If you bought your home in the past few years and your interest rate starts with a 6… or maybe even a 7… you’re not alone.
One of the most common questions I’m hearing right now is:
I Bought My Home with a 6.75% Rate – Should I Refinance Now?
February 19, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Working with a Local Lender vs. an Online Lender for your Mortgage
December 12, 2025 by Leave a 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…]
How to Catch a Falling Interest Rate
April 16, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Mortgage interest rates have been VERY volatile with all the movement in the stock market. Typically, when the stock market is plummeting, we see mortgage rates improve. This is because mortgage rates are based on bonds and investors will seek the safety of bonds. In the markets we recently have been experiencing, the lower mortgage rates may be available for moments before moving higher.
If you’re considering refinancing to obtain a lower interest rate, you need to be prepared to take action. [Read more…]
Should You Avoid Private Mortgage Insurance
January 12, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Recently I was invited to contribute to an article for U.S. News on How to Avoid PMI on a Mortgage with Less Than 20% Down by Gina Freeman.
The article includes various strategies on how to avoid private mortgage insurance.
Private mortgage insurance is typically required when someone is putting down less than 20% for a home purchase or if someone has higher than an 80% loan-to-value if they’re refinancing a property and are using a conventional mortgage.
There are many ways private mortgage insurance (pmi) can be paid for, including a lump sum “single premium” as a closing cost or as part of the monthly mortgage payment.
There is also “split premium” which is a combo of a single premium and monthly and lender paid.
The seller may even be able to contribute towards private mortgage insurance if negotiated in the real estate contract and the loan meets required guidelines for someone who’s putting down less than 20% for a home purchase or if someone has higher than an 80% loan-to-value if they’re refinancing a property and are using a conventional mortgage. [Read more…]
How High Credit Card Interest Rates Affect Your Mortgage Qualification
October 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
A while back I received a notice from a local department store informing me that my credit card interest rate was going up — from 24% to 31%. This was right after the Fed had lowered the funds rate. My credit is excellent. When I called to ask about it, I was told the increase was across the board and there was nothing they could do. My only option, they said, was to stop using the card. [Read more…]
