Fairway Home Mortgage · Sartell, MN
Buying, building, or refinancing around St. Cloud? Debbie French has guided Central Minnesota families through every kind of market since the '90s — with plain English, honest math, and no pressure.
For homeowners 62+, a reverse mortgage can turn part of your home's equity into usable funds — with no required monthly mortgage payment. Debbie is a trained Fairway reverse mortgage planner, and for her, this program is personal.
NMLS #339106 · Branch Manager · Serving the greater St. Cloud area
Debbie French0
Years in home lending
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Client rating
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Loan programs
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Reverse mortgage age
Meet Debbie
Debbie has spent more than three decades helping Minnesota families finance their homes — through rate spikes, refi booms, and everything in between. Today she leads Fairway's Sartell branch, serving the entire greater St. Cloud area with the same promise she started with:every question gets a straight answer.
First house, next house, new construction, or a smarter refinance — Debbie's job is to make the numbers make sense before you commit to anything.
Reverse mortgages are personal for Debbie: she watched a HECM loan help her own mother stay in her home for years after her father passed. That's why she became a trained Fairway reverse mortgage planner — to give other families that same peace of mind.
Your first steps
The reverse path
A 15-minute conversation — no documents, no commitment. Where are you now, where do you want to be?
Know your real budget before you fall in love with a house. Sellers take pre-approved buyers seriously.
Tour homes knowing exactly what each price means for your monthly payment.
Debbie's team keeps every milestone on schedule — and keeps you in the loop the whole way.
Coffee-table conversation about your home, your goals, and whether a HECM even makes sense for you.
Every borrower meets with a HUD-approved counselor first. It's a built-in consumer protection — and a good one.
Debbie handles the paperwork; an appraisal establishes your home's value and available equity.
Choose a lump sum, monthly advances, a line of credit, or a mix — structured around your retirement plan.
Loan programs
Every program explained in plain English — no login, no email wall.
The workhorse of home financing — flexible terms, competitive costs, and down payments as low as 3% for first-time buyers.
Learn more →The first-time buyer favorite — 3.5% down, friendlier credit requirements, and forgiving guidelines for real-life finances.
Learn more →For those who served — $0 down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and some of the strongest terms in all of lending.
Learn more →$0 down for homes in eligible smaller communities — many Twin Cities exurbs qualify, and most buyers have no idea.
Learn more →Financing above conforming loan limits for higher-priced homes — with the same guidance and straight answers.
Learn more →Minnesota has real down payment help — Minnesota Housing programs can put thousands toward your down payment and closing costs.
Learn more →Lower the payment, drop mortgage insurance, tap equity, or shorten the term — when the math works, Debbie will show you. When it doesn’t, he’ll tell you.
Learn more →For homeowners 62+: turn a portion of your home equity into usable funds — with no required monthly mortgage payment — while you stay in your home.
Debbie's specialty →That's the normal starting point. Text Debbie what you're trying to do, and she'll tell you which programs actually fit.
Text DebbieWhy Fairway
Fairway isn't a faceless lender — it started with founder Steve Jacobson's belief that a mortgage company should be measured by the people it helps, not just the loans it closes. That culture is exactly why Debbie hung her license here.
"It's not about the loans we do; it's about the hearts we change and the people we help."
Real clients, real reviews
Highlights from verified client reviews on Experience.com — every buyer real.
Debbie is just above and beyond awesome! She was really looking out for us!!
Nathan J B · Minneapolis, MNVerified customer
She has a great team and communicates extremely well.
Brandi N · Minnetonka, MNVerified customer
Debbie, you and your team give outstanding customer service! You have gone out of your way to help me find homeowners insurance and watched the rates fluctuate with me and gave me confidence to lock in at the right time.
Cynthia G · Saint Joseph, MNVerified customer
Debbie made the experience great. Have used her services for numerous homes purchased in the past.
Andrew N · Minnetonka, MNRepeat client
It was the easiest process. So helpful through the whole experience. We also were told from the county that they have never worked with a better lender.
Evan D · Alexandria, MNVerified customer
Responsive and friendly.
Chelse B · Saint Cloud, MNVerified customer
Debbie helped us get our credit scores to a place where we could buy our dream house! And for that I will forever be thankful.
Addison R · Sartell, MNVerified customer
The process was very smooth 👌
Travis S · Cape Coral, FLVerified customer
Seamless, helpful, and always responsive to all requests.
Amanda M · Cape Coral, FLVerified customer
Quick feedback with a friendly team. Everything came together as planned with no surprises.
Nathan A · Vadnais Heights, MNVerified customer
Debbie is just above and beyond awesome! She was really looking out for us!!
Nathan J B · Minneapolis, MNVerified customer
She has a great team and communicates extremely well.
Brandi N · Minnetonka, MNVerified customer
Debbie, you and your team give outstanding customer service! You have gone out of your way to help me find homeowners insurance and watched the rates fluctuate with me and gave me confidence to lock in at the right time.
Cynthia G · Saint Joseph, MNVerified customer
Debbie made the experience great. Have used her services for numerous homes purchased in the past.
Andrew N · Minnetonka, MNRepeat client
It was the easiest process. So helpful through the whole experience. We also were told from the county that they have never worked with a better lender.
Evan D · Alexandria, MNVerified customer
Responsive and friendly.
Chelse B · Saint Cloud, MNVerified customer
Debbie helped us get our credit scores to a place where we could buy our dream house! And for that I will forever be thankful.
Addison R · Sartell, MNVerified customer
The process was very smooth 👌
Travis S · Cape Coral, FLVerified customer
Seamless, helpful, and always responsive to all requests.
Amanda M · Cape Coral, FLVerified customer
Quick feedback with a friendly team. Everything came together as planned with no surprises.
Nathan A · Vadnais Heights, MNVerified customer
No dumb questions
Escrow? PMI? HECM? Debt-to-income? The Learn page gives every term the friend treatment — short, honest definitions with zero email walls.
Browse the glossary →No pressure, no jargon, no obligation — just a straight answer from someone who’s been doing this for 30+ years. Text, call, or apply whenever you’re ready.