Jon Kutsmeda

Jon Kutsmeda Creator of LendZen.com, the first and only fully autonomous mortgage shopping experience; no logins, no humans, no hassles. NMLS # 374680

Founder and Top Mortgage Expert in Luxury Homes, Vacation Rentals, and Military VA Loans.

Just two days into the week and mortgage rates are already on the run.​The same rate quoted last week is now going to co...
09/01/2026

Just two days into the week and mortgage rates are already on the run.
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The same rate quoted last week is now going to cost you $758 more per $100K of loan amount.
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Meanwhile, MBS just crossed a level that has repeatedly marked the point of no return.
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Time to panic?

Looks like you picked the wrong week...​Mortgage bonds are back at that ugly line again. The same one that usually means...
09/01/2026

Looks like you picked the wrong week...
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Mortgage bonds are back at that ugly line again. The same one that usually means rates are about to get worse, not better.
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Since February, the same rate now costs $3,000 more per $100k. On a $500k loan that’s $15,000 extra for the rate you forgot to lock.
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The last two months have been choppy with bonds getting thrown around like luggage, and now rate hike odds are reaching high altitude.
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This week we get PMI surveys and jobs data, with the big Non-Farm Payrolls landing on Friday; it's enough to make anyone queasy.
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Although a safe landing would be nice, I’m not seeing a lot of runway and the lights are flashing red again as markets open today.

Guess who is back... 🥤​Brent Johnson, famous for his Dollar Milkshake Theory, brought me back on the pod I co-hosted wit...
08/31/2026

Guess who is back... 🥤
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Brent Johnson, famous for his Dollar Milkshake Theory, brought me back on the pod I co-hosted with him for 2-years.
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We dig into how Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent's bond buyback policies will impact mortgages, bond spreads, and the housing market.
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https://youtu.be/7tK1msqW_y8 ​ 👈

Is a rate hike back on the table?​The Fed's preferred inflation gauge, Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE), came in ...
08/26/2026

Is a rate hike back on the table?
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The Fed's preferred inflation gauge, Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE), came in slightly higher than expected today.

Which comes first?​2023 highs​or​February lows?
08/24/2026

Which comes first?
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2023 highs
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or
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February lows?

Where was the trigger warning? ⚠️​Bessent's bond "bailout" left mortgage rates reeling last week.
08/24/2026

Where was the trigger warning? ⚠️
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Bessent's bond "bailout" left mortgage rates reeling last week.

War. ​Deficits.​Not-QE, QE.​Each one made getting a mortgage more expensive this year.​The same rate quoted FEB 27 now c...
08/24/2026

War.
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Deficits.
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Not-QE, QE.
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Each one made getting a mortgage more expensive this year.
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The same rate quoted FEB 27 now costs $2,907 more per $100K (291 bps).
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That is an increase of nearly $15,000 on a $500K loan.

The good news story of the last year is about to go away...​If MBS-Treasury spreads still looked like 2023, mortgage rat...
08/24/2026

The good news story of the last year is about to go away...
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If MBS-Treasury spreads still looked like 2023, mortgage rates would already be back near multi-year highs.
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That tailwind is fading and daily moves are about to matter a lot more.

Mortgage rates finally backed away from the danger zone, and inflation data provided the escape route.​Despite recent tu...
08/16/2026

Mortgage rates finally backed away from the danger zone, and inflation data provided the escape route.
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Despite recent turbulence, mortgage pricing is virtually unchanged over the last 30 trading days.
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However, zooming out further reveals MBS prices have fallen as much as 350 basis points since the Iran conflict began.
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Based on the LendZen Index, this tailspin for bonds means the same rate quoted in February would now cost $2,594 more per $100K, or nearly $13,000 more on a $500K loan.

Mortgage rates finally caught a break, but please do not look at the rest of the chart. 😬​Consumer inflation landed in l...
08/12/2026

Mortgage rates finally caught a break, but please do not look at the rest of the chart. 😬
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Consumer inflation landed in line with expectations today, helping mortgage rate pricing reach its best level in three weeks.
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But CPI was not working alone.
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The MBS-Treasury spread quietly fell back under 1%, meaning mortgage bonds performed slightly better than Treasuries, which provided some added relief.
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Today was a welcome base hit, but Producer inflation is up to bat next.

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