Six months ago, I published my 2026 mortgage rate predictions, and if you’d told me back in December that the biggest driver of rates this year would be a war halfway around the world, I would’ve said that’s not usually how this works. But here we are at the midyear mark, and that’s exactly what happened. Let’s recap what actually unfolded in the first half of 2026 and then get into the updated forecasts for the rest of the year. [Read more…]
2026 Mortgage Rate Forecast: Midyear Update
July 1, 2026 by 1 Comment
Working with a Local Lender vs. an Online Lender for your Mortgage
December 12, 2025 by 1 Comment
Last week I had fun creating a spoof where I’m consoling a drunk racoon, Rocky. Rocky has the blues because he decided to chase a low rate with an online lender and now his home purchase transaction is on a rocky road. All joking aside, I actually have saved several purchases where clients who first opted for an online lender with a slightly lower rate discovered that the loan officer and their lender could not close their transaction. It’s easy to promise a low mortgage rate but that low rate doesn’t matter at all if your transaction doesn’t close. [Read more…]
Conforming Loan Price Adjustments (LLPAs): What They Are and How They Affect Your Mortgage Rate
December 12, 2013 by 6 Comments
Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for 2026.
When you apply for a conventional mortgage, the interest rate you’re quoted isn’t just based on what the market is doing that day. It’s also affected by a series of risk-based pricing adjustments called Loan Level Price Adjustments — or LLPAs. LLPAs are fees charged by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that get built into your mortgage rate or closing costs based on specific characteristics of your loan. Understanding how they work can help you make smarter decisions about your down payment, credit score, and loan structure before you apply. [Read more…]
Do I Have the Best Mortgage Rate?
February 6, 2012 by 1 Comment
One of my first-time home buyers recently asked me a question I hear often: “Do I have the best rate possible?” It’s a great question — and the answer depends on what “best rate” actually means to you.
In my experience, there are two ways borrowers typically think about it:
- Best rate based on how you qualify
- Best rate based on current market pricing
