Six months ago, I published my 2026 mortgage rate predictions, and if you’d told me back in December that the biggest driver of rates this year would be a war halfway around the world, I would’ve said that’s not usually how this works. But here we are at the midyear mark, and that’s exactly what happened. Let’s recap what actually unfolded in the first half of 2026 and then get into the updated forecasts for the rest of the year. [Read more…]
2026 Mortgage Rate Forecast: Midyear Update
July 1, 2026 by 1 Comment
Mortgage Rates This Week: Inflation Heats Up, Jobs Data Looms
June 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Inflation, jobs data, and a packed holiday week — here’s what you need to know about mortgage rates and the housing market for the week of June 29, 2026. [Read more…]
Refinance to Pay Off Student Loans Without Cash-Out Pricing
June 26, 2026 by 1 Comment
If you’ve got federal student loans, you’ve probably heard that repayment is about to change — again. Starting July 1, 2026, the SAVE plan officially ends, two brand-new repayment plans launch, and millions of borrowers will be reshuffled into new monthly payment amounts. That reshuffle doesn’t just affect your loan servicer statement. It flows directly into how a mortgage lender calculates your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) — which affects how much home you qualify for. [Read more…]
When Can I Buy a Home After Bankruptcy?
June 25, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This is a question I get more often than you’d think, and the answer surprises most people: a bankruptcy doesn’t permanently disqualify you from getting a mortgage and depending on the type of bankruptcy you filed and which loan program you use, you may be eligible sooner than you’d expect — in some cases, before your bankruptcy is even fully discharged.
The two things that determine your timeline are which chapter you filed and which loan program you use. Let’s break both down. [Read more…]
How to Prepare to Refinance While Rates Are a Moving Target
June 24, 2026 by 1 Comment
Mortgage rates don’t move in a straight line. They drift up, dip down, hold steady for a few weeks, then jump again — sometimes in the same day.
If you’re waiting for “your number” to refinance, that uncertainty can feel like a reason to wait on everything. Don’t start the application. Don’t pull your credit. Don’t look too closely at your current loan. Just… wait.
Here’s the thing: waiting for the right rate and preparing to refinance are two completely different activities. You can — and should — be doing the second one while you wait on the first.
Let’s walk through what that prep actually looks like. [Read more…]
