The One Piece of Paper That Decides Whether Your Parents' Down Payment Help Counts
Family wants to help with your down payment? Learn why a gift letter decides whether conventional loan gift funds count, and the question to ask first.
Blog
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Does VantageScore 4.0 Mean a Cheaper Mortgage Rate? Richard's Story
Does VantageScore 4.0 mean a cheaper mortgage rate? Richard's story shows why a different scoring model is not a discount by itself, and what to do instead.
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Assuming a VA Loan From an Ex-Spouse and Adding an Adult Child: Does the Rate Change?
Assuming a VA loan from an ex-spouse and adding an adult child? Learn who applies, whether the rate changes, and how the veteran gets a release of liability.
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If Your USDA Ratio Is Over the Line, Read Paragraph 4.24.A
Debt-to-income over the line on a USDA loan? Learn the compensating factors in Paragraph 4.24.A and the exact question to ask your loan officer.
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From Base Pay Only to the Full Picture: How FHA Counts Military Income
Barbara learned FHA counts more than base pay. See which military pay a lender can use, including BAH and BAS, and the question to ask your loan officer.
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Your Bank Balance Is Not the Whole Story: Ann and the Large Deposit Rule
Ann's story: a conventional lender verifies funds with two months of statements and documents large deposits exceeding 50% of qualifying income.
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One Late Mortgage Payment Could Cost Delilah Her Timeline on Her Next Home
One late mortgage payment can slow your next conventional loan. Learn the 0x30 rule for the last 12 months and the exact question to ask your loan officer.
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Does VantageScore 4.0 Mean Easier Mortgage Approval?
VantageScore 4.0 is a new way to measure credit, not a looser set of rules. Here is why the AUS still decides the file and what to tell your buyers.
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Is It Normal for a VA Loan to Change Loan Officers and Be Sold After Closing?
A new loan officer mid-process and a sale after closing are both common on VA loans. Here is what stays the same and the one question to ask in writing.
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If You Are Buying With an FHA Loan and Think It Is 15 or 30 Years, Read This
FHA caps the mortgage term at 30 years but does not require five year multiples. See what Carol learned and the exact question to ask your loan officer.
