Mortgage rates and lending news
Key Takeaways A HECM for Purchase lets you buy a home with a reverse mortgage, not just tap one you already own. The trade-off is a larger down payment with no required monthly principal-and-interest ...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways Costs range from an inexpensive grab bar to a major bathroom conversion, so the right funding depends on the scale of the work. Medicare and most insurance generally won’t pay for home m...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways The person who owns the home being renovated does not have to be the one who takes out the loan. If you have steady income, borrowing against your own home may qualify more easily; if yo...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways A reverse mortgage does not automatically take the home from your family; heirs generally can keep it by paying off or refinancing the balance. Because a HECM is non-recourse, heirs neve...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways Reverse mortgage proceeds are generally treated as loan proceeds, not income, so they usually don’t affect Social Security or Medicaid income limits (per SSA and Medicaid.gov). The risk ...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways A home equity loan and a HELOC are different products: one is a fixed lump sum, the other a revolving line you draw from as needed. For a one-time project with a known cost like a bathro...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways Being turned down for a loan usually points to a fixable qualification issue, not the end of your options. A reverse mortgage is rarely the only choice: HELOCs, home equity loans, and as...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways Reverse mortgage proceeds can come three ways: a line of credit, a lump sum, or monthly payments, and the choice affects both cost and risk. For projects spread over months or years, a l...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways A reverse mortgage (HECM) usually costs more upfront, while a HELOC has lower upfront costs but adds a monthly payment. Comparing sticker price alone is misleading; total cost over the t...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways Your available amount is driven by your age, your home’s value, and current interest rates, not by age alone. Generally, the older you are, the larger the share of equity you can access ...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways A reverse mortgage pays off your existing mortgage first; any remaining proceeds can go toward home modifications like a walk-in shower or ramp. How much you can access depends mainly on...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways You keep ownership and the title to your home with a HECM reverse mortgage; the lender holds a lien, not the deed. Because a HECM is non-recourse, your heirs will never owe more than the...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways With a HECM reverse mortgage you keep the title and can stay in the home as long as you meet the loan terms (living there, paying taxes and insurance, and maintaining the home). A HECM i...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readKey Takeaways A HELOC and a reverse mortgage both tap home equity for repairs, but work in nearly opposite ways: one adds a monthly payment, the other removes it. A HELOC usually costs less upfront; a...
Sep 14, 2026 · 5 min readFannie Mae and Freddie Mac have published official pricing grids for single-family mortgages using the traditional Classic FICO and new VantageScore 4.0 models. Early analyses suggest the new credit s...
Sep 10, 2026 · 5 min readToday, mortgage rates rose above 7% for the first time this year. The positive storyline for the 2026 housing market was that mortgage spreads near normal would reduce mortgage rate volatility and kee...
Sep 10, 2026 · 5 min readExisting home sales fell 2% month over month in August to a seasonally adjusted annual sales pace of 3.98 million, according to data released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Th...
Sep 10, 2026 · 5 min readOn September 3, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would let every approved lender use VantageScore 4.0, effective immediately. (The enterpris...
Sep 09, 2026 · 5 min readHome equity loans can provide seniors with access to cash without having to sell their home, though qualifying with retirement income and managing a new monthly payment can be difficult. This guide ex...
Sep 07, 2026 · 5 min readLast year I saw that the housing market was shifting in mid-June and that it would take six to nine months for people to understand what was happening. Sales were about to grow, inventory growth was a...
Sep 05, 2026 · 5 min read