Tips, trends and insights for homebuyers like you.
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![How FHFA Could Lower Mortgage Rates in 2025: A Look at GSE MBS Purchases]()
How FHFA Could Lower Mortgage Rates in 2025: A Look at GSE MBS Purchases
Background A scenario we are prepping for at Tomo is the event of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the GSEs) stepping into the market to buy Mortgage Backed Securities, causing a sudden drop in mortgage rates this year, in 2025. Such a move could result in a drop in mortgage rates by as much as… Read more
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![2025 mortgage interest rate forecast]()
2025 mortgage interest rate forecast
See how Tomo Mortgage’s head of Capital Markets breaks down the latest mortgage rate forecasts, predictions, and outlooks for 2024. Read more
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![How to buy a home with less cash—the hidden world of lender credits]()
How to buy a home with less cash—the hidden world of lender credits
Lots of folks obsess about finding the lowest possible interest rate. And, we don’t disagree that finding the lowest rate is super important—it’s why our rates… Read more
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![How is the loan amount I am approved for calculated?]()
How is the loan amount I am approved for calculated?
There’s a lot of mortgage calculators out there—these aren’t honestly all that valuable if you really want to know how much house you can afford. We… Read more
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![How to game the real estate wealth-building ladder]()
How to game the real estate wealth-building ladder
Imagine yourself 15 years from now. You might want to live in a new city, own a larger home, or have enough savings for your kids’… Read more
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![What is a buyer’s market?]()
What is a buyer’s market?
A buyer’s market is a period when there are more homes or more supply in the market, than buyers or demand. This allows buyers to be… Read more
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![When is the best time of year to buy a home?]()
When is the best time of year to buy a home?
When it comes to buying a home, timing can make a huge difference. But each season comes with advantages and tradeoffs. Here’s some pro tips. Fall:… Read more
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![What is debt-to-income (DTI) in mortgage?]()
What is debt-to-income (DTI) in mortgage?
DTI measures how much of your income goes toward debt payments. Lenders use this ratio to assess your financial stability and determine your ability to handle… Read more
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![What is PMI?]()
What is PMI?
When you put down less than 20% on your new home, every lender everywhere is required to charge for PMI, or Private Mortgage Insurance on a… Read more
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![Conditionally approved? What does it mean?]()
Conditionally approved? What does it mean?
Getting conditionally approved means the lender has reviewed your loan application and things are looking good, but they still need to check a few things before… Read more
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![What is a 3-2-1 buydown?]()
What is a 3-2-1 buydown?
Think of a 3-2-1 buydown as a mortgage’s way of easing you into the big league. It’s like giving yourself a financial warm-up before hitting the… Read more
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![What’s the deal with hard vs. soft credit checks?]()
What’s the deal with hard vs. soft credit checks?
A soft-credit check is basically a little peek behind the curtain. You’ve probably done soft credit checks on yourself (if you haven’t, you should), where your… Read more
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![15-year or 30-year mortgage?]()
15-year or 30-year mortgage?
When trying to figure out how much house you can afford, or work out the best price for a mortgage, a lot of people wonder whether… Read more
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![What does clear to close mean?]()
What does clear to close mean?
“Clear to close” (CTC) is like the ultimate green light in the mortgage world. Hitting that milestone means your mortgage lender has gone through your financial stuff—income,… Read more
