Jake Planton, Home Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS 209327/1647999

09/17/2026

Big changes are coming to home appraisals this fall. 🏡

Starting November 2nd, conventional appraisals will begin moving to a completely redesigned format.

What does that mean if you're buying or selling a home?

Probably not much that you'll actually see. The appraiser will still inspect and evaluate the property, but behind the scenes, the report is getting a major overhaul. It will collect significantly more detailed information about the home and use a more standardized format.

The bigger question is what happens during the transition.

Appraisers will have to learn a brand-new system, and the new reports require a lot more information. That could mean longer appraisal turn times and potentially higher appraisal costs, at least while everyone gets used to it.

We may also see lenders rely more on appraisal alternatives for qualifying properties, such as Property Data Reports.

A couple important things:
👉 This starts November 2, 2026
👉 For now, this applies to conventional loans, not FHA or VA
👉 Your house isn't suddenly being appraised differently.
The biggest change is how the appraisal is documented and analyzed

Nothing to panic about. Just something I'm watching closely, especially as we head into fall.

As always, I'll keep you posted as we learn more. 🏡

09/17/2026

Big changes are coming to home appraisals this fall. 🏡

Starting November 2nd, conventional appraisals will begin moving to a completely redesigned format.

What does that mean if you’re buying or selling a home?

Probably not much that you’ll actually see. The appraiser will still inspect and evaluate the property, but behind the scenes, the report is getting a major overhaul. It will collect significantly more detailed information about the home and use a more standardized format.

The bigger question is what happens during the transition.

Appraisers will have to learn a brand-new system, and the new reports require a lot more information. That could mean longer appraisal turn times and potentially higher appraisal costs, at least while everyone gets used to it.

We may also see lenders rely more on appraisal alternatives for qualifying properties, such as Property Data Reports.

A couple important things:
👉 This starts November 2, 2026
👉 For now, this applies to conventional loans, not FHA or VA
👉 Your house isn’t suddenly being appraised differently.
The biggest change is how the appraisal is documented and analyzed

Nothing to panic about. Just something I’m watching closely, especially as we head into fall.

As always, I’ll keep you posted as we learn more. 🏡

09/16/2026

Conventional loan limits are moving UP for 2027. 🏡

What does that mean in normal-person language?

It means you can borrow more money with a conventional loan before your loan is considered a jumbo loan.

The new early loan limits being offered by some lenders are:

🏠 1-unit home: $847,440
🏘️ 2-unit: $1,085,059
🏘️ 3-unit: $1,311,535
🏢 4-unit: $1,630,005

Why does that matter?

Conventional financing can often mean more options, easier qualification, and potentially better pricing than moving into jumbo financing.

And remember, these are loan amounts, not purchase prices. So depending on your down payment, you could purchase a home for quite a bit more and still stay within conventional financing.

The official 2027 FHFA limits haven’t been released yet, but some lenders are already allowing these higher limits now.

Basically: higher loan limits = a little more buying power without having to jump into a jumbo loan.

Questions about what this means for your price range? That’s what I’m here for. 😊

09/14/2026

Why did mortgage rates spike last week? Short answer: stronger economic data and higher inflation pressured markets and moved yields up — and that pushed mortgage rates higher. Read my quick breakdown and what it means if you’re shopping for a home or refinancing. https://wix.to/KFZAKpy

Key takeaways: stronger jobs report, inflation worries, Fed expectations. Click to learn how this could affect your monthly payment.

If you were watching mortgage rates last week, you probably noticed they moved in the wrong direction, and pretty quickly.After a stretch of relatively stable rates, the market took a hit from a combination of stronger economic data and higher inflation.The jobs report came in much stronger than exp...

09/12/2026

There’s a LOT of talk about the Fed and rates right now, and I know that can make homebuyers nervous.

Mortgage rates are back in the 7% range, and with the Fed meeting next week, I’m already hearing the concern:

“If the Fed raises rates, won’t mortgage rates go even higher?”

Not necessarily.

Here’s something that surprises a lot of people: during the Fed’s last major rate-hiking cycle, mortgage rates actually went DOWN on many of the days the Fed raised rates.

Why?

Because the Fed does not directly set mortgage rates. Mortgage rates are driven largely by the bond market, inflation, economic data, and most importantly, what the market thinks is coming next.

Markets are forward-looking. If a Fed move is already expected, it may already be priced into mortgage rates before the announcement ever happens.

So yes, rates are higher right now. And yes, there’s uncertainty.
But don’t assume a Fed announcement automatically means mortgage rates are about to shoot higher.
Sometimes the thing everyone is afraid of has already been priced in.
If you’re buying a home right now, don’t let the headlines make the decision for you. Let’s look at the actual numbers and make a plan based on your situation.

09/10/2026

09/08/2026

Mortgage Market Update: Big Changes for Fannie — New jobs data and policy shifts are moving mortgage rates. The August jobs report surprised on the upside, and that can push rates higher as the Fed’s path changes. Read the quick 2-minute breakdown and what it could mean for buyers and homeowners: https://wix.to/QqxBNT2

Mortgage Update: Rates, Jobs & a Big Fannie Mae ChangeWe got some important mortgage news over the last week.First, the August jobs report came in much stronger than expected. The economy added 162,000 jobs, compared with expectations of roughly 56,000.Normally, a strong jobs report is good news. Fo...

09/03/2026

This is a big change for someone wanting to rent out their current home to purchase a new home. In the past, we would need a full lease agreement, proof of first and last month rent to make it work. Fannie Mae is changing that.

09/03/2026

🏠 Big change for manufactured home financing!

Freddie Mac has updated its conventional guidelines to allow financing on manufactured homes that have been moved from a previous site.

Previously, once a manufactured home had been permanently installed and then moved to another property, conventional financing was generally off the table.

Now, Freddie Mac may allow it, provided the home meets their requirements, including a structural integrity inspection by a licensed engineer and applicable wind, roof-load, and thermal-zone standards.

This could open the door to conventional financing for quite a few manufactured homes that previously had very limited options.

More options for buyers = always good news. 🏡

As always, property and loan eligibility requirements apply.