Mortgage news
What's moving the market
Rate decisions, housing data and policy changes — explained in terms of what they add to or remove from your monthly payment.
Latest articles
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PMI vs piggyback loan in 2026 — which costs less when mortgage rates are above 7%?
At 7%+ rates, the second mortgage in an 80-10-10 piggyback now costs 9–9.5% — narrowing its advantage over just paying PMI. We run the exact monthly comparison at 5% and 10% down on a $500K purchase so you can see which structure wins for your hold period.
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HELOC vs cash-out refinance in 2026 — how to tap home equity without giving up a 3% mortgage
With 60% of mortgages locked below 4%, a cash-out refinance at 7.1% is an expensive way to access equity. A HELOC at 9% on just the amount drawn saves $900+/month versus refinancing a $400K balance. We show when each structure wins.
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Conforming loan limits 2027 — what the FHFA increase means for buyers near the conventional financing threshold
The FHFA adjusts conforming loan limits every November. For buyers with loan amounts near $806,500, a 4–6% increase in 2027 could shift them from jumbo to conventional financing — saving $150–$300/month. Here is the math and how to position for it.
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Institutional investors vs first-time buyers in 2026 — the real competition data, which markets it affects, and what buyers can do
Institutional SFR buyers hold ~3% of the rental stock nationally — but 10–15% in some Atlanta zip codes. At 7% rates their acquisition math no longer works, and they've pulled back sharply. Here is where competition persists and how individual buyers can navigate it.
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Variable vs fixed rate mortgage in 2026 — which wins at today's rates?
At 7%+ rates the break-even on a variable mortgage is tighter than ever. We compare US 30-yr fixed vs 5/1 ARM and Canada 5-yr fixed vs variable, with real payment tables and trigger rate risk.
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Property taxes: how they're calculated, what you'll actually pay, and how to appeal
Effective property tax rates range from 0.29% in Hawaii to 2.23% in New Jersey. We explain how assessed value, mill rates, and exemptions drive your bill — and how to fight a bad assessment.
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Canada's mortgage renewal shock: 1.2 million borrowers face payments that are $1,000+/month higher
Homeowners who locked in at 1.5–2.5% in 2020–2021 are now renewing into a 5.24%+ world. We show the exact payment jump by original rate and share the four strategies that actually soften the blow.
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Mortgage rates crossed 7% again — what it actually does to your monthly payment
A one-percentage-point rate move shifts a $400,000 mortgage payment by more than $250 a month. We run the real numbers across five loan sizes so you know exactly where you stand.
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Canada's stress test in 2026 — what changed, what stayed the same, and how it affects what you can borrow
The qualifying rate is still contract rate plus 2%. But at current contract rates, that gap is the binding constraint for almost every buyer. Here is the real reduction in borrowing power by rate level.
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15-year vs 30-year at 7%: the math is different now than it was at 3%
The 15-year saves $262,800 in interest on a $320,000 loan — for an extra $650/month. Whether that trade-off makes sense depends on income stability, qualifying headroom and how long you plan to stay.
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Put more down or invest the difference? The math at 7% rates
At 7%, every dollar in a down payment earns a guaranteed 7% return in avoided interest. That makes the case for investing the surplus much weaker than it was at 3%. We run the numbers including the PMI elimination threshold.
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Housing affordability by city in 2026 — where the math has gotten worse and where it hasn't
Required income to buy the median home in 12 major metros, with a breakdown of which markets have improved since the 2022 peak and which have continued to deteriorate.
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What this section covers
Rate moves
When the Federal Reserve or Bank of Canada adjusts rates, we run the numbers on what it means for a real loan — not just basis points but actual dollars per month.
Affordability shifts
Home price indexes, inventory levels and income data combine to tell you whether it's getting easier or harder to qualify — broken down by price tier.
Policy changes
CMHC rule updates, FHA limit changes, stress test adjustments — policy shifts that change what you can borrow or what it costs to borrow it.
Questions about this section
How often is news updated?
New articles are published when there is a meaningful rate move, a policy change, or a housing data release that changes the math for buyers. Each article is dated and shows what changed so you can track the trend over time.
Are these articles specific to the US or Canada?
Each article is tagged with the market it covers — US, Canada, or both. The mortgage math is different in each country (semi-annual compounding and CMHC in Canada; PMI and state tax variation in the US), so the analysis stays market-specific.
How do rate changes affect my existing mortgage?
If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, a rate change does not affect your current payment — only a refinance would change it. If you have a variable-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage, your payment can move with each rate adjustment. The news articles explain which borrowers are affected by each change and by how much.
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