There’s a number that gets cited a lot right now: 2,746 down payment assistance programs available nationwide, per the Q2 2026 Homeownership Program Index from Down Payment Resource (published July 22, 2026). Here is the problem with that number. Just 49 of those programs are Mortgage Credit Certificates. MCCs reduce your federal tax liability after … Read more
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now let lenders choose between Classic FICO, VantageScore 4.0, and FICO 10T. Here is what that actually means for borrowers, explained by someone who watched the original FICO thresholds get built from real loan performance data at Bank of America.
First-time buyers now make up just 24% of all home purchases – the lowest share since 1981 – and the median age has climbed to 38. But the down payment problem isn’t new, and most buyers have more options than they realize. Here’s what they’re missing.
A 37-year mortgage banker explains the gap between what lenders approve and what you can really afford, with a simple framework and the math behind both numbers.