NEWS & INSIGHTS

21% of Sellers Just Cut Their Price — a Record. Here's the Playbook. 21% of sellers just cut their price — a record. Here's the playbook. According to Redfin, 21% of U.S. home sellers cut their asking price in September — the highest share ever recorded. This is now a buyer's market in many areas. For buyers who have been waiting, this creates real opportunity. Take a $650,000 home as an example. At a 10% price cut to $585,000 with 10% down at 6.625%: • Monthly principal & in

Self-Employed for Just One Year? You Can Still Qualify for a Mortgage. Self-employed for just one year? You can still qualify for a mortgage. I often meet clients who became self-employed after a career change, a move to freelancing, or starting their own business. Many are told by other lenders that they need two years of self-employment income. That is not always the case. We work with self-employed borrowers who have only one year of self-employment income. There are two p

What Rates Are My Clients Actually Closing At? What rates are my clients actually closing at? I reviewed the loans I personally closed in 2026 so far including QM and Non-QM loans. These two charts show the note rate distribution: Primary residences and second homes: • Average rate: 6.163% • Range: 4.875%–7.125% Investment properties: • Average rate: 6.448% • Range: 5.5%–7% Behind every rate is a different borrower, property, and financing strategy. When I work with a client,

Rate Hike Again? The Fed raised its policy rate by 0.25 percentage points in September, and CME FedWatch now shows traders pricing in roughly a 70% chance of another increase in October. Even it doesn’t necessarily mean the mortgage rate will rise again in Oct, but it shows a trend of where the rate is going. As we talk with buyers, here are three things worth keeping in mind: 1️⃣ Focus on negotiating seller concessions. A credit may make a bigger difference to a buyer’s near

First-Time Homebuyer Math: $226,000 Purchase, ~$500 Cash to Close Today, I sat down and did the math for a first-time homebuyer. Purchase price: $226,000. Estimated cash to close: $500. Yes—just FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. How is that possible? The buyer qualifies for: • 0% down • Up to $15,000 in forgivable assistance toward eligible closing costs and downpayment, but limited to 6% of the purchase price • No monthly PMI The interest rate is 7.375%. That number may sound high at fi