Application Checklist
What to gather before you apply, sorted by what underwriting needs to know: who you are, what you earn, what you’ve saved and what you owe.
Mortgage Basics
How mortgages work
Buying or refinancing a home throws a lot at you at once, and nobody teaches most of it in school. Here we cover it one topic at a time, in everyday language, including the numbers and the fine print that matter.
Closing Costs
What you pay to close on the home, on top of your down payment. Which charges you can negotiate, which you can shop for, and which are set by the state.
Credit
How your credit report is built and scored, which scores mortgage lenders use, and what can raise your number before you apply.
Appraisals
How a home is valued, who owns the report, your right to a copy, and what to do if the value comes in below the contract price.
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
What it costs, why you pay it when you put down less than 20%, and the three ways it comes off.
Refinance
How to tell whether a new mortgage will pay for itself, using your break-even point instead of a rule of thumb.
Glossary of Terms
Simple definitions of the terms you’ll see in a loan file, from amortization to underwriting.
Foreclosure
What happens when payments stop, your options at each stage, and where to get free help from a HUD-approved counselor.