News & Insights
Stay informed with the latest mortgage rate updates, affordability analysis, and property market insights. Updated regularly to help you make smarter borrowing decisions.
With 30-year rates near 7.5%, taking over a seller's 3% FHA or VA mortgage can save you hundreds a month. Here is how assumptions work, what the cash gap costs you, and when the deal actually pencils out.
Read article →A mortgage recast lets you cut your monthly payment with a lump sum and a small flat fee, no new loan required. Here is the math, the qualification rules, and when recasting beats refinancing.
Read article →About 980,000 Canadian mortgages renew in 2026. Never sign the first renewal letter: start 120 days early, hold rates at multiple lenders, and know the new stress-test exemption when switching.
Read article →How to buy UK property while living in Dubai: expat mortgage deposits, rates, the non-resident SDLT surcharge, tax, and currency tips.
Read article →What mortgage overpayments really save you: a full worked example showing £42,000 interest saved and 6 years off the term from £200/month extra.
Read article →Locking protects you if rates rise before closing; floating bets they hold or fall. Here is how to decide based on your closing date, what a lock actually costs, and the simple trigger rule that takes emotion out of the call.
Read article →How Canadian mortgage penalties work: 3 months' interest vs IRD, why Big Bank penalties are bigger, and how to estimate yours before you break.
Read article →Offset accounts vs redraw facilities in Australia: how each cuts your interest, the key differences in access and tax, and which suits your situation.
Read article →Stamp duty (transfer duty) for first-home buyers in NSW and Victoria in 2026: exemption thresholds, concessions, and worked examples.
Read article →What salary you need for a $500,000 house in the US: the 28/36 rule applied step by step, with a full worked example including taxes and insurance.
Read article →Private mortgage insurance (PMI) explained: what it costs, when it drops off automatically at 78% LTV, and the fastest ways to remove it early.
Read article →The First-Home Savings Account (FHSA) explained: $8,000/year contributions, $40,000 lifetime limit, and how to combine it with a bigger down payment.
Read article →Nationwide's September figures show UK annual house price growth halved to 0.8%, the weakest since December 2025. What the slowdown means for buyers, the regions still growing, and what it costs at today's mortgage rates.
Read article →Freddie Mac's October 8 reading puts the average 30-year fixed mortgage at 7.40%, the highest since November 2023. Why daily trackers read even hotter, what it costs buyers each month, and how to respond.
Read article →How much deposit you need for a UK mortgage in 2026: minimum 5%, why 10-15% unlocks better rates, and how your deposit size changes what you can borrow.
Read article →When to remortgage in the UK in 2026: the SVR trap, how to compare deals properly, remortgage costs, and the timing that saves the most money.
Read article →Canada's mortgage stress test explained: the qualifying rate formula, a $500k worked example, GDS and TDS limits in plain English, and the renewal exemption.
Read article →Fixed vs variable mortgage in Canada: how each rate type works, the IRD penalty trap on fixed rates, a $500k break-even example, and which suits you best.
Read article →Fixed vs tracker mortgage UK: how trackers follow the Bank of England base rate, £250k worked examples, ERCs, overpayment flexibility, and who suits you best.
Read article →FHA vs conventional loan compared: 3.5% vs 3% minimum down, 580 vs 620 credit minimums, lifetime MIP vs cancellable PMI, plus a detailed $350k worked example.
Read article →Closing costs when buying a US home run 2-5% of the price. A line-by-line breakdown, buyer-vs-seller splits, and discount-point break-even math explained.
Read article →Expat mortgages in the UK usually need a 25% deposit and face a foreign-income haircut. Full requirements, document checklist, rates and costs explained.
Read article →Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) in Australia explained: what it costs on a 5% deposit, how capitalising it works, and four legitimate ways to avoid paying it.
Read article →Fixed vs variable home loans in Australia: how each rate type works, offset and redraw differences, break costs, revert-rate risk, and split loans explained.
Read article →Interest-only vs repayment mortgages: monthly payments on a £250,000 loan, total interest over 25 years, UK qualification rules, and the end-of-term risks.
Read article →How US citizens abroad get a mortgage without a W-2: foreign-income underwriting, currency haircuts, down payment rules, the DSCR route, and document checklist.
Read article →Cash cost of buying a £300,000 UK home: stamp duty for buyers vs movers, conveyancing, surveys, mortgage fees, removals - two worked scenarios compared.
Read article →15 vs 30-year mortgage: payments and total interest on a $300,000 example, why 15-year rates run lower, the hybrid pay-like-a-15 strategy, and who suits each.
Read article →UK mortgage rates rose again in October: the average two-year fixed hit 5.56% on October 3. What the rise costs in pounds, why it is happening, and what buyers and remortgagers can do about it.
Read article →Worked examples of UK offset mortgages: link savings to your balance, cut interest faster, and see who benefits versus a standard repayment deal.
Read article →Worked examples of Canada's three-month interest and IRD prepayment penalties. See when breaking a fixed or variable term actually pays off.
Read article →The Reserve Bank of Australia's latest cash rate decision and what it means for variable and fixed home loan borrowers, refinancing, and borrowing power in 2026.
Read article →The Bank of Canada held its policy rate steady at its latest 2026 meeting. Here's what that means for variable and fixed mortgage holders, and for anyone renewing soon.
Read article →The Federal Reserve's latest rate decision and what it means for 30-year fixed mortgage rates, refinancing, and home affordability in 2026.
Read article →The corrected Bank of England base rate timeline from 2025 to 2026: the December 2025 cut, every 2026 hold, and what it means for your mortgage.
Read article →A look at the current expat mortgage rate environment in the UK - what rates non-resident buyers can expect, and how to get the best deal.
Read article →The latest UK house price data and what it means for first-time buyers and home movers planning to buy in 2026.
Read article →37 articles published