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.
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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…
UPDATED OCT 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.
You Hire a Loan Officer, Not a Logo: 4 Questions to Ask Before You Choose a Lender
Why We’re Talking About This: The CrossCountry Story Industry news recently reported that CrossCountry Mortgage, one of the largest lenders in the country, sent…
PUBLISHED NOV 2026 COMPARISONWho Should Be Buying a Home in Texas Right Now?
Texas is still a buyer’s market, and that makes right now a real opportunity for the right buyers. We aren’t back where we want…
PUBLISHED OCT 2026 ANALYSISA New Private Listing Site – Benefits and Potential Fallout
Four of the largest real estate companies in the country announced Open Real Estate, a shared listing platform that any brokerage can join for free.…
PUBLISHED OCT 2026 EXPLAINERA Guide to Pre Qualify Yourself
If you are just starting out on your home buying journey, one of the first questions you should get answered is, Am I even…
UPDATED OCT 2026Texas Market Analysis
UPDATED MONTHLYDated, specific, and revised on a schedule: current conditions rather than evergreen generalities.
A Hotter CPI Gives Back the Post-Election Rally, Why We’re Not Panicking
Key Takeaways Where We’ve Been: A Month of Improvement This is our first full market and mortgage rate update since the election, and it’s…
PUBLISHED NOV 2026 ANALYSISWhy Treasury Yields Have Fallen Since October, and What It Means for Mortgage Rates
The short version: The 10-year Treasury yield peaked near 5.3% (about 5.28%) on October 5 and now sits around 4.85%, a drop of roughly…
PUBLISHED NOV 2026 EXPLAINERHow Would Mortgage Rates Get Down to 5%?
Potential home buyers are obviously waiting for rates to come down, given the very low number of mortgage applications. Now we know that there…
UPDATED OCT 2026 ANALYSISThe Factors Needed for Rates to Drop
Last week we put together a Pre-Election game plan for home buyers. Over the weekend HousingWire’s Logan Mohtashami posted an article titled “Can Mortgage…
PUBLISHED OCT 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.
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