A higher score means a better rate, more loan programs and a lower down payment. Credit expert George Hartmann gives Debbie five concrete rules - on-time payments, the 20% balance line, authorized users, inquiries and disputing before you settle - plus a warning about debt relief programs.…
Carriers stopped writing new California policies, premiums are climbing, and some condo complexes lost coverage entirely - which blocks financing. Debbie explains what caused it, what the FAIR Plan really covers, and the five things to do if you get a non-renewal letter.…
A rate under 5% in January 2024 sounds impossible. Debbie walks three live loans from her pipeline — conventional, FHA and VA — and shows exactly what a seller-paid temporary buydown costs, how big a credit you have to negotiate, and what each year's payment really looks like.…
The first show of 2024. Debbie recaps the hardest year on record for first-time buyers and the good things that came out of it — new community lending programs, lender-paid buydowns, a wave of home equity products — then gives her own forecast for where rates go next.…
The Fed held for a third straight meeting and mortgage rates had already fallen almost a full point in six weeks. Debbie covers Fannie Mae's new 5% down program for 2-4 unit homes, the 2024 conforming loan limit increases, and her pro tips for buying and selling next year.…
Five straight weeks of falling rates, a same-day conventional quote back under 7%, and 85% of first-time buyers still on the sidelines. Debbie makes the case for getting ahead of the herd, answers a round of HELOC questions, and previews Fannie Mae's new 5% down program for 2-4 units.…
Debbie reads two 2024 housing forecasts side by side — HousingWire and Bankrate — and translates each one: where rates settle, whether inventory improves, whether prices actually drop, and whether next year favors buyers or sellers. Then she gives her own call.…
Once a year the Mortgage Mom talks turkey instead of mortgages. Debbie's method - breast-side down, wrapped tight, 325F, pulled at 165 - plus the electric-roaster run-through that went wrong, what brining really is, and how to measure the oil for a deep fry.…
Rates fell about half a point in four business days after the Fed held steady and the jobs report came in weak. Debbie explains what caused it - and why every 1% drop brings 3 to 4 million more buyers into competition for the same limited inventory.…
Lenders are advertising a free refinance once rates drop if you buy today. Debbie explains who actually pays those costs - your loan balance or your interest rate - the expiration dates that void the promise, and why falling values can block the refinance entirely.…
Fannie Mae cut the down payment on owner-occupied 2-4 unit homes from 15-25% to just 5%, with no requirement that the rents cover the payment. Debbie also covers FHA's new ADU rental income rules and buying a home for a disabled adult child or elderly parent.…
A second mortgage you thought was charged off. A bankruptcy you thought erased it. A loan modification that only covered the first loan. Then a collector calls, because your home finally has equity. Debbie explains where zombie mortgages come from and what never to do first.…
Debbie Marcoux
By texting LIVE to 844-935-3634 or signing up online, you agree to receive recurring automated text messages from Mortgage Mom Radio with the live-show link and new-episode links. Up to 2 msgs/week. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to cancel. Consent is not a condition of any purchase. Text message terms · Privacy
We use essential cookies to keep this site working. With your permission, we may also use analytics cookies to understand which pages and episodes are most helpful. Learn more in our Privacy Policy.
