The HomeTurf Blog
Guides on mortgages, refinancing, and how a reverse auction helps you get competing offers.
Does a Fed Rate Hike Raise Mortgage Rates? How Rates Reached 7.4% in 2026
Why the 30-year mortgage rate reached 7.40% in October 2026 while the Fed moved once: the 10-year Treasury, the mortgage spread, and how to read your own quote.
Adjustable-Rate Mortgages in 2026: What to Check Before You Take the Lower Rate
ARMs were 10.5% of applications in October 2026 as 5/1 rates ran about a point below 30-year fixed. See how SOFR ARMs adjust, the caps, the notices, and the math.
Which Credit Score Do Mortgage Lenders Use? FICO vs VantageScore 4.0
Learn which credit score mortgage lenders use in 2026, how Classic FICO and VantageScore 4.0 fit, why your score differs from app scores, and what tri-merge is.
VA Funding Fee Explained: The 2026 Rate Table, Exemptions, and Refunds
See the VA funding fee table by down payment and prior use, who is exempt, how refunds work, and why VA offers still differ by lender on rate, points, and fees.
How Much Down Payment Do You Need? Minimums and Gift Rules
See minimum down payments by loan type (3%, 3.5%, 5%, zero), the credit score tiers behind them, and the gift fund and gift letter rules lenders follow.
Is PMI Tax Deductible in 2026? What the Restored Deduction Covers
Mortgage insurance premiums are deductible again for tax year 2026. See which premiums qualify, the income phase-out, and where it goes on Schedule A.
How Soon Can You Refinance After Buying a House? Rules by Loan Type
Find out how soon you can refinance after buying: conventional, cash-out, FHA, and VA waiting periods, the delayed financing exception, and prepayment limits.
Must You Refinance With Your Current Lender? How to Shop Privately
You are not required to refinance with your current lender. Learn when your servicer finds out, how payoff statements work, and how to compare offers privately.
2026 Conforming Loan Limits: When Does a Mortgage Become a Jumbo Loan?
See the 2026 conforming loan limits from FHFA, where high-balance and jumbo loans begin, how FHA limits are set, and why jumbo offers vary more by lender.
Can You Switch Mortgage Lenders Before Closing? What It Costs
Learn whether you can switch mortgage lenders after pre-approval, after a rate lock, or after the Closing Disclosure, what transfers, and what starts over.
Why Two Lenders Quote Different Rates for the Same Borrower
Learn why two lenders quote different mortgage rates for the same borrower, and how secondary-market pricing, margins, price adjustments and lock terms add up.
Why Mortgage Rate Quotes Expire, and How to Compare Them Fairly
Learn why mortgage rate quotes expire in days, how a quote differs from a rate lock, and how to compare lender offers fairly on the same day and same terms.
Seller Concessions and Closing Cost Credits Explained
Learn what a seller concession can and cannot pay for, the commonly cited contribution limits by loan type, and how seller credits differ from lender credits.
From Chosen Lender to Keys: The Mortgage Underwriting Timeline
See the mortgage underwriting timeline after you pick a lender: Loan Estimate, rate lock, appraisal, conditions, clear to close and funding, plus common delays.
Mortgage Trigger Leads: Why the Calls Start and How to Shop Privately
Mortgage trigger leads explain the calls that follow one credit pull. Learn how to opt out, what the 2026 law changed, and how to compare lenders anonymously.
Mortgage Pre-Approval Letters: What They Prove and How Long They Last
Learn what a mortgage pre-approval letter proves, how it differs from prequalification, how long it usually lasts, and why it never ties you to one lender.
Escrow Accounts Explained: What Is in Your Monthly Mortgage Payment
Learn how a mortgage escrow account collects taxes and insurance, why a fixed-rate payment can still rise, and how to read escrow lines across Loan Estimates.
Discount Points vs Lender Fees: How to Tell a Rate Buydown From a Cost
Discount points vs lender fees: split any mortgage quote into points, lender charges and third-party costs, then compare zero-point rates on equal terms.
Which Closing Costs Can Change Before Closing?
Some quoted closing costs cannot legally rise at all, some can rise only 10 percent in total, and some can change freely. Here is how to tell them apart.
