
Text the question
Any question. “Do I make enough?” “Is my credit okay?” “Is Skokie or Morton Grove smarter for taxes?” There are no dumb ones.
02
Get a real pre-approval
Not a pre-qual guess — a reviewed file that tells you your true budget and makes your offer credible to listing agents.
03
Check for help
IHDA down payment assistance, gift funds, seller credits — Arthur checks every source of money before you write a check.
04
Shop with a number
Now the house hunt is fun, because you know exactly what a $500k listing costs you per month before you walk in.
Loan programs
Every kind of buyer. One straight answer.
Conventional Loans
The workhorse of home financing — flexible terms, competitive costs, and down payments as low as 3% for first-time buyers.
Learn more →FHA Loans
The first-time buyer favorite — 3.5% down, friendlier credit requirements, and forgiving guidelines for real-life finances.
Learn more →VA Loans
For those who served — $0 down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and some of the strongest terms in all of lending.
Learn more →Jumbo Loans
Financing above conforming loan limits for higher-priced homes — with the same guidance and straight answers.
Learn more →Down Payment Assistance
Illinois has real down payment help — IHDA programs can put thousands toward your down payment and closing costs for qualified buyers.
Learn more →No idea which one?
That’s fine — that’s the job. Text Arthur what you’re trying to do and he’ll tell you which program fits, and why.
💬 Text 847-912-6580Real clients, real reviews
Five stars.4.99 across 234 client reviews
Posted on Zillow & Google — every review lives on the platform where the client left it.
Finally found someone who could actually get a VA loan done right. Highly recommended.
Verified client · Skokie, ILVA loan
Third home purchase, and by far the best lending team we have worked with. Seller-side delays piled up and Arthur’s team still got us great terms and an expedited closing.
Verified client · North ShoreRepeat buyer
Nervous first-timer with a long list of questions. Arthur was professional, patient, and gave me the comfort I needed.
Verified client · Chicago, ILFirst-time buyer
Good, honest advice on the different options for my mortgage — it was appreciated.
Verified client · Evanston, ILRefinance
Responsive, addresses questions and concerns in a timely manner, and the whole team was excellent from start to finish.
Verified client · Chicago, ILPurchase
Buying our first home meant learning fast — Arthur answered every question, responded to calls and emails quickly, and stayed on top of every deadline. We closed in about a month.
Verified client · Chicago, ILFirst-time buyer
Finally found someone who could actually get a VA loan done right. Highly recommended.
Verified client · Skokie, ILVA loan
Third home purchase, and by far the best lending team we have worked with. Seller-side delays piled up and Arthur’s team still got us great terms and an expedited closing.
Verified client · North ShoreRepeat buyer
Nervous first-timer with a long list of questions. Arthur was professional, patient, and gave me the comfort I needed.
Verified client · Chicago, ILFirst-time buyer
Good, honest advice on the different options for my mortgage — it was appreciated.
Verified client · Evanston, ILRefinance
Responsive, addresses questions and concerns in a timely manner, and the whole team was excellent from start to finish.
Verified client · Chicago, ILPurchase
Learn, no email required
Cook County taxes, PMI, points, escrow — explained like a neighbor would.
A plain-English glossary, a process walkthrough, and the myths that keep North Shore buyers renting. Read it all without handing over your email address.
Why is everyone’s payment in Skokie so much higher than the mortgage calculator says?
Property taxes. Cook County is one of the highest-tax counties in the country, and most online calculators default to a national average. Mine doesn’t — that’s why the number I text you is the number you’ll actually pay.
Have a question? Just ask Arthur.
No pressure, no jargon, no obligation — just a straight answer from someone who’s been doing this since 2005. Text, call, or apply whenever you’re ready.