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Answers for homeowners
Understand your payment, cash and choices. Start with the question that matters today.
692 published answers
Check the new loan balance as well as refinance break-even
This brief answer identifies three useful starting points: the cost of refinancing, the payment change and the new loan amount.
Read the answerA short holding period can change the value of discount points
The clip considers paying upfront for a lower rate and then refinancing before the cost is recovered. Test that possibility using actual offers, without assuming a future refinance will happen.
Read the answerYour approval amount and your comfortable payment answer different questions
Eric describes a buyer whose initial price target changed after discussing everyday expenses and savings goals. The lesson is to choose a spending boundary before a favorite house makes a larger commitment feel easier to justify.
Read the answerHow to choose a lender you can trust
Trust becomes easier to evaluate when a lender shows the costs, explains the alternatives and connects the mortgage to your plans.
Read the answerCompare home equity and retirement funds before funding a move
The video recommends exploring a current home’s equity before assuming retirement savings must supply the next down payment.
Read the answerYou may not need twenty percent down, but ask about all the cash
This Short challenges a common assumption: every homebuyer must save a twenty percent down payment. Smaller down payment options exist, but the amount due at closing includes more than the down payment alone.
Read the answerCompare the whole monthly budget when you move
The clip illustrates why a larger home purchase can require a different conversation about how sale proceeds will be used.
Read the answerBefore paying points, compare how long you might keep the loan
The discussion focuses on recovering the upfront cost of discount points. A lower rate can be valuable, but the timing matters if you sell, refinance or pay off the loan before the expected savings accumulate.
Read the answerA cheaper condo can have a similar payment to a larger purchase
Eric compares a $350,000 condo with a $350 monthly association fee against a $425,000 single-family home. The example shows why listing price alone can hide important differences in cash flow.
Read the answerCheck the cost behind the quoted mortgage rate before closing
Eric describes buyers discovering substantial charges attached to a rate that looked attractive. A rate comparison becomes meaningful only when the costs and assumptions behind each quote are visible.
Read the answerA $10,000 price cut and a $10,000 credit solve different problems
Eric’s short asks buyers to compare a lower price with a seller-funded rate strategy. The same dollar amount can affect cash at closing and the payment differently, so compare complete offers.
Read the answerA lower rate can cost more than the time you will keep the loan
Eric warns that an attractive rate may require enough upfront expense to take years to recover. The right comparison depends on how long you expect to keep that loan, not just that home.
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