Advanced Funding Home Mortgage Loans

09/23/2026

09/23/2026

The 10-year Treasury yield has climbed above 5%, hitting a 19-year high. (home.treasury.gov)

If you’re buying a home, here’s why that matters: mortgage rates often move in the same direction as the 10-year yield. They don’t move together exactly, but higher borrowing costs can change your monthly payment and the price range that feels comfortable.

If you’re shopping right now, focus on a payment you can afford today. A hoped-for rate drop shouldn’t be what makes the numbers work.

09/23/2026

Learn how a lease option works, key pros and risks, and when it may help first-time buyers move toward homeownership.

09/22/2026

Homebuyer demand is still stuck near historically low levels.

Pending home sales ticked up slightly in August, but the bigger picture isn’t nearly as encouraging.

The NAR Pending Home Sales Index came in at just 71.2—with contract signings 4.7% lower than a year ago and roughly 30% below pre-pandemic levels.

That’s a lot of buyers still sitting on the sidelines.

And the longer demand stays this weak, the more negotiating power buyers may have—especially when a home has been sitting on the market.

09/21/2026

Learn how to finance an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) with equity, refinance, HELOC and construction loans for your property.

Learn how to finance an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) with equity, refinance, HELOC and construction loans for your property.

09/20/2026

If you’ve been watching mortgage rates lately, this is a good example of why even a 1% move matters.

According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is now 6.95%, up from 5.98% in late February.

Put that into real dollars:

On a $500,000 mortgage, principal and interest at 6.95% is about $3,310 a month.

At 5.98%, that same loan would have been about $2,991 a month.

That’s roughly $319 more every month—or about $3,820 a year—without changing the price of the house or the amount borrowed.

This is why I always tell people not to look at the interest rate by itself. The real question is what that rate does to your monthly budget and your buying power.

And remember, these are national averages. Your actual mortgage rate depends on the loan, credit, down payment and other factors.

09/18/2026

Gas prices are moving higher again.

The national average for regular gasoline has climbed to $4.46 a gallon, up from $4.29 just one week ago. That’s a 17-cent increase in a week.

Gas prices are one of those expenses you notice immediately. And it doesn’t stop at the pump. Higher fuel costs can work their way into the price of groceries, deliveries, services, and just about anything that has to be transported.

09/18/2026

Practical ways to qualify for a mortgage using alternative credit and manual underwriting when you don't have a credit score.

Practical ways to qualify for a mortgage using alternative credit and manual underwriting when you don't have a credit score.

09/17/2026

**Jobless claims came in better than expected this week.**

Initial claims fell to **196,000** for the week ending September 12, compared with **207,000 expected** and **206,000 the week before**.

That means fewer people filed for unemployment benefits than economists were expecting.

It’s another data point showing layoffs remain relatively low. For the mortgage market, stronger employment data can also give the Fed less reason to move quickly toward lower rates.

As always, one weekly report doesn’t tell the whole story—but it’s worth watching.