Barnes Mortgage Team

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Yukon, OK
Barnes Mortgage Team

The Barnes Team:
Trisha Barnes (NMLS # 1187276)
Chris Barnes (NMLS # 1179666)
https://paa.ge/barnesmortgageteam Member FDIC.
(1)

With more than 25 years of experience, we pride ourselves on customer service, as we are aware that each loan is as different as each person. Whether you're buying, refinancing, or building your dream home, you have a lot riding on your mortgage team. Since market conditions and mortgage programs change frequently, you need to make sure you're dealing with a top professional who is able to give you quick and accurate loan advice. We have the expertise and knowledge you need to explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal, and we are committed to providing our clients with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. This is not a commitment to lend or extend credit. All loans are subject to credit approval including credit worthiness, insurability, and ability to provide acceptable collateral. Not all loans or products are available in all states or counties. Novus Home Mortgage a division of Ixonia Bank NMLS #423065.

10/31/2026

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10/31/2026

Happy Halloween! Here is your weekly mortgage update, and there are three things worth knowing heading into the weekend.

First, the Fed held rates steady, but two members did vote for another hike. That tells you the Fed is still watching inflation closely, so buyers who are waiting for a quick all-clear on rates may be waiting longer than they expect.

Second, bonds improved a little this morning, which is a step in the right direction. However, overnight tensions in the Strait of Hormuz pushed oil above $117 a barrel, and that adds inflationary pressure. If you are closing in the next 30 to 45 days and today’s pricing works for your budget, locking in that improvement is worth a conversation with your lender now rather than later.

Third, buyers have more leverage right now than they have had in a while. Inventory is up, more sellers are cutting prices, and seller credits can be applied toward a permanent rate buydown, a temporary payment buydown, or both. Your actual options depend on your credit, loan type, and the specific points and fees involved, so the national averages are just a starting point.

Reach out and let’s build a strategy that actually works for your situation. Have a great Halloween weekend, and try not to eat all the kids’ candy tonight.

10/28/2026

The number nobody talks about when buying a home: the full monthly payment.

Everyone focuses on two numbers: the purchase price and the interest rate. But that is not what you pay every month.

Your real mortgage payment has four parts. Principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. People call it PITI. Principal and interest are the part your rate controls. Taxes and insurance are set by your county and your insurance company and they can change every year.

In a lot of markets insurance premiums have jumped 20, 30, even 40 percent at renewal. Then there are HOA dues if the property has them. And mortgage insurance if you put less than 20 percent down.

So two homes at the exact same purchase price can have monthly payments that are hundreds of dollars apart. A house with high property taxes and a flood zone requirement might cost significantly more per month than a slightly more expensive home with lower taxes and no HOA.

That is why I tell every buyer: shop the payment, not just the price.

Before you fall in love with a house send me the address. I will build the full monthly payment with taxes and insurance included so there are no surprises at closing.

10/27/2026

Right now, buyers have something we have not seen much of in the last several years. Negotiating power.

Homes are sitting on the market longer. Sellers are becoming more flexible. That opens the door for lower purchase prices, seller paid closing costs, and interest rate buydowns that make the monthly payment more affordable. And here is what a lot of people are missing while they sit around waiting for rates to drop. There are buyers out there taking advantage of these opportunities today. Because when rates do come down, more buyers come back into the market, competition increases, and that negotiating power starts disappearing.

Whether you are a buyer thinking about making a move or a realtor trying to get your clients the best deal, let’s look at the numbers together. Sometimes the best opportunity is not waiting for the lowest rate. It is negotiating the best deal on the home you can get today.

10/24/2026

Rates improved this week as investors moved money into bonds amid concerns in the technology sector.

As of today, Mortgage News Daily’s national benchmark for a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage sits at approximately 7.33%. That number reflects strong-credit borrowers and specific loan assumptions your actual rate will vary, so make sure you’re comparing points, lender fees, and APR alongside the rate itself.

Builder confidence also hit a 14-year low this week, with nearly two-thirds of builders reporting they’re offering incentives. Using seller or builder credits for a permanent rate buydown, a temporary payment buydown, or both can make a bigger difference in your monthly payment than a price reduction alone and it’s worth running the numbers to see what happens when any temporary savings end.

Next week brings the Fed meeting, economic growth and inflation reports Thursday, and wage-cost data Friday. I’ll be watching Middle East developments and oil prices this weekend so you don’t have to. Whether you’re buying, refinancing, or helping a client, let’s build a strategy around your payment and total costs. Have a great weekend!

10/22/2026

There's a lot happening around Oklahoma this weekend.

