Tips, trends and insights for homebuyers like you.
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Second Home Mortgage Requirements: The 5 Things Lenders Check
By: Tomo Mortgage Staff Reviewed by: Jeffrey Kriebel, Senior Loan Advisor | NMLS #30073 November 6, 2026 To qualify for a second home mortgage, lenders check five things: how you’ll use the property, your down payment, your debt-to-income ratio, your credit, and the savings you’ll have left after closing. Eligible conventional loans may allow a… Read more
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2025 mortgage interest rate forecast
See how Tomo Mortgage’s head of Capital Markets breaks down the latest mortgage rate forecasts, predictions, and outlooks for 2025. Read more
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What Determines Your VA Loan Rate?
Five factors determine your VA loan rate: credit score, loan amount, debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, loan term, and discount points, on top of a structural advantage built… Read more
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Online Mortgage Close Time: How Fast Can You Actually Close?
The industry average mortgage close time was just under 37 days for purchase loans in March 2026 vs 42 days for all of 2025, according to… Read more
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VA Loan vs. Conventional Loan: Cost Comparison
A VA loan is typically cheaper than a conventional loan for eligible borrowers who plan to stay in the home longer than about four years, mainly… Read more
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How to Apply for a Mortgage Online: Step-by-Step
Applying for a conventional, FHA, VA, or jumbo mortgage completely online takes only eight steps: check your credit, get pre-approved, review your Loan Estimate, house-hunt with… Read more
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How to Get a VA Loan: Step-by-Step Guide
Getting a VA loan takes eight steps: confirm eligibility, obtain your Certificate of Eligibility (COE), choose a VA-approved lender, get pre-approved, find a home that meets… Read more
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What Documents Do I Need to Get a Mortgage Online?
A mortgage application, online or in person, requires four categories of documents: income, assets, identity, and property. Income documents prove what you earn, asset documents prove… Read more
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Is It Safe to Get a Mortgage Completely Online?
Yes, getting a mortgage online is safe when the lender is licensed through the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) and registered in your state. Licensing means… Read more
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What Credit Score Do I Need for a VA Loan?
The Department of Veterans Affairs sets no minimum credit score for a VA loan. That requirement comes from individual lenders. Lenders add their own credit score… Read more
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What Is FHA Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP)?
MIP, or mortgage insurance premium, is an essential part of certain home loans, specifically those backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Just like PMI (private… Read more
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What are mortgage interest rate points?
The term mortgage points (also called discount points) gets frequently thrown around, but what do points actually mean and should you get them? Quick summary: Mortgage discount… Read more
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What Are Seller Credits (and How Do They Work)?
Seller credits (also called seller concessions) are essentially a way for the seller to help you with some of the closing costs or other expenses related… Read more
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What is Mortgage Protection Insurance (MPI)?
Mortgage protection is essentially a safety net for homeowners. It’s one type of insurance that steps in if life throws an unexpected curveball, whether that’s death, disability,… Read more