Real Estate/Mortgage/Financial Stuff......(Long post, but I was inspired) Homebuyers: You’re Looking at the Wrong Metrics — and Most Mortgage Originators Aren’t Getting It Either — Because There’s More to a Good Plan Than Just Rate and Fees This is a true story about a very smart couple buying a home. They both had great jobs, strong income, and plenty of savings. On paper, they were in excellent shape. But like many buyers, they were nervous. Their rent was $2,500 a month, and their new home payment would be around $4,500 a month. That’s a big jump — especially with $3,000 a month in daycare costs. Even though their debt-to-income ratio was fine — about 29% without daycare and 40% with daycare — the higher payment made them uneasy. They started to do what many people do when they feel uncertain — they asked everyone for advice. Family, friends, coworkers — everyone had an opinion. Listening to the Wrong People At one point, they said their aunt — who actually works as a mortgage originator in another state — told them to “call Rocket Mortgage” to compare rates. Now, I respect buyers doing their due diligence to make sure they’re getting competitive pricing. That’s smart. But I couldn’t help wondering — does their aunt tell her own clients to call Rocket Mortgage to compare her rates too? Probably not. Because that’s just not how you help clients make good financial decisions. That kind of advice only creates confusion and takes the focus off what really matters. The Real Plan That Made Sense We had already built a great plan that worked. They were putting 15% down and had only $70 a month for PMI. That’s incredibly low, and it allowed them to keep over $30,000 in savings as liquidity — money that could be used for emergencies, repairs, or future opportunities. But they were focused on PMI like it was the worst thing in the world. They were ready to put that entire $30,000 into the mortgage just to remove it. That would have been a mistake. With home prices appreciating and refinance opportunities likely in the future, that PMI would disappear naturally over time. It was simply not worth losing $30,000 of liquidity to get rid of a $70 monthly charge.

📊 Today’s Mortgage Rate UpdateSource: Optimal Blue | National averages | For informational purposes onlyRates may include options with or without discount points. Actual pricing will vary based on credit, LTV, and loan type. 📅 TODAY’S RATES - 30‑YR. Conforming: 6.152% (▲ 0.003%)30‑day range: 6.149% – 6.345% - 30‑YR. Jumbo: 6.422% (▲ 0.079%)30‑day range: 6.336% – 6.669% - 30‑YR. FHA: 6.020% (▲ 0.029%)30‑day range: 6.020% – 6.165% - 30‑YR. VA: 5.766% (▲ 0.012%)30‑day range: 5.750% – 5.950% - 30‑YR. USDA: 6.089% (▲ 0.008%)30‑day range: 5.912% – 6.238% - 15‑YR. Conforming: 5.460% (▲ 0.011%)30‑day range: 5.401% – 5.604% 📈 Market Commentary – What May Have Moved Rates Yesterday - The yield on the 10‑year Treasury dropped to around 4.00%, which helps lower borrowing costs overall. (FRED) - Fixed income and MBS (mortgage‑backed securities) markets rallied last week, with MBS seeing gains — that tends to support slightly lower mortgage rates. (Nuveen) - Ongoing economic uncertainty (such as incomplete data releases due to the government shutdown) is causing the bond market to react to technicals rather than strong fundamentals — meaning rates are more sensitive to small moves in yields. (firstwestmortgage.com) 🔍 Reminder:These are national averages for illustration only. Your actual rate will depend on your credit score, down payment (or LTV), property type, and loan program. I confirm: this format—vertical list of rates + commentary + reminder—will be used every single time going forward unless you ask for a change.

