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Mortgage guides

Mortgage decisions, explained with real math

Every guide is written against a working model, cites its sources, and links to the calculator that reproduces the numbers. No lender referrals, no rate teasers.

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How Much Should I Put Down on a House? 3%, 5%, 10% or 20% Compared

The best down payment is not automatically 20%. Compare how different down payments affect monthly payments, mortgage insurance, cash reserves, interest and long-term financial flexibility.

Updated August 2, 2026 · 13 min read

Should I Put 10% or 20% Down?

The choice between 10% and 20% down is a trade between a guaranteed saving (mortgage insurance and interest) and an uncertain one (investment returns on the cash you keep). Here is how to find your breakeven.

Updated July 28, 2026 · 3 min read

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Mortgage Rates

What moves rates, what you can actually qualify for, and what each 0.125% costs.

1 published guides

Mortgage Taxes

Interest, points, property tax, PMI and the standard-deduction comparison.

1 published guides

Down Payments

How much to put down once liquidity and investing are part of the math.

2 published guides

Refinancing

Breakeven math, resetting the term, recasting and no-cost refinances.

1 published guides

FHA Loans

Upfront MIP, annual MIP duration, assumability and streamline refinances.

1 published guides

Conventional Loans

Conforming limits, PMI, credit pricing and low-down conventional options.

0 published guides

Mortgage Insurance

What PMI and MIP cost, and exactly how each one ends.

1 published guides

Points and Buydowns

Permanent points, temporary buydowns and how to spend seller credits.

0 published guides

Mortgage Optimization

Payoff versus investing, breakeven returns and keeping cash working.

1 published guides

Home Equity

How equity builds, and what borrowing against it really costs.

0 published guides

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Calculators referenced in these guides

Payment

Principal, interest, taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance for any price, rate and down payment.

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Down payment

Compare 3.5%, 10% and 20% down side by side on payment, cash at closing, liquidity and projected net worth.

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Rate comparison

Enter real lender quotes and see the cost difference per 0.125% of rate.

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Interest deduction

Estimates whether your mortgage interest, points and MIP actually beat the standard deduction, including the SALT cap.

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FHA vs. conventional

Upfront MIP, monthly MIP duration and PMI cancellation modelled over your real holding period.

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Points

Cost of discount points against the monthly savings and your breakeven month.

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Refi breakeven

How long it takes for a lower payment to repay the closing costs of a refinance.

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PMI removal

The month your loan reaches 80% and 78% LTV at your amortization and price growth.

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Payoff vs. invest

Compares extra principal against investing the same dollars on an after-tax basis over your holding period.

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3-2-1 buydown

Year-by-year payment relief from a temporary buydown and who funds the escrow.

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21 calculators planned in total.

In the editorial pipeline

These guides are drafted and scheduled. They are not published yet, so they are not linked or indexed.

  • Mortgage Rate Forecast
  • How Mortgage Rates Affect Monthly Payments
  • Is It Worth Buying Down Your Mortgage Rate?
  • What Mortgage Rate Can I Get?
  • Mortgage Interest Deduction Calculator
  • Are Mortgage Points Tax Deductible?
  • Is PMI Tax Deductible?
  • Are Refinance Closing Costs Tax Deductible?
  • Is HELOC Interest Tax Deductible?
  • Standard Deduction vs. Mortgage Interest Deduction
  • Is 20% Down Always Better?
  • Smaller Down Payment vs. Investing the Difference
  • Down Payment and Emergency Savings
  • How Far Must Mortgage Rates Fall to Refinance?
  • Recast vs. Refinance
  • Should I Refinance Into Another 30-Year Mortgage?
  • No-Closing-Cost Refinance Explained
  • FHA Mortgage Insurance Explained
  • When Can FHA Mortgage Insurance Be Removed?
  • Is an FHA Loan Assumable?
  • FHA Streamline Refinance Explained
  • How Much Does PMI Cost?
  • Is Paying PMI Better Than Putting 20% Down?
  • Should I Make Extra Mortgage Payments?
  • Mortgage Breakeven Investment Rate Explained
  • Should I Keep Cash or Increase My Down Payment?
  • How to Optimize Seller Credits
  • Temporary Buydown vs. Permanent Buydown
  • How a 3-2-1 Mortgage Buydown Works