START HERE · 4 min read
The rate is only the beginning.
How to compare interest rate, APR, points and cash to close without losing sight of your plans.
Read the essential guideUnderstanding your options · 4 min read
The rate is only the beginning.
How to compare interest rate, APR, points and cash to close without losing sight of your plans.
Read the story ↗Payment strategies · 5 min read
A softer start. A clear payment plan.
Compare 3-2-1, 2-1 and 1-1 temporary mortgage buydowns: how the payment help works, who pays for it and what happens when it ends.
Read the story ↗Payment strategies · 5 min read
An ARM deserves a closer look.
When a 5/6, 7/6 or 10/6 adjustable-rate mortgage may fit your plans and how to compare the initial savings, future adjustments and payment risk.
Read the story ↗Income & preparation · 4 min read
Paid in salary, bonuses or stock? Start here.
A practical starting point for Bay Area buyers with salary, bonuses and restricted stock compensation.
Read the story ↗Life after closing · 4 min read
Budget for the home, not just the mortgage.
Property taxes, insurance, maintenance and the first-year costs that deserve a place in your Contra Costa homebuying plan.
Read the story ↗Planning your move · 4 min read
Two homes. One carefully coordinated move.
How to organize the financing and timing questions when you are buying a home while selling another.
Read the story ↗The property matters · 4 min read
With a condo, the building has a file, too.
The association, insurance and project documents worth discussing early in a condo purchase.
Read the story ↗Refinance decisions · 4 min read
A smaller payment is one part of the story.
How to think about refinance costs, break-even timing, remaining balance and the years still ahead.
Read the story ↗Put an idea into practice
A clearer comparison.
On your own terms.
Enter your own estimates to explore how monthly payments and upfront costs interact over time. No sign-up or financial documents.
Open the comparison worksheet ↗