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

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

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,

Who Is Abandoning U.S. Treasuries? Who is abandoning U.S. Treasuries? The answer, based on the data, is: not quite as many people as you might think. In 2020, foreign investors held roughly $7.1T of U.S. Treasury securities. By 2026, that figure is around $9.2T. So the great Treasury abandonment story appears to be... slightly overstated. But something is changing. Look at where capital has gone elsewhere. The Magnificent 7 were worth roughly $8.5T at the end of 2020. Today,

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

Interest Rates Could Rise Again in October Buyers ask me whether they should move now or wait. I understand why. When you’re making a decision this big, even a small change in the monthly payment matters. But I think there’s a better question to ask before choosing a price range: What payment would still feel comfortable if rates changed before you found your home? I always suggest testing rates half a percentage point above today’s rate if you plan to buy in three months, 0.

What Does a 25 Bps Fed Rate Hike Actually Mean to You? Today, the Federal Reserve will announce its latest interest-rate decision. If rates move by 25 basis points (0.25%), what does that actually mean for you? One important misconception first: A 25-bps Fed move does NOT mean mortgage rates automatically move 0.25%. The Fed controls a short-term policy rate. Mortgage rates are influenced more by the bond market, inflation expectations, economic conditions, and—most important