NEWS & INSIGHTS

What Type of Borrower Gets the Best Mortgage Rate? You might think it's the borrower who negotiates the hardest. Not necessarily. I met a client recently whose first question to every lender was exactly the same: "Can you cover my $600 appraisal fee?" She was determined to get that fee waived. But here's something many borrowers don't realize. When a lender offers a credit to cover your appraisal fee, that money isn't necessarily free. The lender may simply offer a slightly h

A $2,015 Difference in Monthly Payments Deserves a Conversation A $2,015 difference in monthly payments deserves a conversation before a buyer walks away. Here's a real scenario I'm seeing: $1.5M home purchase 40% down → $900,000 loan amount Option A: 30-year fixed at 7.25% → ~$6,140/month principal & interest Option B: First-lien HELOC at 5.50% (interest-only) → ~$4,125/month That's a $2,015/month difference. The HELOC isn't for everyone — it's variable, interest-only, and r

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

Buy Without Sell: When You Don't Have to Sell Your Current Home Before Buying the Next One. $104K annual income. $550K new home. 10% down. Three weeks to close. Most lenders said no — the current home was listed, but with no offer in hand. One suggested a hard money loan. But this borrower wasn't buying an investment property. They were simply moving from one primary residence to another. Here's the situation: 🏠 Current Home - Expected sale price: $450,000 - Outstanding mort