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Up for the quarter, down for the year? See what's happening with home affordability in our latest "Income you need to buy a home in the top 50 metro areas".

Up for the quarter, down for the year? See what's happening with home affordability in our latest "Income you need to buy a home in the top 50 metro areas".

Is it safe to use a direct lender to refinance

Generally speaking, a 'direct lender' is a lender who lends his own funds. Some mortgage lenders use this term to differentiate themselves from mortgage brokers, who arrange loans between you and a lender. A direct lender should have control over the loan process from start to finish, but simply being a direct lender doesn't guarantee that you'll get great pricing or great service.

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Keith Gumbinger
Keith Gumbinger
Mortgage Expert
Vice President, HSH.com
About Keith: Mortgage market observer and analyst with 35 years experience... (more)
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APR 25, 2023
A:

Mortgage rates fluctuate from day to day, depending on a number of factors related to the economy and to choices made by investors. While some mortgage money comes from deposits held by banks and credit unions, most of the funds for borrowers come from investors in capital markets.

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Q: Why are mortgage rates higher for investment properties than for second homes?
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A:

Investment properties usually run about one percentage point higher than owner-occupied residential mortgages.

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JAN 09, 2023
A:

This question used to have a simple answer, since there was a "bright line" definition -- the conforming loan limit....

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