Mortgage Guides
Plain-English answers to the questions that actually matter when you're buying a home — written around real budgets, not lender math.
How much house can I afford?
The gap between what a lender will approve and what you can comfortably live with — and how to find your real number using take-home pay, not gross income.
What is PMI, and when does it go away?
When private mortgage insurance is required, how much it costs, and exactly how to get rid of it — including the part most people miss about requesting removal.
15 vs. 20 vs. 30-year mortgages: the real tradeoff
Monthly payment pressure vs. total interest paid — with real dollar examples and a clear breakdown of who each term is actually right for.
What's actually in your monthly payment?
Breaking down principal, interest, property taxes, insurance, PMI, and HOA — the full picture behind the number your lender quotes.
How big a down payment do you really need?
The 20% myth, low-down-payment loan options, and how to weigh a lower monthly payment against keeping cash in reserve.
How property taxes and insurance affect your payment
How to estimate both before you buy, why they vary so much by location, and how escrow works — including why your fixed-rate payment can still change year to year.
What affects your interest rate?
Credit score, loan type, term, down payment, points — the levers you can actually pull, and why shopping multiple lenders matters more than people think.
Closing costs: what to budget for
The line items people forget to plan for, what's typical, and a few ways to reduce the upfront hit — including what you can negotiate.
Ready to run your own numbers?
The calculator checks your full payment — including taxes, insurance, and PMI — against your real budget so you see what you can actually afford, not just what you can qualify for.
Open the calculator →