Loan-to-Value (LTV) Explained: The Thresholds That Change Your Mortgage
LTV compares your loan to your property's value, and a handful of specific thresholds change your mortgage insurance, your options and your pricing.
When Should You Refinance? How to Find Your Break-Even Point
Find out when refinancing makes sense, how to calculate your break even point, and why comparing several refinance offers can change the math in your favor.
Temporary Mortgage Buydowns: How 2-1 and 3-2-1 Buydowns Work
See how 2-1 and 3-2-1 buydowns temporarily lower your monthly payments, who typically funds them, and how they stack up against permanent discount points.
What Is PMI? Private Mortgage Insurance and How to Remove It
Understand what private mortgage insurance is, when lenders require it, what drives the premium, and how to cancel PMI as your equity grows.
Mortgage Closing Costs Explained: What You Pay and What Is Negotiable
See what goes into mortgage closing costs, which fees vary by lender, which you can negotiate, and how comparing several offers reveals charges to question.
How to Read a Loan Estimate and Compare Offers Line by Line
Learn what every section of a Loan Estimate means, which fees lenders control, and how to compare offers line by line with confidence.
FHA vs Conventional Loans: Which One Fits Your Finances?
Compare FHA and conventional loans on credit score, down payment, and mortgage insurance so you can choose the loan type that truly fits your finances.
Debt to Income Ratio: How Lenders Decide How Much House You Can Afford
Learn how lenders calculate your debt to income ratio, the DTI limits for common loan types, and practical ways to lower yours before you apply for a loan.
Cash-Out Refinance vs HELOC: Which Way to Tap Your Equity?
Compare a cash out refinance with a HELOC, see when each option fits, and learn why protecting a low first mortgage rate often shapes the smarter choice.
Assumable Mortgages: How Buyers Take Over a Seller's Low Rate
Learn how assumable mortgages let buyers take over a seller's existing rate, which loan types qualify, and how to weigh an assumption against a new loan.
15 vs 30 Year Mortgage: How to Pick the Right Loan Term
Weigh a 15 year mortgage against a 30 year on monthly payment, total interest, and flexibility, plus how lender competition affects rates for each term.
How to Shop for a Mortgage Without Hurting Your Credit
Worried that comparing lenders will hurt your score? Here is how the rate-shopping window works and how to gather offers with confidence.
Mortgage Rate Locks: When Should You Lock Your Rate?
A rate lock protects your quoted rate while you close. Learn how locks work, when to lock, and how to compare lock terms across offers with confidence.
Mortgage Discount Points: Should You Buy Down Your Rate?
Discount points let you pay upfront for a lower rate. Learn how points work, how they compare to lender credits, and when buying down makes sense.
How to Get the Best Mortgage Rate
Learn what the best mortgage rate really means and the practical levers you control to improve your offer, including getting lenders to compete.
How Many Mortgage Lenders Should You Compare?
Comparing several mortgage lenders helps you judge an offer on its real merits. Here is how many to weigh and what to look at when you do.
Fixed vs Adjustable-Rate Mortgage: Which Is Right for You?
Understand how fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages work, who each suits, and how to compare competing offers like-for-like with confidence.
What Credit Score Do You Need for a Good Mortgage Rate?
See how credit score tiers shape mortgage pricing, which ranges lenders look at, and how to strengthen yours before you apply with confidence.
APR vs Interest Rate: What Is the Difference?
See how APR and the interest rate differ, why APR folds in certain loan costs, and how to use each to compare mortgage offers with confidence.
What N.M.L.S. Verification Means for You as a Borrower
Every lender on HomeTurf is checked against the N.M.L.S. before they can bid. Here is what that verification is and why it protects you.
Purchase vs. Refinance Auctions: Which One Should You Run?
A plain guide to when a purchase auction makes sense versus a refinance auction, what each one asks for, and how to decide.
Pre-Approval vs. Beat My Rate: Which Auction Should You Run?
Two HomeTurf auction types for two different moments: getting ready to buy, and testing whether lenders can improve on an offer you already have.
How a Reverse Auction for Your Mortgage Actually Works
See how a reverse auction lets verified lenders compete for your loan while you stay anonymous, and how to start one in minutes.
How to Compare Lender Offers Beyond the Interest Rate
The interest rate is only part of a mortgage offer. Here is what else to weigh, from fees to timelines, so you can compare offers with confidence.