Jim Barnett Home Financing Team

Jim Barnett Home Financing Team NMLS ID 202426

The Jim Barnett Home Financing Team specializes their coverage in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, however we are a national lender with the ability to close on transactions in most of the United States.

Fannie Mae raising its mortgage rate forecast through 2027 says a lot about how the market is re-calibrating expectation...
06/08/2026

Fannie Mae raising its mortgage rate forecast through 2027 says a lot about how the market is re-calibrating expectations right now.

For a while, many people expected a quicker move back into the 5% range. Instead, inflation pressure, Treasury volatility, and global uncertainty are keeping rates elevated longer than expected.

Buyers are adjusting to the idea that today's rate environment may stick around for a while. Lenders are adjusting structure and product mix. Homeowners holding low-rate mortgages continue limiting inventory because there's less incentive to move.

This is why long-term strategy becomes more important than trying to perfectly time rates. The people who continue moving forward are usually the ones focused on payment comfort, long-term equity, and structure that works in the current environment.

06/02/2026

Your credit score for a mortgage just changed. Most lenders haven't told you yet.

In July 2025, the FHFA approved VantageScore 4.0 for all conventional loans sold through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It's now a legitimate alternative to the FICO score your lender has defaulted to for decades.

VantageScore 4.0 is the model you probably already know from Credit Karma. It factors in rent and utility payment history, ignores medical debt, and can generate a score with as little as one account and one month of activity. So if you've been a reliable renter for years, had a medical collection you couldn't control, or just don't have deep traditional credit, your Vantage score can come in meaningfully higher than your FICO.

That gap matters. A better score gets you a better interest rate and lower mortgage insurance. Those are 2 of the biggest drivers of your monthly payment.

This is especially relevant for first-time buyers, recent graduates, buyers rebuilding after a medical event, and anyone who's been told their credit isn't quite there yet. An estimated 5 million Americans who didn't qualify under FICO now have a path under VantageScore 4.0.

Barrett Financial works with lenders who'll use VantageScore 4.0 over FICO. Few lenders offer that option. For some of the families I've worked with, having it changed what they qualified for and what they paid every month.

If you want to see what your scores look like under both models, I'm happy to get on a call. The goal is to find you a mortgage you want, on your terms.

[email protected]
480-566-6453

EVENTUALLY, interest rates will fall again. Right now, mortgage rates are essentially tied to the price of oil but that...
05/07/2026

EVENTUALLY, interest rates will fall again. Right now, mortgage rates are essentially tied to the price of oil but that is a conversation for another day.

When they do, most clients will refinance to save cashflow. But if they're working with actively managed assets, a better move is to reinvest the savings instead of pocketing the cash.

This client is 2 years into a 30-year mortgage. Refinancing to a rate just 0.75% lower saves $111K in interest.

If they invest that $390/month at 7%, they gain another $282K. Total net worth increase: $393,000 over the life of the loan.

Same house. Same budget. Strategic thinking.

Refinances aren't always just about lowering payments, they're about building wealth.

Many people are still waiting for rates to drop before buying. I get it. That makes sense on the surface. But here's ...
04/29/2026

Many people are still waiting for rates to drop before buying. I get it. That makes sense on the surface. But here's what's actually happening right now.

The Federal Reserve (their part) is holding rates steady because inflation hasn't fully cooled. Until that changes, meaningful rate cuts aren't guaranteed.

So, we're in a window where:

Rates are higher than people want.

Inventory is still relatively tight.

Serious buyers are still moving.

That combination matters. Because when rates come down, more buyers re-enter at the same time. And that's when competition picks up quickly.

Locally, I've seen some buyers who waited who are now adjusting expectations. Homes that are priced right are still moving. The best opportunities aren't sitting around.

This doesn't mean I'm saying rush out and buy today. It just means timing the market perfectly is harder than it sounds. A better approach to be asking yourself is whether or not the purchase make sense for you right now...because if it does, the rate can adjust later.

But you don't get a second chance at the price or the competition you're avoiding today.

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Phoenix, AZ

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