Housefinan guides
Understand your mortgage, one decision at a time.
Start with the question you have today. Our U.S. mortgage guides are organized around the real steps of home financing—from pre-approval and affordability to loan programs, closing costs and refinancing.
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Find the guide that matches your next question.
The U.S. library is organized around the mortgage process and terminology used by American lenders and homebuyers—not translated European concepts.
These links are intentionally inactive in this preview. We are defining the U.S. guide architecture first; each article will be created and connected afterwards.
Getting started & eligibility
Mortgage basics, pre-approval, credit and the application process.
U.S. guide · plannedMortgage basics
What is a mortgage and how does it work?
Understand principal, interest, collateral, loan terms and the key features to compare.
U.S. guide · plannedPre-approval
Mortgage pre-approval: what it is and how it works
What lenders may review, what a pre-approval can tell you and why it is not a final loan approval.
U.S. guide · plannedPrequalification vs. pre-approval
Prequalification vs. pre-approval: what is the difference?
Learn how the two steps differ and which one may be more useful when you are preparing to make an offer.
U.S. guide · plannedCredit score
Credit score and mortgage approval: what lenders may consider
A practical guide to credit history, scores, recent inquiries and why lender requirements can vary.
U.S. guide · plannedApplication documents
Mortgage application documents: what you may need
Income, assets, debts, identity, employment and property information commonly used during underwriting.
Budget & affordability
Monthly payment, DTI, escrow and the price range that fits your budget.
U.S. guide · plannedAffordability
How much house can I afford?
Build a price range from your income, debts, down payment, taxes, insurance and other monthly obligations.
U.S. guide · plannedDebt-to-income ratio
Debt-to-income ratio for a mortgage: how DTI works
Understand how lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income and why standards vary.
U.S. guide · plannedMonthly payment
What is included in a monthly mortgage payment?
Principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance and HOA costs explained.
U.S. guide · plannedEscrow
Mortgage escrow accounts: taxes and insurance explained
Why some lenders collect property taxes and insurance with your payment and what an escrow analysis can change.
U.S. guide · plannedCash to close
Down payment vs. cash to close: what is the difference?
Separate your down payment from closing costs, prepaid items, deposits and lender credits.
Down payment & loan options
Conventional, FHA, VA and USDA routes, plus down-payment planning.
U.S. guide · plannedDown payment
How much down payment do you need to buy a home?
See why the required amount depends on the loan program, lender, occupancy and your overall borrower profile.
U.S. guide · plannedConventional vs. FHA
Conventional vs. FHA loans: key differences
Compare mortgage insurance, borrower requirements, down payment structure and when each route may fit.
U.S. guide · plannedFHA loans
FHA loans: how they work for homebuyers
A plain-English overview of FHA-backed mortgages, lender underwriting and mortgage insurance considerations.
U.S. guide · plannedVA home loans
VA home loans: eligibility and purchase basics
Understand the Certificate of Eligibility, occupancy rules and why lender credit and income standards still matter.
U.S. guide · plannedUSDA loans
USDA home loans: eligibility, property location and income
How USDA-backed financing can work for eligible households and eligible rural or suburban areas.
Rates & closing costs
Interest rates, APR, points, disclosures and the money due at closing.
U.S. guide · plannedInterest rates
Mortgage interest rates: what changes your rate?
Credit profile, loan type, points, term, property and market conditions can all affect the rate offered.
U.S. guide · plannedFixed vs. ARM
Fixed-rate vs. adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM)
Compare payment stability, adjustment periods, indexes, margins and the risks to understand before choosing.
U.S. guide · plannedAPR vs. rate
Mortgage APR vs. interest rate: what each number tells you
See why APR includes certain loan costs and why it should not be confused with the note rate.
U.S. guide · plannedLoan Estimate
How to read a Loan Estimate
Review rate, projected payments, closing costs, cash to close and the details that make lender offers easier to compare.
U.S. guide · plannedClosing costs
Mortgage closing costs: what homebuyers may pay
Origination charges, appraisal, title-related costs, prepaid taxes, insurance and other settlement expenses.
Refinance & home equity
Changing an existing mortgage or borrowing against home equity.
U.S. guide · plannedRefinance
Mortgage refinance: how it works and what to compare
Rate-and-term refinance, costs, new loan terms and the break-even questions to review before replacing a mortgage.
U.S. guide · plannedCash-out refinance
Cash-out refinance: borrowing from home equity
How replacing your mortgage with a larger loan can turn part of your equity into cash—and the trade-offs involved.
U.S. guide · plannedHELOC
HELOC explained: how a home equity line of credit works
Draw periods, variable rates, repayment periods and the risks of borrowing against your home.
U.S. guide · plannedHome equity loan
Home equity loan vs. HELOC
Compare a lump-sum second mortgage with a revolving credit line and how payments can differ.
U.S. guide · plannedRefinance costs
Refinance closing costs and break-even point
Estimate how long monthly savings may take to offset upfront refinance costs.
Buyer profiles & situations
Common borrower profiles and purchase situations that need extra planning.
U.S. guide · plannedFirst-time buyers
First-time homebuyer mortgage guide
From pre-approval and down payment planning to Loan Estimates, inspections, closing and the first payment.
U.S. guide · plannedSelf-employed
Mortgage for self-employed borrowers: what lenders may review
Income documentation, business history, tax returns, assets and why underwriting can differ from salaried borrowers.
U.S. guide · plannedCo-borrowers
Mortgage with a co-borrower: income, credit and responsibility
How two borrowers can apply together, how debts and credit are evaluated and who is responsible for the loan.
U.S. guide · plannedSecond homes
Mortgage for a second home: what can be different
Occupancy, down payment, reserves, pricing and lender requirements can differ from a primary residence.
U.S. guide · plannedInvestment property
Investment property mortgage basics
Understand how financing a rental or investment property can differ from owner-occupied home financing.
You can also calculate
When you need numbers, switch tools.
Estimate principal and interest using the home price, down payment, interest rate and loan term you want to test.
Compare payment structures and understand how a fixed-rate mortgage differs from an adjustable-rate mortgage.
Estimate how long monthly savings may take to offset refinance closing costs before deciding whether to replace a loan.
Compare down-payment scenarios and see where mortgage insurance can change the monthly cost of a conventional or FHA mortgage.
Prefer to start with the numbers?
Housefinan calculators separate each mortgage question so you can test one decision at a time. Start with payment and affordability, then compare rates, refinance scenarios and upfront costs.