Mortgage learning
Mortgage learning videos
Curated YouTube videos that explain the mechanics behind mortgage payments, amortization, PMI, refinancing, and affordability — each with what you will actually learn and direct links to the calculators so you can run the numbers on your own loan.
Video library
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How to Calculate a Mortgage Payment (In 2 Minutes)
Walks through the full mortgage payment formula step by step — from loan amount and interest rate to the exact P&I breakdown for each month. No shortcuts, every variable explained.
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Introduction to Mortgage Loans — Amortization Explained
A visual walkthrough of an amortization schedule — showing how each payment splits between principal and interest across 360 rows, where the crossover happens, and what extra payments do to the table.
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What Is PMI and How Do You Avoid It?
Covers what private mortgage insurance is, why lenders require it below 80% LTV, how much it actually costs, and the three strategies to avoid it — 20% down, piggyback loan, or lender-paid PMI.
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Can You ACTUALLY Afford That House? — 28/36 Rule Explained
Goes beyond the rule of thumb — shows exactly how to calculate front-end and back-end DTI, why lenders use both ratios, and how income, debts, and down payment interact to set your maximum loan amount.
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Mortgage Refinancing Explained — When Does It Make Sense?
Explains the refinance break-even formula, the difference between rate-and-term and cash-out refinances, and the hidden cost of resetting your amortization clock when you refinance to a new 30-year term.
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Fixed vs Adjustable Rate Mortgage — Which Should You Choose?
Side-by-side comparison of 30-year fixed, 15-year fixed, and 5/1 ARM — how each is priced, where the risk lies on ARMs, and how to decide based on your planned hold period rather than guessing on rates.
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How Credit Score Affects Your Mortgage Rate
Maps every FICO tier to its rate adjustment on a conventional loan, shows the total dollar cost of a 100-point score gap over 30 years, and covers the fastest-acting actions to improve your score before applying.
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Closing Costs Explained — Every Fee You Pay at Settlement
Line-by-line breakdown of a real Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure — covering origination fees, title insurance, appraisal, prepaid interest, and escrow setup, with tips on which fees are negotiable.
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HELOC vs Cash Out Refinance: The $10,000 Mistake Most Homeowners Make
Three-way comparison with real payment math: HELOC (variable, revolving), home equity loan (fixed lump sum), and cash-out refinance (replaces first mortgage). Which makes sense when you have a sub-4% first mortgage.
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Easy Ways to Pay Off Your Mortgage Early
Examines whether making extra mortgage payments beats investing the surplus — with an honest look at the guaranteed return on prepayment, opportunity cost, and the psychological value of being debt-free.
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The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Buying Your First Home
End-to-end walkthrough for first-time buyers: from checking your credit 6 months before buying, getting pre-approved, understanding the offer process, through closing and post-close essentials.
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Interest Rate vs APR — What's the Difference?
Clears up the confusion between the note rate (what you pay on your balance) and APR (the all-in annual cost including fees) — and explains exactly when APR helps you compare lenders and when it misleads.
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Canadian Mortgage Explained — CMHC, Stress Test & Semi-Annual Compounding
The Canadian-specific mechanics most videos skip: why the semi-annual compounding formula produces a different payment than the US formula, how the CMHC premium is calculated and added to principal, and what the stress test actually tests.
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Why video and a calculator together
Understand the formula first
Most people use a mortgage calculator without knowing what drives the output. Watch the payment formula video, then open the mortgage calculator and adjust each input — you will see exactly which variable has the most leverage.
Apply it to your real numbers
Videos use example scenarios. Our calculators let you run your actual loan size, rate, and down payment. After watching the extra payment video, enter your own loan and see how much time $200/month removes from your specific situation.
Build the vocabulary for lender conversations
Knowing what LTV, DTI, PMI, and APR actually mean — rather than just recognising the acronyms — lets you ask better questions and spot errors in a Loan Estimate. The interest rate vs APR page and the DTI explainer reinforce the videos.
Suggested learning path
If you are buying for the first time, this order builds each concept on the previous one:
- How payments are calculated — understand the formula so every other number makes sense. Then use the mortgage calculator.
- How much house you can afford — learn the 28/36 DTI rule before you start searching. Use the affordability calculator.
- PMI — know whether your down payment triggers it and what it costs. See the live PMI line in the calculator.
- Credit score impact — improving your FICO before applying can save more than any negotiation. Check the rate-by-FICO table.
- Fixed vs adjustable rates — understand how each is priced and what the 30-year vs 15-year math looks like.
- Amortization and extra payments — once you have a loan, this is where you take control. Use the extra payment calculator.
- Closing costs — know every line on your Loan Estimate before the closing table. Read the Loan Estimate guide.
- Refinancing — when rates drop, know whether the math works. Use the refinance break-even calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Are the videos on this page free to watch?
Yes — all videos listed here are publicly available on YouTube at no cost. Each card links directly to the video on YouTube so you can watch it in full. We do not host the videos ourselves; we curate and annotate them for mortgage learning relevance.
How do I practice the math from these videos?
Every video entry includes links to the relevant calculator or explainer on this site. For example, after watching the amortization video, open the amortization schedule page or the extra payment calculator to run the numbers on your own loan. Watching and immediately applying to real inputs is the fastest way to make the concepts stick.
What topics are covered?
The library covers the full mortgage learning path: how payments are calculated, amortization schedules, PMI, affordability and DTI, fixed vs adjustable rates, refinancing and break-even, closing costs, home equity access (HELOC, cash-out), early payoff strategies, credit score impact on rates, first-time buying, and Canadian mortgage specifics. Each video is tagged by topic so you can filter to what you need.
Can I use these videos as a substitute for professional advice?
No — these videos and this site are educational resources, not financial or legal advice. Mortgage decisions depend on your specific credit profile, income, debts, and goals. Use the calculator and these videos to understand the mechanics and ask better questions, then work with a licensed mortgage professional for decisions.
How are videos selected?
We look for videos that are mathematically accurate, explain the underlying mechanics rather than just the rules of thumb, and are relevant to the US or Canadian mortgage markets. Preference is given to videos from channels with a track record of corrections and accuracy. If you spot an error in a listed video or have a suggestion, contact us.