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Plain-English mortgage guides
Straight answers about Loan Estimates, loan types, Texas and Tennessee rules, and investing. Written by me, a licensed loan officer, not a content farm.
How to Read a Loan Estimate: Line-by-Line Guide for Texas Homebuyers
Applied for a mortgage lately? You've probably got a 3-page PDF called a Loan Estimate in your inbox. Most folks read the rate, glance at the payment, and close it. The r…
Read →Loan Estimate7 Loan Estimate red flags I catch all the time
I read Loan Estimates all day. These are the seven problems I see most, where to find each one, and exactly what to ask your lender.
Read →Shopping lendersRate vs. points: the break-even math
A lower rate isn't automatically a better deal. Here's how discount points and lender credits work, where they live on your Loan Estimate, and how to tell if paying point…
Read →Loan typesFHA loan basics: what every Texas and Tennessee buyer should know
FHA is one of the most common ways people buy a first home, and a big part of what I do. Here's how it works, who it's for, and what to check on an FHA Loan Estimate.
Read →Texas-specificTexas Cash-Out Refinance Rules, Explained: The Lien Limit, the 12-Day Notice, and More
If you've ever talked to a lender in another state, you might've heard "you can pull out up to X% of your home's value" and figured Texas works the same way. It doesn't. …
Read →Self-employed & investorsBank statement loans, explained for self-employed borrowers
If you're self-employed, your tax returns show what's left after write-offs. A bank statement loan looks at what's actually coming in. Here's how it works.
Read →Free Loan Estimate review
Got a Loan Estimate? Send it to me.
Send me your Loan Estimate and I'll look it over myself. I'll tell you straight what looks off, what looks fine, and whether I can do better. If your offer is solid, I'll say so.
Before you send it: cover your Social Security number and loan number. Texas and Tennessee loans. John Stafford NMLS #2470539 | GoRascalJohn powered by GoRascal Inc. NMLS #2072896.