📊 Today’s Mortgage Rate UpdateSource: Optimal Blue | National averages | For informational purposes onlyRates may include options with or without discount points. Actual pricing will vary based on credit, LTV, and loan type. 📅 TODAY’S RATES - 30‑YR. Conforming: 6.190% (▲ 0.039%)30‑day range: 6.190% – 6.345% - 30‑YR. Jumbo: 6.428% (▲ 0.027%)30‑day range: 6.428% – 6.669% - 30‑YR. FHA: 6.060% (▲ 0.036%)30‑day range: 6.003% – 6.165% - 30‑YR. VA: 5.796% (▲ 0.045%)30‑day range: 5.703% – 5.950% - 30‑YR. USDA: 5.954% (▲ 0.140%)30‑day range: 5.912% – 6.238% - 15‑YR. Conforming: 5.401% (▲ 0.055%)30‑day range: 5.400% – 5.604% 📈 Market Commentary – What May Have Moved Rates Yesterday - The mortgage‑backed securities (MBS) market saw some underperformance, with yields rising modestly, which can put upward pressure on mortgage rates. - Treasury yields generally nudged higher, tightening the spread and meaning that broader bond market moves are influencing mortgage pricing. - There’s been tension in short‑term funding markets — U.S. banks have recently turned to the Fed’s repo facility, signaling liquidity strains. (reuters.com) - Also, homebuilder sentiment recently ticked upward, suggesting some optimism that easing rates may help housing demand. (reuters.com) 🔍 Reminder:These are national averages for illustration only. Your actual rate will depend on your credit score, down payment (or LTV), loan program, and property specifics.

📊 Today’s Mortgage Rate UpdateSource: Optimal Blue | National averages | For informational purposes onlyRates may include options with or without discount points. Actual pricing varies based on credit, LTV, and loan type. 📅 TODAY’S RATES* Loan Type Rate Daily Change 30‑Day Range 30‑YR. Conforming 6.296% ▲ 0.019% 6.170% – 6.345% 30‑YR. Jumbo 6.619% ▲ 0.180% 6.422% – 6.669% 30‑YR. FHA 6.102% ▲ 0.013% 5.981% – 6.165% 30‑YR. VA 5.874% ▲ 0.029% 5.676% – 5.950% 30‑YR. USDA 5.912% ▲ 0.187% 5.912% – 6.238% 15‑YR. Conforming 5.581% ▲ 0.013% 5.293% – 5.604% 📈 Market Commentary / What Moved Rates Yesterday - The mortgage-backed securities (MBS) market saw underperformance and light selling pressure, which tends to push yields higher and mortgage rates up. (Mortgage News Daily) - In the broader fixed-income market, Treasury yields nudged upward as investors judged economic data and Fed expectations — upward pressure on the 10‑year Treasury often translates into upward pressure on mortgage rates. (Mortgage News Daily) - Economic headlines (inflation, jobs reports, Fed commentary) remain key drivers for bond markets and, by extension, mortgage pricing. - A recent news item: a major trader at LMR Partners exited following a failed MBS strategy — a reminder of how volatile and sensitive leveraged MBS betting can be. (Business Insider) Trends: Rates may move daily based on market sentiment, economic data, and bond markets.Reminder: Your credit score, chosen loan type, and LTV ratio remain major factors in actual pricing.

📊 Today’s Mortgage Rate UpdateSource: Optimal Blue | National averages | For informational purposes onlyRates may include options with or without discount points. Actual pricing varies based on credit, LTV, and loan type. 📅 TODAY’S RATES* Loan Type Rate Daily Change 30-Day Range 30-YR. Conforming 6.327% ▲ 0.018% 6.170% – 6.522% 30-YR. Jumbo 6.564% ▲ 0.025% 6.422% – 6.693% 30-YR. FHA 6.165% ▲ 0.032% 5.981% – 6.262% 30-YR. VA 5.860% ▲ 0.037% 5.676% – 6.044% 30-YR. USDA 6.214% ▲ 0.089% 5.942% – 6.280% 15-YR. Conforming 5.526% ▲ 0.056% 5.293% – 5.730% Trends: Rates may move daily based on market conditions.Reminder: Credit score, loan type, and loan-to-value (LTV) ratio are key pricing factors.