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Good news for Utah homebuyers: mortgage rates are holding steady to start the week. As of this morning, the 30-year fixed rate comes in at 6.375% for well-qualified buyers — with options as low as 5.875% for those who choose to buy down their rate with points. Whether you’re purchasing your first home or refinancing, […]

If you’re putting less than 20% down on a conventional home purchase, you’re going to hear about PMI. Private mortgage insurance is one of the most misunderstood costs in homebuying — and one of the most manageable, once you understand how it works. Here’s what every Utah homebuyer needs to know: what PMI is, what […]

If you’re a real estate investor trying to grow your portfolio, the standard mortgage qualification process can become a bottleneck. Once you have three or four properties — or if you’re self-employed, own multiple businesses, or structure your income through an LLC — your personal tax returns and W-2 income may not accurately reflect your […]

Being self-employed has never been more common — and it’s never been more complicated when it comes to getting a mortgage. The traditional mortgage qualification process was designed for W-2 employees: you show your pay stubs, W-2s, and tax returns, and the lender can see exactly what you earn. For freelancers, independent contractors, small business […]

Buying your first home in Utah is one of the most exciting things you’ll do — and one of the most complex financial decisions you’ll make. There’s a lot to understand: loan options, down payments, credit scores, closing costs, inspection contingencies. If it feels like a lot, that’s because it is. But it’s also manageable, […]

Mortgage rates are one of the most-searched topics in real estate, and for good reason: even a half-point difference in your interest rate affects your monthly payment, your total interest paid, and how much home you can afford. If you are buying or refinancing in Utah this summer, here is what you need to understand […]

If you’re a veteran or active-duty service member looking to buy a home in Utah, the VA loan program is one of the most significant benefits available to you. It was designed specifically to make homeownership more accessible for those who’ve served — and it delivers on that promise in ways no other loan program […]

Credit score is a very important metric for virtually all of us, and particularly within the realm of mortgage loans and mortgage refinancing. A common question we receive down these lines from current mortgage owners considering a refinance of their home loan: Can doing so negatively impact their credit score? At Integrity First Lending, we're […]

There are a few components of any homebuying situation that are relatively well-known, and one of these is the down payment. Referring to the amount of money that the homebuyer is putting toward the purchase price of their home in a lump sum at the closing of their purchase, down payments will typically be the […]

One of the single most exciting points in any homebuying journey, at least for most buyers, comes when they receive word that a seller has accepted their home offer. This is a major moment in the process, one that moves you from the searching phase to the buying phase quickly -- and while you should […]