Resources

Mortgage guides, explainers, and industry updates.

Recent Updates

Fannie Mae retired the 50% investor concentration limit. Buildings that were blocked from conventional financing are back on the table.

A HELOC or second lien lets you tap equity without touching your 3% first mortgage. The blended math usually wins.

Fannie Mae now allows rental income from your ADU to count toward mortgage qualifying. New rule effective March 2026.

SB 79 opens transit-oriented development. Fannie Mae relaxes condo rules. Two shifts working in the same direction.

What drives your rate, how points and credits work, and how to tell if you’re getting a good deal.

Should you pay points for a lower rate or take lender credits for lower closing costs? Here’s how to decide.

Three different categories lumped together. Learn the difference between loan costs, third-party fees, and prepaids.

Most borrowers never recoup the cost of paying points. Here’s the simple math that shows when it’s worth it.

The mortgage industry makes it hard to comparison shop on purpose. Here’s why and what to watch for.

Four strategies — from no-cost to buying the rate down — and how the cash flow actually works.

Not a last resort. A financial tool with use cases most people never hear about. Income qualifying, interest-only, five use cases.

No TV ads. No cold calls. No haggling. How the direct mortgage model keeps overhead low and passes savings to you.

Two ways to access equity. One keeps your rate. One replaces it. How to figure out which is right.

The breakeven math, the cost of waiting, and how long you’ll keep the loan. Three questions that decide it.

Down payment, reserves, asset depletion — how cryptocurrency works across conventional, government, and non-QM loans.

DSCR loans qualify on rental income — no W-2s, no tax returns. How it works for short-term rental properties.