Rates shown are sample/average rates updated daily by Edge Home Finance for illustration purposes. Actual rate depends on credit profile, loan amount, down payment, and lender. Click any rate to pre-fill the calculator on this page. Not a commitment to lend. John P. Cobain · NMLS #374881.
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Conventional Home Loans.
FHA Home Loans.
USDA Home Loans.
VA Home Loans.
There's no set limit — you can refinance as many times as it makes financial sense to do so. What I
always tell people is that the right time to refinance is when the numbers genuinely work in your favor, not
just because rates moved a little. I'll help you run the break-even analysis so you know exactly what you'd
save and how long it takes to recoup closing costs. That's the only way to make a truly informed decision.
You might have more options than you think. VA loans allow zero down payment for eligible veterans and
active-duty service members. USDA loans offer zero down for buyers in qualifying rural and suburban areas
across Washington State — many communities around Tacoma, Spokane, and the Olympic Peninsula qualify. There are also Washington State down payment assistance programs that can cover some or all of your down payment on FHA and conventional loans. Let's look at what applies to your situation specifically.
That's exactly the conversation I like to have before anything else. Every buyer is different — your credit,
your income, your down payment, your goals — and the right program depends on all of those factors
together. I specialize in VA loans, first-time homebuyer programs, FHA, USDA, jumbo, and Non-QM
financing, so I have a wide range of options to work with. My job is to lay out what's available, explain the real
differences, and let you make the call. No pressure either way.
A typical purchase loan takes around 30 days from application to closing, though it can move faster with
good preparation. VA loans have an additional appraisal step that can add a little time. USDA loans include a
secondary review by the USDA itself, which also extends the timeline slightly. I'll set honest expectations at
the start based on your specific loan type and keep both you and your realtor updated throughout — no one
should ever feel like they're in the dark about where things stand.
The only real way to know is to have a conversation and look at your actual situation together. I've helped
a lot of buyers who came in thinking they couldn't qualify and walked away with a path forward. Credit,
income, down payment, employment history — there are a lot of variables, and sometimes one small
adjustment changes everything. I'll give you an honest assessment and if now isn't the right time, I'll tell you
that too, along with what it would take to get there.
The most common reasons are to lower their interest rate, reduce their monthly payment, or shorten their
loan term. Some homeowners refinance to access equity for home improvements or to consolidate debt.
Buyers who started with an FHA loan sometimes refinance into a conventional loan once they've built 20%
equity — which eliminates FHA mortgage insurance and can meaningfully lower their payment. Whatever the
reason, I'll help you run the numbers so the decision makes sense on paper before you commit to anything.
It depends on the loan program and your situation. VA loans can be zero down for eligible veterans.
USDA loans are zero down in qualifying areas. FHA loans require as little as 3.5% down, and some
conventional programs go as low as 3%. On top of the down payment, you'll have closing costs — typically
2–3% of the loan amount, though some can be rolled in or covered by seller concessions. Down payment
assistance programs in Washington State can also help cover upfront costs for qualifying buyers. We'll look
at all of it together.
Yes — bankruptcy doesn't permanently close the door on homeownership. Each loan program has
defined waiting periods after a bankruptcy discharge. FHA typically requires two years after a Chapter 7. VA
loans are generally two years as well. Conventional loans are typically four years. The waiting periods after a
Chapter 13 can be shorter if you've been making payments consistently. Once you've cleared the waiting
period and rebuilt some credit, there's often a real path forward. Let's talk about where you are and what the
timeline looks like.
I track rates every day — multiple times a day, actually — because they move constantly based on
economic data, Fed decisions, and bond market activity. My honest answer is: if the rate available today
makes the payment work for your budget, locking now eliminates the risk of it going higher. Waiting is a
gamble. Rates can improve, but they can also move against you quickly. I'll give you my read on where
things are and what I'm seeing in the market, and then you make the call. That's what I'm here for.

The Biggest Mortgage Credit Score Change in 30 Years Just Happened and It Could Help You Qualify
A Rule Change That Could Open the Door for Millions of Buyers
On April 22nd HUD, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac officially rolled out VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T for mortgage underwriting. This is the most significant credit scoring change the mortgage industry has seen in thirty years and for buyers who have been told no in the past or who have felt their credit score was not quite where it needed to be this update deserves your full attention.
What Actually Changed
The previous credit scoring models used in mortgage underwriting evaluated your creditworthiness based primarily on a snapshot of your credit profile at a specific point in time. Payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, and types of credit were the primary factors but the picture they painted was static and incomplete for many borrowers.
The new models change that in two meaningful ways.
VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T now factor in on-time rent payments as part of the credit evaluation. For the millions of Americans who have been reliably paying rent every month for years that consistent payment history was previously invisible to mortgage underwriting. Under the new models it counts. If you have been a responsible renter the new scoring framework finally recognizes that behavior as evidence of creditworthiness.
The new models also evaluate 24-month credit trends rather than a single point-in-time snapshot. That means lenders can see the direction your credit is moving rather than just where it happens to sit today. A borrower whose credit has been steadily improving over two years presents a very different risk profile than one whose score is the same number but trending in the wrong direction. The new models capture that difference in a way the old ones did not.
What This Means for Buyers Who Were Previously Told No
An estimated five million previously rejected buyers could now qualify under these new scoring models. That is not a small number and it reflects the reality that the old framework was leaving creditworthy borrowers on the wrong side of the approval line for reasons that had more to do with how the score was calculated than with whether those borrowers could actually manage a mortgage responsibly.
As John Cobain explains if you have been told no in the past this is the moment to circle back and get re-evaluated under the new models. Even if your traditional score felt borderline the new system may put you over the approval threshold because consistent rent payments and steady payment trends now count toward your qualification in ways they simply did not before.
Why the Rent Payment Factor Is Such a Big Deal
Renters who pay on time every month are demonstrating exactly the kind of financial responsibility that mortgage lenders want to see. The old scoring models ignored that behavior entirely because rent payments were not reported to credit bureaus in a way that traditional FICO models incorporated. The result was a framework that penalized responsible renters by giving them no credit for the most consistent financial obligation many of them were managing.
VantageScore 4.0 changes that by incorporating rent payment history into the evaluation. For a buyer who has been renting reliably for three, five, or ten years that history now strengthens their credit profile in a way that directly supports mortgage qualification. The financial behavior that was invisible is now visible and it is being counted in the borrower's favor.
What to Do Right Now
The most important action for any buyer who has been told no previously or who has felt their credit was borderline is to have their numbers re-evaluated under the new scoring models. The approval that was not available under the old framework may be available now and the only way to know is to run the numbers with a loan officer who is up to date on the new guidelines and knows how to work within them.
John Cobain stays current on exactly these kinds of developments and works with buyers to understand how the new scoring models affect their specific situation. Reach out to John Cobain to get your numbers re-evaluated under VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T and find out whether this change opens a door that was previously closed for you.
Sources
HUD.gov FannieMae.com FreddieMac.com MortgageNewsDaily.com ConsumerFinancialProtectionBureau.gov
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