Who Pays Closing Costs When You Buy a House?
Craig Snell
November 6, 2026
Most closing costs land on you as the homebuyer, but a seller can cover part of them, or even all of them, if a large
Paul Messina is a US Army combat veteran, deployed to the Middle East, and a mortgage loan officer serving veterans and military families across the country. Before he helped veterans buy homes, he served alongside them. That service is still the throughline. Every career move since — real estate agent, now mortgage loan officer — has pointed in the same direction: getting the men and women who earned the VA benefit into the homes they fought for. Paul operates out of Great Falls, Montana, a short drive from Malmstrom Air Force Base, and works with clients nationwide. His practice is built on a specific conviction: the mortgage industry has a trust problem, and veterans deserve better than what the industry has been handing them. His job is to bring trust and transparency back to the transaction — plain math, straight answers, and a loan officer who picks up the phone. He is active in AIME, the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts, and serves as the 2026 Chairperson of the Technology and Innovation Committee — focused on making loan officers faster and more efficient so they can deliver the kind of white-glove service their friends and clients deserve. Paul is a graduate of Dustin Owen’s Originator Boot Camp and continues to train under Dustin at The Loan Officer Podcast. His move to Milestone reflects the standard he holds himself to: direct mentorship, transparent pricing, and a platform built for a national practice — not a local side hustle. If you served, if you’re stationed, or if you know someone who is — Paul is the call to make.
(406) 788-9843
pmessina@milestonemortgagesolutions.com
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