Mortgage Broker vs. Bank in Austin: Which Gets You a Lower Rate?
A broker shops many wholesale lenders while a bank prices from one rate sheet. How that difference plays out in…
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Mortgage Tips
143 articles
How Much House Can You Afford in Austin in 2026?
Your Austin buying power depends on debt-to-income, not just salary. See what income affords a median home, price ranges by…
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FHA Loans in Austin: Who They’re Actually For in 2026
FHA lets you buy with 3.5% down and a 580 score, but the insurance can last the life of the…
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Investment Property Financing in Austin: 1-Unit vs. 2-4 Unit Rules
Financing a rental tightens as you add doors. Here is how down payment, reserves, and rates differ between a 1-unit…
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Cash After Closing: How Much in Reserves Austin Lenders Want
Reserves are the cash you keep after closing, measured in months of payment. Here is how much Austin lenders want…
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Selling Your Austin Home: Where the Sale Proceeds Actually Go
When you sell your Austin home, the proceeds pass through several deductions before they reach you. Here is how the…
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Inherited a Home in Austin: Your Mortgage Next Steps
When you inherit a house in Austin, the mortgage does not disappear. Here is how the loan, the title, and…
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New Construction in Austin: Builder Incentives Worth Taking
Austin builders are pushing incentives in 2026. Here is how to tell which builder incentives lower your real cost and…
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Financing a Second Home Near Austin: What Changes vs. Your Primary
A second home near Austin follows a different rulebook than your primary residence: higher down payment, higher rate, and more…
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Self-Employed and Buying in Austin: How Lenders Read Your Income
Self-employed in Austin? Lenders read your net income, not your gross. Learn the add-backs that boost qualifying income and how…
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Warrantable vs. Non-Warrantable Condos in Austin Financing
Whether an Austin condo is warrantable decides which loans you can use and how much you put down. Here is…
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The 20% Down Payment Myth in Austin: What You Actually Need
You do not need 20% down to buy in Austin. Conventional starts at 3%, FHA at 3.5%, VA at 0%.…
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Buying in Round Rock vs. Pflugerville: The Mortgage Math
Round Rock sits in Williamson County and Pflugerville in Travis. See how the county line, property taxes, and MUD districts…
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740 Credit Score Cliff: Why It Changes Your Austin Mortgage Rate
A 738 and a 740 feel identical in daily life, but conventional loans price them differently. Here is how the…
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Closing Costs in Austin: What Buyers Pay at Each Price Tier
Buyer closing costs in Austin usually run 2% to 5% of the price. See what you pay at each price…
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When to Lock Your Mortgage Rate: A Strategy Guide for Austin Buyers
A rate lock freezes your interest rate while your Austin loan closes. Here is when to lock, how long, float-downs,…
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Homeowners Insurance in Austin: Why Quotes Swing So Much
Texas home insurance premiums are among the highest in the nation, and they ride inside your mortgage payment. Here is…
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Buying a Home in Austin With Student Loans: What Lenders Look At
Student loans rarely block an Austin home purchase. See how Conventional, FHA, and VA loans count your payment and which…
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Buy Before You Sell in Austin: Bridge Options for Move-Up Buyers
Most Austin move-up buyers can buy before they sell with Conventional tools, no bridge loan required. Here is how the…
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