Mortgages
The biggest loan of your life, demystified
Down payments, fixed vs adjustable rates, PMI, closing costs, and what you can actually afford — everything first-time buyers wish they'd known.
3 lessons · about 19 minutes total · 100% free
Saved on this device only — no account needed.
1. Down payments, PMI & what you can actually afford
The 20% down payment is a myth that keeps people renting for years. Here's what lenders require, what PMI costs, and how to find your real budget, not the bank's.
7 min read
2. Fixed vs. adjustable & 15 vs. 30 years — choosing your loan
Two choices shape what your mortgage costs: does the rate move, and how long do you take to pay? The same $300,000 loan can cost $153,000 in interest, or $383,000.
6 min read
3. The buying process, start to finish
Pre-approval, offers, earnest money, inspection, appraisal, escrow, points, rate locks — the whole home-buying gauntlet in order, plus the traps that could cost you real money.
6 min read