Mortgages & Money
The 18-Month Rule: How to Know If Refinancing Actually Pays Off
Closing costs, points and your break-even month — a worked example on a $380,000 loan at today's rates.
Mortar Home / Category: Mortgages & Money
Category: Mortgages & Money
Rates, refinancing, insurance and the real cost of owning. The Mortar Home money desk follows the numbers so you do not have to.
Mortgages & Money
HELOC vs. Cash-Out Refi: Which Way to Tap $100K of Equity in 2026
With $35 trillion in homeowner equity on the table, the borrowing route you pick can swing total cost by five figures.
Mortgages & Money
Adjustable-Rate Mortgages Are Back to 12% of Applications. Should You Bite?
The 5/1 ARM discount is the widest in three years. Who it fits, who it burns, and the caps to read twice.
Mortgages & Money
Property Tax Assessments Are Up Again. Here’s How to Appeal — and Win
Roughly 40% of appeals succeed, yet fewer than 5% of owners file. A county-by-county playbook.