What happens when your home appraisal comes in lower than the price you agreed to pay? Does the buyer have to cover the difference? Does the seller have to lower the price? Or could you challenge the appraisal? In this video, I break down 4 options buyers should understand when…
The Fed held. That does not mean mortgage rates hold. Today the Fed kept the federal funds rate at 3.75% to 4% by a 10-2 vote. Both dissenters wanted a quarter-point hike. Inflation remains elevated. Buyers and Realtors, here is what matters: The Fed controls overnight borrowing. Fixed mortgages follow…
Worried that home prices will drop right after you buy? The answer depends on one question: how long are you planning to stay? In this video, I break down how your timeline changes the risk: • Moving again in about 2 years? A price drop plus the cost of selling…
Thousands of homeowners are suing DR Horton, alleging their payments were made to look affordable by using ultra-low property tax estimates. One homeowner says his payment jumped by $1,000 a month after he moved in. In this video, I break down the new construction property tax trap and the one…
What if your buyer could purchase a home and finance the improvements in one loan, not two? A Fannie Mae renovation loan lets a buyer roll the cost of upgrades into the mortgage, so a dated kitchen, a big lot, or a tired exterior in a neighborhood they love becomes…
Will the Fed raise rates again this year, and what does it mean for your mortgage? In this October 2026 Monthly Market Report, I break down why the Fed doesn't set mortgage rates, why "there isn't 1 housing market, there are 4," and exactly what buyers and sellers can do…
Nothing a lender tells you on the phone is binding, not the rate and not the fees. If you're comparing verbal quotes from three lenders, you're comparing three things that don't have to hold up. In this video, I share two simple questions that put the work on the lender…
Mortgage rates just crossed 7%, and the Wall Street Journal says it's scaring buyers away. 😬 But a few people are quietly winning because of it. When most buyers sit out, the power shifts to the ones who don't. That means: ✅ Fewer bidding wars ✅ Sellers who will actually…
There's a reason so many listings sit on the market and it almost never happens after the "For Sale" sign goes up. It happens in the days before and right after. In this video, I break down the three things that make or break a listing in its very first…
Did you see this post about Disneyland? How so many people are still going to Disneyland, yet the economy is slowing down? So many people in the real estate industry are worried about things slowing down, but the reality is, people are still spending money. Housing prices aren't going to…
Most people think a lower mortgage rate is something you have to wait for. It's actually something you can buy — right now. In this video, I break down the two places a lower rate can actually come from: the bond market (Wall Street) or the seller of the house…
If you're 5+ years into your mortgage, refinancing back into a fresh 30-year term isn't the win it looks like. Early in any loan, most of your payment is interest — and a new 30-year term resets you right back to that same interest-heavy stretch, even at a lower rate.…
Never co-sign for someone else’s debt — here’s the real math on why. When you co-sign a loan (a car, a credit card, anything), the full payment shows up on YOUR credit report as YOUR debt. A $700/month co-signed car payment can reduce your home buying power by roughly $100,000.…
In this video, I break down why the 30-year mortgage is actually the smartest starting point (lowest payment, most flexibility) — and how making just ONE extra payment a year, applied directly to principal, can cut 5.5 years off your loan and save you thousands in interest. I’ll also cover:…
The buyers winning in today’s market aren’t the ones with the best rate — they’re the ones asking better questions before they fall in love with a house. If you’re buying a home in the next 6-12 months, this is the stuff nobody tells you upfront. 📲 Have a scenario…