Capital Home Loans

08/28/2026

Sellers Are Finally Getting the Message: Price It Right or Get Passed By

The housing market is changing, and sellers are adjusting with it.

Recent data shows 27.1% of U.S. listings had a price cut in July 2026, while Redfin estimates there were 51.3% more sellers than buyers nationwide. Earlier this year, 34.2% of February sellers cut their asking price—the highest February share in Redfin records dating back to 2012.

What does that mean? Buyers may have more leverage, more room to negotiate, and more opportunity to ask for seller credits, repairs, or even a mortgage-rate buydown.

For sellers, the takeaway is just as important: today’s market rewards realistic pricing. Homes priced off last year’s peak—or based on what a neighbor sold for months ago—can sit longer and eventually require a reduction.

The best strategy? Watch fresh local comps, pay attention to days on market, and price for today’s buyers, not yesterday’s market.

Informational purposes only. Sources: Zillow and Redfin.

08/28/2026

More Listings. Fewer Buyers. Is the Market Shifting in Your Favor?

The latest Redfin housing data is showing a clear divergence between supply and demand.

Over the four weeks ending August 23, 2026, new listings rose to 376,235, the highest level since April, while active listings climbed to 1,504,085, the highest level since May. At the same time, pending sales fell to 307,830, down 1.1% week over week and to their lowest level in six months.

That combination matters.

When more homes are available and fewer buyers are actively competing for them, serious buyers may gain more leverage. Depending on the local market, that can mean more choices, more room to negotiate price or terms, and a better chance to request seller concessions.

Affordability is still a major challenge. The median U.S. sale price was about $400,649, and the typical monthly mortgage payment was around $2,600 at a 6.65% rate. But softer demand can create opportunities that were much harder to find during the highly competitive markets of the past few years.

Local conditions vary, but nationally the market is becoming more balanced—and in many areas, increasingly buyer-friendly.

Source: Redfin, four weeks ending Aug. 23, 2026. Informational purposes only.

08/27/2026

6 in 10 Home Shoppers Are Looking Outside Their Metro Affordability is pushing more buyers to expand their search beyond their local market. Realtor.com reports that 60.1% of online home-shopping views from the 100 largest U.S. metros went to out-of-market homes in Q2 2026, up from 48.2% in 2019.

For buyers, that can mean more options. For local markets, it can mean new demand coming from farther away.

08/26/2026

Major Appraisal Changes Are Coming: What Buyers, Sellers & Realtors Should Know

A major appraisal reporting update is coming with UAD 3.6, bringing more structured data, more property detail, additional photos, and greater transparency into the appraisal process.

For buyers and sellers, that could mean property condition issues, ADUs, condo/project details, repairs, and comparable-sale support are documented more clearly than before.

For Realtors, preparation may matter even more: accurate listing details, visible condition issues, upgrades, permits, ADUs, and strong comparable support can all help reduce surprises once the appraisal is underway.

Key date: November 2, 2026 for new submissions under UAD 3.6.

Informational purposes only.

08/26/2026

Losing your job after a mortgage approval is a major change—but it does not automatically mean the purchase is over.

Your lender needs to know immediately because the approval was based, in part, on your employment and qualifying income. Employment is commonly verified again before closing, so trying to hide the change can create a much bigger problem.

Depending on the situation, there may still be options:

• A new job in the same field may help
• An acceptable employment offer may work in certain cases
• Closing may simply need to be delayed
• The loan can potentially be re-underwritten once qualifying income is restored

Bottom line: Tell your loan officer right away and find out what options are available before assuming the deal is dead.

MortgageApproval

08/25/2026

Looking to purchase land for a future residential build? Land financing may be more accessible than you think.

Capital Home Loans offers land/lot loan options with features including:

• Loan amounts from $50,000–$500,000
• Up to 80% LTV
• 10-year fixed term
• Minimum 680 FICO
• No prepayment penalty
• Purchase or rate-and-term refinance
• No immediate build requirement for eligible properties intended for a future 1–4 unit residential dwelling

Investment/non-owner occupied land only. Program guidelines, eligibility, and terms are subject to change. Not all borrowers or properties will qualify.

Have a piece of land in mind? Send us the details and we can review the scenario.

08/24/2026

Locked in at 6.5%? Here’s How to Make It Feel More Like 4.47% 🏠💰

You may not need to refinance to dramatically reduce the lifetime cost of your mortgage. On a $400,000, 30-year loan at 6.5%, making extra principal payments each year could save over $183,000 in interest and pay the mortgage off more than 9 years early.

The 4.47% figure is a 30-year lifetime interest-cost equivalent—your actual mortgage rate remains 6.5%.

08/24/2026

Locked Rate Changed After the Appraisal — Can a Lender Do That?

A mortgage rate lock does not always mean every part of the loan pricing is permanently frozen.

If the lender later determines that a property was classified incorrectly—such as pricing it as a single-family attached home instead of a condo—that can affect the loan’s pricing and potentially trigger a legitimate change.

The frustrating part is that buyers may not know whether it was an honest mistake or whether the original quote was simply too aggressive.

Before choosing a lender:

* Make sure they understand the property type upfront
* Ask for a clear written breakdown of the rate and lender fees
* Read reviews and work with someone you trust
* If pricing changes, ask for a written explanation

You may still have time to compare another lender, but keep in mind that current market rates could be different from the rate you originally locked.

MortgageAdvice

08/24/2026

Mortgage Market Week Ahead: Inflation, the Fed & Rate Volatility Take Center Stage

A potentially important week for mortgage rates is ahead.

Markets will be watching PCE inflation, Q2 GDP, durable goods, jobless claims, Treasury auctions, and Fed Chair Kevin Warsh at Jackson Hole for clues about where interest rates may go next.

Wednesday and Friday could be the biggest rate-moving days. Cooler inflation and weaker growth could help Treasury yields and mortgage pricing, while stronger inflation or hawkish Fed commentary could push borrowing costs higher.

Treasury demand and developments involving Iran and oil prices remain additional wildcards.

For borrowers approaching closing, this may be a week where mortgage pricing moves quickly.

Informational purposes only. Market conditions and mortgage rates can change throughout the day.

08/23/2026