Texas Mortgage Resource Center
Straight answers on how rates are actually set, what Texas law does differently, and which loan structure fits which situation — written by the brokerage that teaches this material to Texas realtors.
Start Here
The questions we get asked most.
Short answers first, with the full breakdown a click away.
What actually determines mortgage rates?
The mortgage-backed securities market — not the Federal Reserve directly. The Fed sets the federal funds rate, which moves short-term borrowing costs. Mortgage rates follow MBS pricing, which responds to inflation expectations, bond demand, and how investors price prepayment risk. This is why rates sometimes rise on the day the Fed cuts.
Can you take cash out above 80% of your home’s value in Texas?
No — Texas caps it at 80%. Under Section 50(a)(6) of the Texas Constitution, cash-out refinances and home equity loans on a homestead property are limited to 80% of fair market value. This is stricter than most states, and it’s the single rule national mortgage sites most often get wrong about Texas.
Do Texas property taxes change how much house you can afford?
Yes — meaningfully. Property taxes count toward your debt-to-income ratio. Because Texas has no state income tax and comparatively high property tax rates, the same income qualifies for a smaller loan here than in many lower-tax states. Two buyers with identical incomes can qualify for very different amounts depending on the county.
How Mortgage Rates Actually Work
CORE LIBRARYThe material we teach to licensed Texas realtors, written for anyone who wants to understand why their rate is what it is.
How We Got Here – Why Mortgage Rates Probably Aren’t Going Back to 3%
A lot of homebuyers are stuck in the same holding pattern: waiting for mortgage rates to drop back down to where they were in…
PUBLISHED AUG 2026 EXPLAINERWhy a Fed rate cut doesn’t lower your mortgage rate.
The federal funds rate is an overnight rate. A mortgage is a 30-year loan. Here's the only real link between them, why the Fed follows the market rather than leading it, and what the record since 2020 actually shows.
UPDATED SEP 2026Loan Programs, Compared
DECISION GUIDESFramed as decisions rather than product descriptions — because that's how the question actually gets asked.
Conventional Loans
There are two government sponsored entities that are the back-bone of conventional loans. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac write the guidelines and are the…
UPDATED AUG 2026 COMPARISONVA Home Loan
Article 1 Section 8 of the United States Constitution calls for Congress to raise and support armies and to provide and maintain a navy.…
UPDATED AUG 2026 COMPARISONJumbo Loans
If the home you have your eye on costs more than what a standard mortgage will cover, a jumbo loan might be exactly what…
PUBLISHED AUG 2026 COMPARISONFirst Time Home Buyers
Buying your first home is one of the biggest decisions of your life. It can also be exciting, create anxiety, along any number of…
UPDATED AUG 2026Straight Answers
PRACTICALThe questions that come up in nearly every first conversation — answered the way we would answer them across a desk, with the numbers that actually apply.
This Isn’t the 2021 Market: Why Today’s Buyers Have the Advantage
Short answer In 2021, low rates came with brutal competition: over-asking offers, no seller help, and buyers paying their own closing costs. Today the…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026 ANALYSISVantageScore vs. FICO: What the New GSE Policy Means for Your Mortgage
On September 3, 2026, FHFA Director Bill Pulte directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to approve every lender to use VantageScore, ending a limited…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026 EXPLAINERIs It Actually a Good Time to Buy a Home? Here’s Why We Think So, And Why Buyers Are Still Hesitating
If you’ve been house-hunting for a while, you’ve probably noticed something: this is shaping up to be one of the strongest buyer’s markets we’ve…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026 COMPARISONClosing Costs: What to Expect and What to Look For
You’ve done the work to get pre-approved for a loan. You’ve talked with your loan officer, figured out your budget, and decided how much…
PUBLISHED AUG 2026Texas Market Analysis
UPDATED MONTHLYDated, specific, and revised on a schedule — current conditions rather than evergreen generalities.
The Fed Raised Rates. Here’s What It Means for Mortgage Rates
Market Update · September 25, 2026 By Charlie Braden, Broker/Owner, J. Charles Lending (NMLS #1283114) · Licensed TREC continuing-education instructor, Mortgage Markets Class The…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026 ANALYSISFed Hikes a Quarter Point – Here’s Why We Think It’s Actually Good News for Mortgage Rates
Fed Day happened yesterday, and the committee raised the federal funds rate a quarter point. Our honest first reaction: the data didn’t obviously call…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026 EXPLAINERFed Decision Day: Why Tomorrow’s Rate Move Matters Less Than You Think
Tomorrow marks the end of this month’s Fed meeting, and the market is laser-focused on one number. But before you brace for a mortgage…
UPDATED SEP 2026 ANALYSISYesterday’s Panic Subsides After CPI
PPI spooked markets, CPI calmed them, here’s what both reports mean for next week’s Fed decision and where mortgage rates go from here. These…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026For Real Estate Professionals
Mortgage Markets Class — the only TREC-approved course of its kind in Texas.
We hold the sole state approval to teach Texas realtors Continuing Education on how mortgage rates work and how markets affect mortgages. No other provider in Texas is certified for this coursework — and it's the same material that shapes every recommendation we make to clients.
Course details & schedulingVerify independently: search provider license 11343-CEP or course 39644-RECE in the Texas Real Estate Commission's approved course directory.
Have a question this library doesn't answer yet?
Ask us directly. If it's a good question, it usually becomes the next resource page.
Talk to a Texas broker Request a rate analysis