Learning Center
Learn mortgages the plain-English way
Straight answers about mortgages, from a licensed loan officer who explains the why behind every number. Browse by topic below — home buying, loan types, refinancing, home equity, rates, and the fundamentals — or scroll for the latest guides and articles.
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Home Buying
Pre-approval, down payment help, offers, and closing — the full buyer journey.
Explore Home BuyingLoan Types
FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, jumbo, DSCR and more — compared plainly.
Explore Loan TypesRefinancing
When to refinance, closing-cost math, and traps to avoid.
Explore RefinancingHome Equity
Home equity loans and HELOCs — how to put your equity to work.
Explore Home EquityRates & Market
What really drives rates, plus timely market news.
Explore Rates & MarketMortgage Basics
APR, taxes, escrow, title, and the tools that tie it together.
Explore Mortgage BasicsLatest guides & articles
Deep Dive: Multi-Unit FHA
Use FHA financing to buy a 2-4 unit property and offset your payment.
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Deep Dive: Vacation Home Guide
Financing options and rules for buying a second or vacation home.
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FHA Loans Plus a Down Payment Grant: How Little You Can Actually Bring to Closing
Combining an FHA loan with a down payment assistance grant can reduce what you bring to closing to as little as 0% to 1% of the purchase price, nationwide, not just in select states.
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Types of Refinancing Explained: Rate-and-Term, Cash-Out, and Streamline
There are three main types of mortgage refinancing: rate-and-term, cash-out, and streamline. Each solves a different problem, and picking the wrong one is the most common refinancing mistake.
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Home equity loan or cash-out refinance: which one should I use?
If your current mortgage rate is lower than today's rates, a home equity loan usually costs less because it leaves your first mortgage untouched. Here is the full side-by-side with the math.
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How much of my home equity can I borrow?
Most lenders let you borrow up to about 80 to 85 percent of your home's value across all loans combined, then subtract what you still owe on your mortgage.
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