Resource center
Run the numbers. Learn the language.
Calculators with honest assumptions, step-by-step guides, a plain-English glossary and a searchable FAQ. Written by me, checked against official sources, and free of filler.
Start here
Tools & references
Mortgage payment
Full monthly payment with taxes, insurance, MI and HOA, plus an amortization chart.
Open CalculatorPurchase affordability
A price range from your income, debts and the ratio you choose.
Open CalculatorDown payment comparison
Up to three down payment scenarios side by side.
Open CalculatorRent vs. buy
Year-by-year net worth, renting versus owning, on your assumptions.
Open CalculatorRefinance break-even
Payment change, break-even month and lifetime cost.
Open CalculatorExtra principal payments
How extra monthly principal shortens your loan.
Open GuideFirst-time homebuyer guide
From budget and preapproval to the closing table.
Open GuideMortgage process timeline
Who does what, and when, from application to keys.
Open GuideSelf-employed borrower guide
A practical playbook for business owners.
Open GuideInvestor financing guide
Conventional, DSCR, cash-out and delayed financing.
Open ReferenceMortgage glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms you'll see.
Open ReferenceMortgage FAQ
Honest answers to real questions, searchable.
OpenGuides
Step-by-step playbooks
First-time homebuyer guide: how to buy a house, step by step
Buying your first home is a set of small steps, not one giant leap. This is the same walkthrough I give first-time buyers at my…
Read the guideGuideHow long does the mortgage process take? A stage-by-stage timeline
When buyers ask me "how long does a mortgage take?", my honest answer is "it depends on a few things you can control and a few…
Read the guideGuideHow to get a mortgage when you're self-employed
Self-employed borrowers don't have a harder time because they earn less. It's because their income is shown differently on paper,…
Read the guideGuideHow to finance an investment property: a guide for real estate investors
Investors have more loan options than most people realize, and each one has different rules. Here's how conventional investment…
Read the guideArticles
Decisions, explained
FHA vs. conventional loan: which one is right for you?
Many buyers have heard that FHA is for first-timers and conventional is for everyone else. That's not really how it works. The right choice…
7 min readRefinance & EquityHELOC vs. cash-out refinance: which is better for you?
If you've built equity in your home (the part you own outright), there are three common ways to borrow against it: a HELOC, a home equity…
7 min readRate StrategyHow does a mortgage rate buydown work? 2-1, 1-0 and permanent
A rate buydown means someone pays money upfront to lower your mortgage rate. The lower rate can last for the first year or two, or for the…
7 min readConstructionOne-time close vs. two-time close construction loans
When you build a home, you need money to pay for construction. Then you need a long-term mortgage once the house is done. You can do that…
7 min readProgram guides
In-depth loan program guides
Each covers how the program works, who it fits, documents, trade-offs, comparisons and FAQs.
Let's talk through your options.
A short conversation usually answers more than an hour of searching. No pressure, and no cost to ask.
Applications open in a new tab on Neighborhood Mortgage's secure portal.