We connect people to trusted ways to save, borrow and thrive. Bankrate, LLC NMLS # 1427381 BR Tech Services, Inc. NMLS # 1743443 http://Nmlsconsumeraccess.org https://www.bankrate.com/https://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mvijeshkq62lYour real estate agent may have a go-to lender, but you can still shop around. We asked nine real estate agents what they want homebuyers to know about getting a mortgage, from comparing lenders to knowing what comfortably fits your budget. https://bit.ly/4r6M34k 14 Sep 2026 16:22 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvijeshkq62lhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mukphjsrxc24Baby boomers are sitting on a record $19.84 trillion in housing wealth. But how can they actually use it? From HELOCs and home equity loans to downsizing, there are several ways to tap that equity, each with different costs and risks. Here’s what to know: https://bit.ly/4x5OB4e 02 Sep 2026 19:51 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mukphjsrxc24https://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3muhpe2l2so24Homebuyers are leaving thousands on the table when they get a mortgage. New Bankrate research ranks America’s 10 largest metros by how much borrowers overpay each year. See where your city lands. https://bit.ly/4gu0dcn 01 Sep 2026 15:11 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3muhpe2l2so24https://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mtmef7qpmz2fYour bank knows you—but that doesn’t mean it has the best mortgage deal. Before saying yes, compare at least three offers and look beyond the interest rate to APR, closing costs and fees. Here’s how to weigh your options: https://bit.ly/46eHVFU 21 Aug 2026 18:13 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtmef7qpmz2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3ms77qjr2gi263 homeowners, 6 refinances: here's what actually made it worth it. One cut her rate by .75 points and saved $500 a month. Another kept a sub-2% rate without refinancing at all. Their full playbook: https://bit.ly/4wCL1PP03 Aug 2026 19:20 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms77qjr2gi26https://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mruwmfu3zd2rPutting less than 20% down on a home? You're probably paying PMI, insurance that protects your lender, not you. On a $500K home, that's up to $456 extra a month. Here's how to shrink it or skip it: https://bit.ly/4w2TsTp https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/basics-of-private-mortgage-insurance-pmi/?utm_campaign=ptn_v1%2Ctrapped%20refinancers&utm_content=Bankrate&utm_medium=brand_social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_term=Putting%20less%20than%2020%25%20dow30 Jul 2026 17:10 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mruwmfu3zd2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mrq62q3sf32xMortgage rates never dipped back to 3%. These homeowners refinanced anyway, some to lower their payment, one just to keep up with rising costs. Here's the exact math that convinced each of them it was still worth it: https://bit.ly/44T7X10 28 Jul 2026 19:40 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrq62q3sf32xhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mrb4nwm5pc22A no-closing-cost refinance skips the upfront fee, but you still pay it back through a bigger loan balance or a higher rate. Here's how it works and how to know if it's worth it for you. https://bit.ly/4pzwcuA 22 Jul 2026 20:05 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrb4nwm5pc22https://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mqroxoawaj2mA $6,000 repair bill left this first-time homeowner feeling house poor. Her fix: a 2020 refinance that lowered her rate and shortened her loan term without raising her payment. https://bit.ly/4aP6dsX 16 Jul 2026 16:50 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqroxoawaj2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mqk6ooxjzf2nThree families gave up 3% mortgage rates for ones above 6%. None of them regret it. New jobs, new schools, a military PCS. Life doesn't wait for the market. Here's why the trade-off was worth it: https://bit.ly/4ybOiGW 13 Jul 2026 17:10 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqk6ooxjzf2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mqa524r5wu2eMortgage rates have been stuck at 6–8% since 2022. Still, 56% of recent buyers are betting on a refi to make their payment work. Here's what could go wrong: https://bit.ly/3R0jhEY09 Jul 2026 17:14 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqa524r5wu2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mq5enlvyou2yNew Bankrate data: mortgage rate gaps across 350+ metros. Victoria, TX has the widest spread in the U.S. LA buyers overpay by $149K+ over the life of a loan. See where your metro ranks: https://bit.ly/4f60Dn8 08 Jul 2026 14:52 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq5enlvyou2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mq2qbajppv2lThe financial system wasn't built for the people navigating it. Bankrate is. We're not a bank. Founded by a journalist more than 40 years ago as the consumer advocate platform helping people make better financial decisions. Now, our brand finally shows it.07 Jul 2026 13:42 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq2qbajppv2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mpojdgee6w2nRates have been stuck above 6% for years. Three buyers still found lower ones — by shopping the rate, not just the house. Here's how: https://bit.ly/4gA8Pib https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/three-homeowners-with-lower-mortgage-rates/?utm_campaign=ptn_v1&utm_content=Bankrate&utm_medium=brand_social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_term=Rates%20have%20been%20stuck%20abo02 Jul 2026 17:06 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpojdgee6w2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mpgxwmqchy27Her