|
Mortgage Market Update
Karen Cely Chavez
Karen Cely Chavez
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
|
What really happens with extra mortgage payments |
|
Every dollar counts when you're building equity in your home. Let me show you the real impact of paying a little extra each month.
|
|
National Mortgage Rates · October 16, 2026
|
Conventional 30-Year
7.28%
|
|
| |
|
%22%2C%22fill%22%3Atrue%2C%22tension%22%3A0.4%2C%22pointRadius%22%3A4%2C%22pointBackgroundColor%22%3A%22%233b5bdb%22%2C%22borderWidth%22%3A2%7D%5D%7D%2C%22options%22%3A%7B%22plugins%22%3A%7B%22legend%22%3A%7B%22display%22%3Afalse%7D%7D%2C%22scales%22%3A%7B%22y%22%3A%7B%22ticks%22%3A%7B%22callback%22%3A%22function(v)%7Breturn%20v%2B%5C%22%25%5C%22%7D%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22%23666%22%7D%2C%22grid%22%3A%7B%22color%22%3A%22rgba(0%2C0%2C0%2C0.06)%22%7D%7D%2C%22x%22%3A%7B%22grid%22%3A%7B%22display%22%3Afalse%7D%2C%22ticks%22%3A%7B%22font%22%3A%7B%22size%22%3A11%7D%2C%22color%22%3A%22%23666%22%7D%7D%7D%7D%7D&w=520&h=180&bkg=white&f=12) |
|
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.
|
|
|
|
Paying Down Principal
What happens when you pay extra on your mortgage
A lot of homeowners wonder whether throwing extra money at their mortgage actually makes a dent. The answer is yes—and the math is worth understanding. Every payment you make reduces what you owe, but when you pay above your regular amount, that extra goes straight to principal. Over time, even modest extra payments can shorten your loan and save you on interest. This works regardless of your rate or loan type. The earlier you start, the bigger the effect. If you've been thinking about whether it makes sense to pay down faster, or you're curious how much you could accelerate your payoff, I'd like to walk through your specific situation with you. Reach out and we can model out what extra payments would look like for you.
|
|
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 Karen Cely Chavez team any time and we'll walk you through your options. |
|
|
You are receiving this from Karen Cely Chavez. Unsubscribe
|