Washington State's Educator-First Mortgage Broker

Daily Rate Banner — Edge Home Finance
Today's Rates

Rates and APRs shown are sample/average figures updated daily by Edge Home Finance for illustration purposes. Actual rate and APR depend on credit profile, loan amount, down payment, term, and lender fees. Click any product to pre-fill the calculator below. Not a commitment to lend. John P. Cobain · NMLS #374881 · Equal Housing Lender.

Update today's rates — enter as percentage (e.g. 6.750)

✓ Rates updated

Rate editor login

Enter your admin password to update today's rates.

Incorrect password. Please try again.

Payment Calculator

Click any rate above to auto-fill, or enter your own numbers.

Monthly Principal & Interest
Loan Amount
Rate
APR
Total Interest
Total Paid

Personalized Mortgage Experience

I've spent 30 years helping Washington State families buy homes — first-time buyers, veterans, self-employed borrowers, and everyone in between. My approach has always been the same: educate first, sell never. As a mortgage broker, I shop multiple lenders to find you the best rate and the right program for

your situation. If you're buying in Tacoma, Lakewood, Gig Harbor, Spokane, or anywhere across Washington State, let's have a real conversation — no pressure, no jargon.

The Home Loan Process

Mortgage Pre-Approval

Get pre-approved from one of our Loan Officers to see how much you can afford.

House Shopping

Work with a trusted Real Estate Agent to find a home you would like to move into.

Loan Application

Complete your home loan application to get the lending process started.

Don't take my word for it

Mortgage Programs

Mortgage programs built for Washington State buyers - from Tacoma and Gig Harbor to Spokane and everywhere in between.

Home Loan Options

Our experienced mortgage advisors will walk you through the best mortgage loan program that will fit your specific scenario.

Conventional Home Loans.

FHA Home Loans.

USDA Home Loans.

VA Home Loans.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often can I refinance my mortgage?

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.

Can I buy a home if I don't have money for a down payment?

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.

How do I know which mortgage is right for me?

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.

How long will the loan process take?

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.

Will I qualify for a home loan?

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.

Why do people refinance their mortgages?

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.

How much money will I have to pay upfront to buy a home?

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.

Can I get a mortgage after bankruptcy?

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.

Should I lock my interest rate now or wait?

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.

Most Recent Blog Updates

May Was a Tough Lesson for Rate Watchers and Here Is the Plan That Actually Works Right Now

May Was a Tough Lesson for Rate Watchers and Here Is the Plan That Actually Works Right Now

June 12, 20264 min read


The Rate Market Did Not Cooperate in May and Here Is What That Means

If you were watching mortgage rates in May and waiting for the relief that had seemed like it might finally be materializing you received a clear and frustrating reminder of how rate markets actually work. One hotter than expected inflation report pushed rates higher in a matter of days and undid weeks of gradual improvement in a single move.

This is not unusual. This is the pattern and buyers who are building their homeownership timeline around rate predictions are consistently finding that the market does not cooperate with the schedule they have in mind.

Why Trying to Time the Rate Market Consistently Fails

The variables that influence mortgage rates are global, interconnected, and genuinely unpredictable in the short term. Inflation readings, Federal Reserve communication, geopolitical developments, energy prices, bond market sentiment, and economic data releases all interact simultaneously in ways that produce outcomes no model or analyst can consistently predict with the precision that timing-based purchasing strategies require.

A buyer whose plan was built around the lowest rate they saw quoted online two weeks ago is now working from a number the market has already moved past. A buyer who is waiting for that number to reappear before committing is making a bet on a variable that has already demonstrated its willingness to move in the wrong direction without warning.

What a Plan That Works in Any Rate Environment Looks Like

As John Cobain explains the right response to rate volatility is not to wait indefinitely for conditions to align perfectly. It is to build a purchasing strategy that produces a good outcome even when rates move against you rather than one that requires favorable conditions to arrive on a convenient schedule.

Shop based on what you can afford at today's rates rather than what you saw recently or what you are hoping for. That is the real market and it is the only number that matters for the decisions being made right now. Give yourself a cushion of 0.25 to 0.50 percent above the current rate in your budget numbers so that modest movement before closing does not require rethinking the entire purchase.

When the right home is found expand the conversation with your lender beyond the quoted rate to every tool available to improve the payment and cost structure of that specific transaction. Rate locks protect against upward movement after the contract is signed. Seller credits applied toward a buydown can offset a meaningful portion of any rate increase that has occurred since you started searching. Temporary buydowns funded by the seller reduce the rate for the first one to two years when budget pressure is typically highest. Permanent buydowns lock in a lower rate for the full loan term using seller contributions or upfront points.

In a market where sellers are motivated to make concessions all of those tools are available and regularly effective for buyers who know how to incorporate them into the offer and financing strategy.

When Waiting Makes Sense and When It Backfires

There are legitimate circumstances where waiting is the right call. If there is a specific and realistic basis for expecting prices to soften or inventory to improve meaningfully in your target market waiting may produce a better outcome than acting right now.

But waiting solely because you are hoping rates will fall to a preferred number before you commit is a fundamentally different kind of waiting. It is a bet on a global market variable influenced entirely by factors outside your control. Every month that passes while waiting has a real cost in continued rent payments and potential appreciation on the homes you are choosing not to buy.

The goal is not to predict the market perfectly. It is to buy when the numbers make sense for your specific financial situation with every available tool applied to make those conditions as favorable as possible.

John Cobain works with buyers to build practical purchasing strategies that account for rate volatility rather than assuming it will resolve conveniently. Follow along for more real-world mortgage advice and reach out to John Cobain to find out what your numbers actually look like right now.


Sources

FederalReserve.gov
MortgageNewsDaily.com
BureauOfLaborStatistics.gov
BankRate.com
Investopedia.com

Back to Blog

Mortgage Calculator

See your total mortgage payments using the tool below.

16.67
%
%
years
$/year
%
$/year
$1,685.20
Your estimated monthly payment with PMI.
PMI:
$208.33
Monthly Tax Paid:
$200.00
Monthly Home Insurance:
$83.33
PMI End Date:
Dec 2027
Total PMI Payments:
27
Monthly Payment after PMI:
$1,476.87
🏠Mortgage Details
Loan Amount:
$250,000.00
Down Payment:
$50,000.00 (16.67%)
Total Interest Paid:
$179,673.77
Total PMI to :
$5,416.67
Total Tax Paid:
$72,000.00
Total Home Insurance:
$30,000.00
Total of 360 Payments:
$537,298.77
Loan pay-off date:
Sep 2055
⚖️Monthly Vs Bi-Weekly Payment
$1,476.87
Monthly Payment
Sep 2055
Pay-off Date
$179,673.77
Total Interest Paid
$738.44
Bi-weekly Payment
Aug 2051
Pay-off Date
$151,482.12
Total Interest Paid
Total Interest Savings: $28,191.64
Yearly Amortization Schedule
Year Interest Principal Balance
company logo
The High Desert Group Logo

Social Media Links

Contact Us

(253) 225-1245

2006 65th ave W Fircrest WA 98466

Copyright 2025. All rights reserved. John Cobain NMLS # 374881 | Edge Home Finance Corporation NMLS #891464 | Equal Housing Opportunity | Equal Housing Lender