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How mortgage decisions actually get made, written by the people who make them. Every guide carries the author’s NMLS identifier, and every figure carries the source it came from and the date it was retrieved.
FHA vs. Conventional: How to Actually Decide
The FHA vs conventional decision comes down to credit score, down payment, and whether mortgage insurance ever comes off. Here is the framework, with the 2026 numbers.
6 min readSeven Steps to Your First Pre-Approval
What a mortgage pre-approval actually requires, what lenders check, the rate-shopping window that protects your credit, and the five things not to do once you start.
Latest from the blog
California Down Payment Help That Is Open Right Now
Everyone writes about Dream For All, which closed in March. MyHome is open, covers the down payment outright, and there is one thing about it people get wrong.
Jeff Maas · NMLS #246684
Is an FHA Loan Worth It?
It gets a bad name from people who only look at the mortgage insurance. One rule decides whether that criticism applies to you, and it is not the one you would guess.
Jeff Maas · NMLS #246684
Up to 5% Toward Your Texas Down Payment
You do not have to be a first-time buyer, and the credit minimum is lower than most people assume. The part nobody explains is which of the three assistance structures to take.
Jeff Maas · NMLS #246684