Here are our weekend picks: October 23–25

1. OU Volleyball vs. Mississippi State
Friday, Oct. 23, 5:00 p.m. — McCasland Field House, Norman
A great lower-key college sports night before the weekend gets busy. It streams on SEC Network+; tickets are required. Official event coverage University of Oklahoma Energy United

2. Pumpkinville: Road to Route 66 — final weekend
Friday, 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. — Myriad Botanical Gardens, downtown OKC. This is the final weekend for the Route 66-themed pumpkin displays, activities and photo ops. Admission/timed reservations may apply. Details Myriad Botanical Gardens

3. OU at Mississippi State — confirmed OKC watch party
Saturday, Oct. 24, kickoff 2:30 p.m. — SEC Network
Watch party: Cloud Puncher Rooftop Bar at Lively Hotel, 5101 N. Pennsylvania Ave., OKC; open noon–midnight. The venue confirms its House Divided OU/OSU game-day watch parties, food/drink specials and $25 domestic six-beer buckets. No cover is listed; seating reservations are available. Watch-party details University of Oklahoma

4. OSU Homecoming: Sea of Orange + Cowboys vs. Colorado
Saturday, Oct. 24 — Downtown Stillwater / Boone Pickens Stadium
Make a day of it: the Sea of Orange Parade runs in the morning, then OSU hosts Colorado at 6:00 p.m. on FS1. It’s one of the best sports-and-family road trips of the fall. The game is sold out, so use the official secondary-ticket partner if you need seats.

5. Red Dirt Rodeo
Saturday, Oct. 24 — doors 5:00 p.m.; rodeo 7:00 p.m. — OG&E Coliseum, OKC Fair Park
An indoor, family-friendly sports option with Cowboys of Color competition and real Oklahoma rodeo energy. Tickets are $10–$40; children 2 and under are free on a paying adult’s lap. Tickets and details OKC Fair Park

6. Haunt the Zoo
Sunday, Oct. 25, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. — Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Re*****on Place
A great final-weekend Halloween outing: costumes, candy trail, animals and low-stress family fun. Zoo admission plus a trick-or-treat bag is required; bags are $9 for ZOO friends members and $10 for nonmembers, with limited daily quantities—reserve ahead.

7. Braum’s Affair of the Heart
Friday–Sunday, Oct. 23–25 — Bennett Event Center, OKC Fair Park
An indoor browse-and-shop option with seasonal décor, crafts and local makers. Tickets required. Event information Oklahoma, OK

***Weather note: Current forecast calls for cloudy/overcast but dry conditions, with highs near 78–80°F Friday through Sunday. Outdoor plans look workable; Red Dirt Rodeo and Affair of the Heart are the best indoor backups.

10/21/2026

The biggest mistake sellers are making in 2026: pricing like it is still 2021.

The market has shifted. Buyers have more inventory to choose from, more negotiating power, and less urgency than they had a couple of years ago. But a lot of sellers are still anchored to what their neighbor got two years ago or a Zestimate from last spring.

Here is the problem. An overpriced listing sits. And once a listing sits buyers start assuming something is wrong with it. Then you end up cutting the price anyway but from a much weaker position.

Here is what actually works right now.

Price it right from day one. Correct pricing creates activity and activity creates offers. The longer you wait to adjust the more leverage you lose.

Think beyond the price cut. A seller concession toward the buyer's closing costs or a rate buydown often does more for the buyer's monthly payment than a price reduction of the same dollar amount and it keeps your sale price higher on paper.

Know your local market. National headlines do not sell your house. Your neighborhood's inventory levels and days on market do.

If you are selling or you are an agent with a listing that is sitting send me a message. I will show you what a buydown does to a buyer's payment compared to a price drop. It is a conversation that saves deals.

10/20/2026

If you are shopping for a mortgage and only asking lenders for their lowest interest rate you might be walking straight into the most expensive trap in real estate.

Lenders know a rock bottom rate stops your scroll. What they often do not advertise upfront is how much you have to pay in discount points and fees just to buy that number down. If getting a slightly lower rate costs you thousands at closing and you move or refinance before you break even you just gave that money away.

Smart financing is never about chasing a headline rate. It is about total borrowing costs and how that loan fits your long-term wealth strategy.

Before you commit look at page two of your loan estimate. Check section A for origination charges and points. And always ask for your actual break even timeline.

Protect your family from day one.

10/19/2026

Most new real estate investors hunt obsessively for high cash flow rentals only to find out six months later they bought an expensive headache.

Properties that look like cash cows on paper can carry deferred maintenance, higher turnover, and almost zero appreciation. A single HVAC failure or major repair quietly wipes out three years of those monthly profits.

Smart investors prioritize solid tenant demand, long-term equity growth, and mortgage optimization over cheap cash flow numbers. They let financing efficiency and appreciation do the heavy lifting.

If your goal is real financial freedom rather than an unpaid property management job evaluate your total loan structure before you buy.

Follow me for more transparent mortgage and investing guidance.

10/16/2026

Rates got a little surprise this week and it might be good news. Here is your Friday market update.

Rates started the week in the mid 7s. Then we got news that inflation is still running hotter than we would like. Normally that pushes mortgage rates higher. But then something interesting happened. Investors got nervous about the stock market and moved money into government bonds. When that happens mortgage rates often get a little relief.

Is that a trend? Too early to tell. One good day does not change the whole market.

The bottom line: things are improving but the market is still unpredictable. Do not bet on rates falling.

Instead of waiting on rates make today’s rates work for you. Novus and the Barnes Mortgage team are helping buyers and sellers with intro payment options that lower the payment for the first year or two. For sellers and agents with listings these intro payment options can outperform a price cut. For buyers they give you room to breathe while you settle in.

Want to see the numbers? Send me a message. My team and I will keep watching the market so you do not have to.

Address

801 N. Mustang Road, Ste B
Yukon, OK
73099

Website

http://www.BarnesTeamOK.com/

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