Plain-English guides to buying, refinancing, rates, and home equity.
The Pima County Mortgage Credit Certificate reopened in October 2026. Here is how the tax credit works, who qualifies, the 2026 income and price limits, what it costs, and a calculator to estimate your savings.
Effective September 2, 2026, Fannie Mae no longer requires a signed lease to count rental income on the home you are leaving. What changed and who it helps.
Freddie Mac now allows conventional loans on manufactured homes moved from another site. The engineer's report, the zone rule, and what the loan won't pay for.
The limited condo review didn't die on August 3, 2026. It moved: non-QM lenders still run one, with a 2-page questionnaire and down payments from 15%.
Fannie and Freddie retired the limited condo review on August 3, 2026. Why good buildings fail, and the non-QM option through lending partners.
Banks mostly stopped offering HELOCs on rentals. Here is why, who still does them, and how investors can get up to 90% CLTV, DSCR qualifying, and automated closes in as little as 1 to 3 days.
Tempe rents go up every year. At some point most parents of an ASU student run the math on four years of rent checks and think, "should we just buy the kid a place?"
Write-offs shrink the income lenders see. Here's how add-backs and bank statement loans can get self-employed buyers qualified anyway.
Every fall the Valley fills back up with winter residents. And every fall we get the same call.
The three reasons Scottsdale condos fail Fannie and Freddie's rules, why your own insurance can't fix it, and how non-warrantable condo loans work.
Builder rate buydowns are usually real, but the cost is often baked into the price. How to compare the deal, and how any seller can do the same.
One significant annual update that deserves attention is the revised conforming loan limits set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). For 2026, the conventional loan limit is $832,750 for a single-unit home.
Your interest rate is what you pay each month based on the amount you still owe on your loan. The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is a bit different.
When you’re buying a new home but already own one, there are several different ways to approach how to qualify for your new mortgage.
Many lenders will tell you the only way to reduce your payment on your loan is to refinance even if you have a large sum of money to put down. That's not always the case however.
Homeownership is considered to be an integral part of the American Dream. But for some unique situations (whether it’s credit issues, unique income, or other circumstances), it can sometimes feel out of reach.
An iBuyer is any company that makes an offer on your home instantly. Opendoor and Offerpad still operate today, though the industry is much smaller than at its 2021 peak.
Shopping around to different lenders to find the perfect mortgage is crucial. As mortgage brokers, we’re here to do the shopping for you, but it doesn’t hurt to have some shopping power!
Equity is essentially how much of your home you actually own. That includes your down payment and all of your principal payments.
If you got your mortgage in the last few years, you may be carrying a higher rate than you need to. There are several situations where a refinance is worth a serious look.
A renovation loan allows you to finance certain renovation and repair costs. This is ideal if you find a home that you like that just needs some renovations to become your dream home.
A HELOC is a Home Equity Line of Credit. HELOC’s are a little bit different than your typical amortized mortgage or even a home equity loan.
If we decide to escrow your taxes and insurance, the lender will collect some money from you at closing. They’ll collect anywhere from 3 to 8 months worth of taxes to start your escrow account on a purchase.
Escrowing your taxes and insurance means that you are including your property taxes and hazard insurance in your monthly mortgage payment. If you’re doing that, an escrow account will be required.
A rate lock occurs at some point during the loan process. Typically, we encourage a rate lock towards the beginning of the process.
Most people typically lock in their rate early in the process. For most lenders, you can lock in a rate as soon as you find a property address.
Credit scores can be a daunting thing, which is why we’re here to help make sense of it all. Your credit score has a big impact on your loan and interest rate, but it’s not the only factor.
The FHA Self Sufficiency Rule applies to FHA borrowers looking to finance a property with 3 or 4 units. This does NOT apply to buyers purchasing a one or two unit property.
We are constantly told that investing in real estate can help build long term wealth. For buyers willing to live in one unit, a 2-4 unit property can be financed with a surprisingly low down payment.
Most everyone has heard at some point that if you’re buying a home, you should put 20% down. However, not everyone knows why.
The market is extremely hot right now, with lots of potential buyers putting in offers on homes. Obviously the seller can’t sell their home to everyone, so many of those offers will be rejected.
When we say “Rate,” what we actually mean is “Interest Rate.” Simply, this is the cost you pay for borrowing money.
Loan programs are always changing. However, most of the core loan programs stay the same. Here's an overview of what we offer, from conventional and FHA to DSCR and asset-based loans.
The first step of the loan process is to help you get pre-qualified. The application consists of providing some simple information along with documentation.
This feels like the age old question in the mortgage industry especially for buyers with low down payments. You’re not a veteran so you don’t qualify for a VA loan.
HomeReady® and HomePossible® are two versions of conventional mortgage programs. Both programs aim to serve low to moderate income households and income areas.
Property taxes in Arizona are due twice a year and paid in arrears, which means they are paid after the time they’re actually due. Taxes for January – June are due October 1st but not late until November 1st.