The Truth About Mortgage

The Truth About Mortgage

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Colin Robertson on mortgage rates, housing market trends, financing strategies, and policy impacts for consumers/pros.

Get a Year of Mortgage‑Free Payments on New Home
SocialMar 18, 2026

Get a Year of Mortgage‑Free Payments on New Home

You've heard of big mortgage rate buydowns... But what about NO mortgage payments for an entire year when you buy a new home?

By The Truth About Mortgage
Pending Home Sales Beat Forecast, Yet Rates Rise Amid Conflict
SocialMar 17, 2026

Pending Home Sales Beat Forecast, Yet Rates Rise Amid Conflict

Pending home sales recorded an unexpected beat in February, rising 1.8% month-over-month versus a forecast of -1%. However, sales were down 0.8% year-over-year and the outlook isn't great given mortgage rates hit those 3.5-year lows in February. They are now markedly higher...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Executive Orders Clash With
SocialMar 14, 2026

Executive Orders Clash With

So we're signing ​executive orders to "improve housing affordability" when we already had the lowest mortgage rates in nearly FOUR YEARS. We were ever so close to that elusive magic number of 5.5% for a 30-year fixed, which gets home buyers...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Beeline’s Self-Service Mortgage Option One Step Closer to Loan Officer Extinction
NewsMar 13, 2026

Beeline’s Self-Service Mortgage Option One Step Closer to Loan Officer Extinction

Beeline has introduced a self‑service mortgage experience that lets borrowers complete applications, explore scenarios, lock rates and upload documents without a loan officer. The platform’s AI‑driven loan tracker processes data in seconds and offers real‑time assistance via a digital assistant...

By The Truth About Mortgage
30‑Year Mortgage Rates Likely Stay Below 7%
SocialMar 12, 2026

30‑Year Mortgage Rates Likely Stay Below 7%

Questions to ask: - How high can the 30-year fixed go again? Is 6.5% a reasonable guess? Is 7% out of the question? I think 7% is unlikely as we'd be getting into recession talk and bond yields would likely...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Mortgage Rates Surge to 2026 Highs Amid Buying Season
SocialMar 12, 2026

Mortgage Rates Surge to 2026 Highs Amid Buying Season

Mortgage rates are at fresh 2026 highs everyone. What's annoying is it's happening during peak home buying season. Doubly annoying b/c we had 5-handle mortgage rates about a week ago.

By The Truth About Mortgage
Mortgage Rates Near 2026 Highs as Bond Yields Climb
SocialMar 11, 2026

Mortgage Rates Near 2026 Highs as Bond Yields Climb

Bond yields are back near their highest levels of 2026. Mortgage rates are also close to their 2026-highs, with MND putting the 30-year fixed at 6.19% today, just 2 bps below its peak thus far this year. There's a decent chance mortgage...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Sub‑6% Mortgage Rates Trigger Powerful Psychological Impact
SocialMar 11, 2026

Sub‑6% Mortgage Rates Trigger Powerful Psychological Impact

Been saying this for a while... It's not about the ~$60 monthly payment difference. It's the intense human psychology of a sub-6% mortgage rate.

By The Truth About Mortgage
Credit Karma Launches AI‑powered Mortgage Refinancing Marketplace
SocialMar 10, 2026

Credit Karma Launches AI‑powered Mortgage Refinancing Marketplace

Credit Karma has just rolled out mortgage broker services to its users (*refinances only). "Credit Karma Home Loans" allows users to shop over 40 financial institutions and 1,500 loan products. Will be powered by Better Mortgage's Tinman AI Platform.

By The Truth About Mortgage
Weak Jobs Data Drives Mortgage Rates Downward
SocialMar 6, 2026

Weak Jobs Data Drives Mortgage Rates Downward

Another horrendous jobs report saved mortgage rates today. Had it come in hot, we'd likely have a 30-year fixed closer to 6.25% again during peak home buying season. Granted, w/o the conflict in Iran we'd probably be at 5.875% or lower...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Mortgage Rates Set for Volatile Swings Amid Global Uncertainty
SocialMar 5, 2026

Mortgage Rates Set for Volatile Swings Amid Global Uncertainty

My biggest takeaway right now regarding mortgage rates is to expect heightened volatility. They will likely bounce around a lot more than normal thanks to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The good news is 30-year fixed rates remain near ~3-year...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Mortgage Rates Hover Near 5% as Jobs Data Looms
SocialMar 4, 2026

Mortgage Rates Hover Near 5% as Jobs Data Looms

Mortgage rates have eased back toward the 5s today, potentially due to oil transport assurances from the President. The 30-year fixed is just 8 bps away from a 5-handle again, despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Jobs report on Friday...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Opendoor Says It Will Offer 4.99% Mortgage Rates to Its Home Buyer Customers
NewsMar 3, 2026

Opendoor Says It Will Offer 4.99% Mortgage Rates to Its Home Buyer Customers

Opendoor announced a beta mortgage product that will provide a 30‑year fixed rate of 4.99% with no points or fees, roughly a full percentage point below the current 6% market average. The discount is achieved through reduced margins, automation, and...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Mortgage Rates Jump After Iran Attack
NewsMar 2, 2026

Mortgage Rates Jump After Iran Attack

Mortgage rates slipped back above the 6% threshold after the Iran attack, with the 30‑year fixed climbing to 6.12%—a 13‑basis‑point jump. Ten‑year Treasury yields rose nine basis points, and mortgage‑backed‑security prices fell, feeding the rate increase. Simultaneously, oil prices spiked...

