Mortgage and home buying guides
The calculators on this site give you a number. These articles explain where that number comes from and what to do with it: how the amortization formula works, what actually moves mortgage rates, and which costs first-time buyers consistently underestimate.
Everything here is written for someone in the middle of a decision rather than for search engines, which means we include the inconvenient parts: the break-even points that make a refinance not worth doing, the mortgage insurance that never cancels, and the situations where renting is the better financial choice.
How to Calculate a Mortgage Payment: Step-by-Step Guide
The actual amortization formula lenders use, worked through with real numbers, plus how principal, interest, taxes and insurance combine into the PITI figure that determines what you pay each month.
- Amortization formula
- PITI breakdown
- Worked example
Current Mortgage Rates in the USA: How They Work
What actually moves mortgage rates, why the advertised rate is not the rate you get, and how to compare lender quotes properly using APR and the Loan Estimate.
- What drives rates
- APR vs interest rate
- Comparing quotes
First-Time Home Buyer Guide: Programs, Costs and Mistakes to Avoid
FHA loans, down payment assistance, credit score requirements and the costs first-time buyers routinely underestimate, along with the ten mistakes that cause the most regret.
- Loan programs
- Down payment help
- Closing costs
Prefer to run the numbers?
Each guide pairs with a calculator. If you already know the concept and just want the figure, go straight to the tool.