Guides
Plain answers before you apply.
Short guides from our loan officers on budgets, payments, loan types and paperwork. Every figure in them is illustrative.
All guides
Read first, then run the numbers
6 short reads, newest first.
Budgeting
How much home can you afford? A plain walkthrough
The three ratios loan officers often use, and how to turn a monthly budget into a price range.
6 min read
Payments
What is in a monthly mortgage payment?
Principal, interest, taxes, insurance and dues: what each part is, and which parts can change.
5 min read
Loan types
Fixed or adjustable: how to compare the two
What changes and what stays the same, and the questions to ask before choosing an adjustable rate.
6 min read
Process
Your pre-approval checklist
The documents loan officers usually ask for, and how to gather them before you start.
4 min read
Refinance
Is refinancing worth considering? Questions to ask first
A short list of questions that help you decide whether a new loan makes sense for you.
5 min read
First-time buyers
Your first year as a homeowner: what to budget for
Costs that show up after closing, from repairs to the first property tax bill.
5 min read
Try the numbers
See an illustrative payment for your price
Open the Payment Planner to see a monthly payment and a price range for your income. Figures are illustrative, not an offer or a commitment to lend.