Mortgage Market Insights
Rate updates, housing market analysis, and policy changes that affect borrowers.
Why a 20-Point Credit Score Jump Sometimes Changes Nothing
Mortgage pricing moves in tiers, not straight lines. A 40-point credit score jump can save a borrower roughly $26,000 over a $400,000 loan, or it can save nothing at all. The difference is whether the jump crosses a tier boundary.
Refinance Breakeven Math 2026: When Rate Drops Actually Pay Off
With 30-year rates at 6.30% and the rate-cut narrative driving refinance interest, the math separates two cohorts cleanly. Borrowers locked above 7.0% see clean breakeven windows. Borrowers locked between 6.40% and 6.75% face breakeven horizons that exceed typical holding periods.
Collections and Charge-Offs: Mortgage Qualification Rules
Every collection, charge-off, or judgment on a credit report has one of three outcomes under mortgage underwriting: Pay, Count in DTI, or Ignore. Which outcome applies depends on the type of debt and which loan program group you are using.
Mortgage Rates Drop as the Spread Correction Begins
The 30-year fixed fell to 6.37% for the week ending April 9, 2026, the first decline after three weekly increases. The drop came from spread compression, not Treasury movement, and daily locked rates suggest further improvement ahead.
What Happens to Your Mortgage If You Lose Your Job?
Job loss before closing is an approval problem. Job loss after closing is a payment problem. The rules, risks, and next steps are completely different depending on timing.
Can You Get a Mortgage With Defaulted Student Loans?
Defaulted federal student loans block FHA and VA mortgage eligibility through CAIVRS (Credit Alert Interactive Voice Response System). Rehabilitation restores eligibility in about 10 months. For borrowers in repayment, the monthly payment matters far more than the balance.
Mortgage Rates Climb to 6.46%, But Treasury Yields Barely Moved
The 30-year fixed rate rose to 6.46% for the week ending April 2, 2026, up 8 bps, even as the 10-Year Treasury fell. The mortgage-Treasury spread widened to 213 bps, 43 bps above its historical average.
Fixed-to-ARM Spread Analysis: When 40 Basis Points Changes the Math
The current 0.40% spread between 30-year fixed and 7/6 ARM rates creates a narrow window where adjustable rates make sense. Data-driven analysis of who benefits and when the math breaks down.
Rent vs. Buy in 2026: Where the Math Works Across 5 Metros
At 6.38% and current home prices, owning costs more per month than renting in every major metro. But equity accumulation creates a breakeven at 4 to 16 years depending on the market. The answer is not rent or buy, but how long you plan to stay.
USDA Loans Fell 75% - Why the Zero-Down Program Could Rebound in 2026
USDA loan volume fell 75% from its 2021 peak. The decline is now slowing, and improving inventory and stabilizing rates are making zero-down financing more relevant again.
Mortgage Rates Rise to 6.38% as Spread Widens (Despite Falling Treasury Yields)
The 30-year fixed rate rose to 6.38% for the week ending March 26, 2026, up 16 bps, even as the 10-Year Treasury fell. The mortgage-Treasury spread widened to 205 bps, the highest level this cycle.
Spring 2026 Housing Market: Inventory Rebuilds as Rates Stall
Spring 2026 housing conditions are defined by rising inventory, resilient prices, and mortgage rates stuck above 6%. Months supply has more than doubled year over year while home sales are projected to climb modestly.