Adam Renken I Renken Mortgage Team I Denver

10/31/2026

👻 The mortgage process shouldn’t be scary.

High rates, Closing costs, Credit scores, Appraisals, and Underwriting......

There are plenty of things that can make buying a home feel scary, especially when you don’t know what to expect.

That’s where having the right mortgage broker matters.

My job isn’t just to give you an interest rate. It’s to help guide you through your options, and anticipate problems before they become problems.

Whether you’re:
*Buying your first home
*Moving up to a bigger one
*Looking into an investment property
*Trying to lower your monthly payment
*Tapping into your current equity

Don’t let the mortgage process scare you away from making a move.

Have a mortgage question? Call your BOO. 👻 Happy Halloween!

10/29/2026

Did your mortgage payment suddenly go up, even though you have a fixed rate?

Your interest rate probably didn't change; instead, the increase may be coming from your escrow account.

If your property taxes or homeowners insurance increased for the year, your mortgage servicer won't have enough in the account to cover the higher premiums. 

That creates an escrow shortage.

You will typically have two to fix the shortage:

Pay the shortage in full.
Your payment will still increase to account for the higher taxes and insurance, but you avoid spreading last year's shortage into your payment for the next 12 months.

Spread the shortage over 12 months.
This requires less money upfront, but your monthly payment can increase even more because you are paying the shortage while also funding the higher taxes and insurance for the coming year.

One other mistake I see homeowners make:

If you switch insurance companies and receive a refund from your old carrier, don't assume that check is yours to spend. Otherwise, you could create an even larger shortage.

If you received an escrow analysis and want to understand why your payment changed, send it to me. I'll help you break down the numbers.

Adam Renken
Mortgage Consultant #1065772
303.521.0956
RenkenMortgageTeam.com

10/22/2026

TURNED DOWN IN THE PAST? 

If your credit score kept you from buying a home, it may be worth taking another look.

Mortgage loans are changing how they evaluate credit scores.

For eligible conventional loans, lenders can now use Classic FICO or VantageScore 4.0. And starting January 1st, FHA is adding VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T alongside Classic FICO.

Why does that matter?

The same credit history can produce a different score depending on the scoring model.

That could mean the difference between:

• Qualifying or not qualifying
• A higher or lower interest rate
• Higher or lower mortgage insurance
• Being able to afford the payment you need

This does NOT mean everyone's score will be higher. But if you were turned down in the past because of your credit, or your score made the loan too expensive, don't assume you're still in the same position.

Have your lender run a credit report again and compare the options.

DM or call me to learn more!

10/21/2026

Switching lenders after the appraisal? Check this first.

Sometimes changing lenders can save the transaction.

But starting November 2, there's another question that needs to be asked before moving the loan.......

What about the appraisal?

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the conventional loan agencies, are moving to a new appraisal format, UAD 3.6, and lenders may not be identical during the transition.

If a loan needs to move after the appraisal is completed, make sure your new lender verifies the appraisal before switching.

These are the details that matter when you're trying to close and/or not spend another $700+ for a new APPRAISAL.

If you're stuck, or want to chat options, give me a call or DM📱

10/20/2026

10/16/2026

Waiting for mortgage rates to drop before you buy?⏳

Let's put some actual numbers behind that strategy.

On a $500,000 30-year mortgage:

7.25% = $3,411/month
7.00% = $3,327/month
6.75% = $3,243/month
6.50% = $3,160/month

That's about $42/month for every ⅛ drop in rate.

Even if rates dropped from 7.25% all the way to 6.50%, the difference is $251/month.

I'm not saying $251 doesn't matter. It does.But waiting for the market to give you a lower payment isn't your only option.

Right now, I'm looking at strategies like ARMs, permanent rate buydowns, and temporary rate buydowns to get buyers closer to the payment they want today.

And in a market where buyers have more negotiating power, we can use seller concessions to help pay for these strategies.

You can't control where mortgage rates go next, but you can control how you structure the financing.

If you're waiting for a certain rate before you buy, let's run the numbers and figure out what rate you actually need to hit your target payment.

Payment examples are based on a $500,000 30-year fixed mortgage with a 5% down payment, 7.25% , 7.559% APR. This information is provided for educational and illustration purposes only. Payments include principal and interest only. Taxes, insurance, HOA and mortgage insurance, if applicable, are additional. Rates and terms shown are not a solicitation or quote for services.

10/09/2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5-star Friday!

Buying a home comes with a lot of moving pieces. My job is to make the mortgage piece easy to understand and explain what to expect from pre-approval through closing.

One of my favorite parts of the review:

“I learned a lot working with him and always felt like I was in good hands.”

That’s exactly the experience I want all our clients to have when working with our team.

You should understand the numbers, know what to expect next, and therefore feel confident in your decision to purchase the home.

Thank you, E.P., for trusting me with your mortgage and for taking the time to leave such a great review!

10/06/2026

You got the new job. You’re making more money now!💸

Don’t celebrate by buying a new car just yet....🛻

I recently had to decline a client with great credit and good income.

The problem?

He bought a brand-new truck to celebrate his new job.

Even with the higher income, the new car payment pushed his debt-to-income ratio too high to qualify for the mortgage.

And this happens all the time.

With vehicle prices and payments where they are today, taking on a $700, $900, or $1,000+ monthly car payment can dramatically reduce how much home you qualify for, or WORSE, prevent you from qualifying altogether.

If buying a home is one of your goals, protect your buying power and debt-to-income ratio.

Get the house first. Then buy the car.🏠

09/29/2026

Hang in there! It's rough waters right now....

09/28/2026

Rental income guidelines changed this month and will impact how you qualify for your next loan🤔

This applies to several common scenarios:

• Buying a new investment property
• Converting your current primary residence into a rental
• Refinancing an investment property

One of the biggest changes is assuming we can simply take 75% of a new lease agreement and use it to offset the mortgage payment. 

The amount of rental income we can use also depends on your history managing rental properties, the type of transaction, when the property became a rental, and how you document the income.

New guidelines also address investment properties purchased within 45 days.

If rental income is part of your qualification, let's connect to review it before you make an offer so we can re-look at it and plan for the new required documents💯