Todd Sevier · October 20, 2026

Building wealth through your mortgage payment

Mortgage Market Update

Todd Sevier

Todd Sevier

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Building wealth through your mortgage payment

Every homeowner has a question lurking in the back of their mind: am I actually building anything here? The answer is almost always yes—and it might be more than you realize.

National Mortgage Rates · October 16, 2026

Conventional 30-Year

7.28%

FHA 30-Year

7.13%

VA 30-Year

6.93%

Rate trend

Source: Optimal Blue daily mortgage indices via FRED

Rates shown are national mortgage index rates and are provided for informational purposes only. Actual rates vary based on credit profile, loan amount, and market conditions. Please contact us for a personalized rate quote.


Equity Building

How your mortgage actually builds wealth

Every payment you make does two things: it covers interest, and it builds equity in your home. As time goes on, that balance shifts—more of your payment goes toward principal, meaning you're building ownership faster. If rates have changed since you got your loan, or if your home's value has shifted, your equity picture might be different than you think. Understanding where you stand isn't just interesting—it can open doors to options like tapping that equity for a major expense or making a smarter move down the road. I'd be happy to walk you through what your equity position looks like right now.

Reach out and let's take a look at your home's equity story.

Tip of the Week

Your loan officer can run a credit simulator to show exactly which actions will move your score the most.

Tips for Homeowners

Year-End Tax & Mortgage Planning

1.

Consider making your January mortgage payment in December to get an extra month of deductible interest in the current tax year (consult your tax advisor first).

2.

If you plan to sell next year, now is a good time to document improvements — receipts and records add to your cost basis and reduce taxable capital gain at sale.

3.

Review your W-4 withholding if you bought a home this year — your mortgage interest deduction may mean you're having too much withheld from each paycheck.

Have questions about how any of this affects your mortgage or home purchase? We're here to help — reach out to the Todd Sevier team any time and we'll walk you through your options.

Your Mortgage Advisor

T

Todd Sevier

Todd Sevier

todd@ottermortgage.com

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