By The Truth About Mortgage
AI-Driven Recession Threatens Benefits of Lower Mortgage Rates
SocialFeb 27, 2026

AI-Driven Recession Threatens Benefits of Lower Mortgage Rates

Cheering for lower mortgage rates has always been a delicate balance of hoping for payment relief w/o a wider economic downturn. In other words, getting a cheaper 30-year fixed without a big increase in unemployment or a stock market crash. The fact...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Sub‑6% Mortgage Rates May Spur Buyer Confidence
SocialFeb 26, 2026

Sub‑6% Mortgage Rates May Spur Buyer Confidence

Good to see Freddie Mac's weekly mortgage rate survey go sub-6% too. Not because it changes the math much, but because it will result in more positive news headlines and boost consumer sentiment. The type of stuff that can get prospective home...

By The Truth About Mortgage
UWM’s 2025 Loan Volume Jumps 17% on Refinance Surge
SocialFeb 25, 2026

UWM’s 2025 Loan Volume Jumps 17% on Refinance Surge

The nation's top mortgage lender (UWM) funded $163.4B in home loans during 2025. That was up ~17% from $139.4B in 2024. Interestingly, it was led by refis, which surged to $70.3B from $43.4B, while home purchase lending actually fell slightly YoY.

By The Truth About Mortgage
Bed Bath & Beyond Expands Into Home Financing Services
SocialFeb 24, 2026

Bed Bath & Beyond Expands Into Home Financing Services

Bed Bath & Beyond plans to offer mortgages, HELOCs, renovation loans, and title services. They are also partnering with Figure Technologies to deliver digital home equity products to consumers. The move apparently advances its objective of becoming the "Everything Home Company."

By The Truth About Mortgage
Chase Rolls Out Another Mortgage Rate Sale as Rates Fall Below 6%
NewsFeb 24, 2026

Chase Rolls Out Another Mortgage Rate Sale as Rates Fall Below 6%

JPMorgan Chase has launched a limited‑time mortgage rate promotion that applies to both home‑purchase and refinance loans. The program offers an automatic 0.25 percentage‑point discount, with rates potentially dropping from 5.50 % to 5.25 %, and is available until March 8 2026 with a 60‑day...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Mortgage Rates Dip to Lowest Since August 2022
SocialFeb 24, 2026

Mortgage Rates Dip to Lowest Since August 2022

Actual LOCKED mortgage rates hit the lowest point since August 2022, per Optimal Blue real-time data. The 30-year fixed fell to 5.945% yesterday for a conforming loan backed by Fannie/Freddie. FHA was 5.859% and VA an even lower 5.608%. Decent.

By The Truth About Mortgage
Mortgage Rates Dip as AI Job Fears Rise
SocialFeb 23, 2026

Mortgage Rates Dip as AI Job Fears Rise

Mortgage rates dropped into the 5s today because everyone is finally realizing the robots are going to take our jobs. Bittersweet.

By The Truth About Mortgage
30‑Year Mortgage Falls Below 6%, Boosting Spring Buying
SocialFeb 23, 2026

30‑Year Mortgage Falls Below 6%, Boosting Spring Buying

A nice little market selloff creates a flight to safety. And gets the 30-year fixed below that stubborn 6% threshold, finally. The key will be staying sub-6% to allow human psychology to work its magic during the spring home buying...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Rate Launches RateFi to Make It Easier to Qualify for a Mortgage with Crypto Holdings
NewsFeb 23, 2026

Rate Launches RateFi to Make It Easier to Qualify for a Mortgage with Crypto Holdings

Rate has introduced RateFi, a new mortgage product that lets borrowers leverage their cryptocurrency holdings without liquidating them. The program treats verified crypto as both qualifying income and reserve assets, though any down‑payment must still be converted to U.S. dollars....

By The Truth About Mortgage
ChatGPT Forecasts Median Home Price Hitting
SocialFeb 20, 2026

ChatGPT Forecasts Median Home Price Hitting

The future is bleak: "ChatGPT noted that the median home price today is around $420,000 and predicted it will rise to between $510,000 and $580,000 by 2030." "It based its analysis on the assumption that home prices will grow 4% to 6%...

By The Truth About Mortgage
Rates Dip to 2022 Lows, Sales Still Lagging
SocialFeb 19, 2026

Rates Dip to 2022 Lows, Sales Still Lagging

Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sam Khater: “Mortgage rates dropped again this week, now down to their lowest level since September of 2022.” The 30-year fixed averaged 6.01% this week, down from 6.09% last week. Meanwhile, pending home sales are DOWN after existing...

By The Truth About Mortgage