lender approved her for $250K. She borrowed half. Nearly 20 years later, she owns 6 properties. Eligibility and affordability are two very different numbers. https://bit.ly/3Ss47c6 29 Jun 2026 17:06 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpgxwmqchy27https://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mp6xx7ezzc2gThere's a hidden homeownership tax. Most people don't know they're paying it. 9 out of 10 homebuyers overpay for their mortgage. $3,343 a year. $78,186 over the life of the loan. New Bankrate research breaks down exactly why. https://bit.ly/4oLA5MF 26 Jun 2026 12:45 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp6xx7ezzc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mnsa7gtyxu22Low-income homeowners stay in their homes the longest — and still build $100K less in equity than higher-income owners who stay fewer years. Here's what's behind the gap. https://bit.ly/4vB9rIC 08 Jun 2026 17:43 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnsa7gtyxu22https://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mng3okdehp2dYour mortgage rate isn't set in stone. Most buyers never negotiate, and the system isn't designed to remind them to. Here's what's actually keeping your rate high. https://bit.ly/4vp6pH3 03 Jun 2026 21:50 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mng3okdehp2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mng2rurmfh2vHe spent 9 months in court just to buy a home in LA. His strategy? A multifamily property where rental income helps cover the mortgage. https://bit.ly/4uF4NJk 03 Jun 2026 21:34 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mng2rurmfh2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mmze3u4wd32dNew homes are about $30K cheaper than existing ones right now. Builders are offering incentives — but knowing the difference between a price cut and a perk could save you more in the long run. https://bit.ly/4adLVc5 29 May 2026 20:16 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmze3u4wd32dhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mmwp7mlrzq24Two social workers. $100K in debt. Couldn't qualify for a conventional mortgage. So they bought a duplex, rented upstairs, and let the tenant cover the payment. Nine mortgages later — here's what they learned: https://bit.ly/4dKpnRi 28 May 2026 18:57 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmwp7mlrzq24https://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mmui54xazq2mFrom living out of her car to becoming a homeowner — Chandra Hawkins repaid $10K in debt, rebuilt her credit nearly 100 points, and bought a new-build home. Her advice: know your numbers and don't count out new construction. https://bit.ly/3RnyL63 https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/homebuying-chandra-hawkin/?utm_campaign=Homebuying%20in%20America%2C2026_hla_v1&utm_content=Bankrate&utm_medium=brand_social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_term=From%20living%20out%20of%20her%20caankr27 May 2026 21:45 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmui54xazq2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mmhrdjhkc32qShe searched for over a year in the #1 hottest housing market in America. Got outbid every time. Then two moves changed everything. https://bit.ly/4dFlSM2 22 May 2026 20:25 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmhrdjhkc32qhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mm5flbesbt2aHomeownership costs keep climbing — and now utilities are joining the list. Electricity prices are up 5.1% this year, on top of 5% last year. Here's what's driving it and what you can do. https://bit.ly/49IFzBd 18 May 2026 17:28 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mm5flbesbt2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mlwdymhdn32mRedlining ended decades ago. The $212,000 equity gap it left behind didn't. https://bit.ly/3RbF0K0 https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/historic-redlining-colors-mortgage-odds-wealth-today/?utm_campaign=2026_hla_v1&utm_content=Bankrate&utm_medium=brand_social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_term=Redlining%20ended%20decades%20a15 May 2026 22:11 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlwdymhdn32mhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mltqz6uhit2u2026 was supposed to be the year of the "Great Housing Reset." Mortgage rates had other plans. Here's what's keeping buyers and sellers on the sidelines. https://bit.ly/4wvCC0O 14 May 2026 21:26 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mltqz6uhit2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mlocvfuzzl2nA low intro mortgage rate can help you buy a home. But what happens when it resets higher? One homeowner went from 4.625% to 6.625% and is now weighing when to refinance. https://bit.ly/49ETx78 12 May 2026 17:30 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlocvfuzzl2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mlelejhiwm2aIn 2026, median earners are priced out of 75% of the housing market. For many first-time buyers, getting a home now means more lenders, more compromises and redefining what’s “essential.” https://bit.ly/48Ds85h 08 May 2026 20:35 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlelejhiwm2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mlbvuls2jg2sMortgage myths are still shaping how many people think about buying a home. From credit scores to down payments, the reality is often more flexible than expected. https://bit.ly/3QRhMZo 07 May 2026 19:05 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlbvuls2jg2shttps://bsky.app/profile/bankrate.com/post/3mlbuuizcdh2aA small difference in your mortgage rate adds up over time. Over 30 years, even a slightly lower rate can save you tens of thousands of dollars — enough to make a real impact on your financial future. https://bit.ly/4tYxtNd 07 May 2026 18:47 +0000at://did:plc:zeacrpyerzzadjaiem6m6ebf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlbuuizcdh2a