Seth Lester, NMLS 390622 West Capital Lending, Inc

04/10/2026

11/10/2025

🏡 Wondering “How much mortgage can I afford?” You’re not alone!

Buying a home is exciting—but figuring out what you can comfortably spend is key. 💡 Here’s a simple way to start:

1️⃣ Check your monthly budget – How much can you safely spend without stretching your finances?
2️⃣ Factor in all costs – Mortgage, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees can add up.
3️⃣ Consider your down payment – Bigger down payment = smaller loan = lower monthly payment.
4️⃣ Think long-term – Your ideal payment should leave room for savings, emergencies, and fun.

📊 Tip: Many lenders use the 28/36 rule – try not to spend more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing and 36% on total debt.

💬 Ready to find your number? Let’s make your dream home budget a reality!

11/06/2025

10/29/2025

Reprices Becoming Likely After Powell Comment on Dec Cut
Key Points:

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated that a rate cut in December is "far from" a foregone conclusion.
This comment triggered a negative market reaction, with:

Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) dropping by 9 ticks (≈0.28).
10-year Treasury yields rising by 6.5 basis points, now at 4.041%.

As a result, negative reprices in the mortgage market are now considered likely.

10/29/2025

Rates have been flirting with long term lows over the past 2 weeks, but today made it official.  Today's average top tier 30yr fixed rate perfectly matched that seen on September 16th, 2025.  That's the lowest it's been since September 2024, and we're so close to th...

10/29/2025

Take the next step towards becoming a homeowner

10/24/2025

If your're home shopping in DFW, come see Lym Young at her open house tomorrow.

10/24/2025

If you’re home-shopping in DFW, come see Lynn Young at her open house tomorrow.

08/08/2025

https://housingnewsletters.com/seth-lester/68964b890c59d6e646c83667?s=em

Last Friday's jobs report sparked a big rally in the bond market, and thus a big improvement for mortgage rates. This week was very light in terms of market data and volatility, but it helped solidify the improvement from the jobs report.

08/01/2025

Last week, we said all bets were off until we saw Friday’s jobs report—and that no other piece of economic data moves mortgage rates more reliably. This week proved why that warning is always worth repeating.