Mortgage Guides: Amortization, PMI, Closing Costs, Refinancing

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If you read one page, read the first of these. Nearly everything else about a mortgage follows from how amortization works.

Why your first years are almost entirely interest, where the crossover point falls, and why an extra $100 early beats $500 late.

The steps in order, what each stage costs, and the mistakes that are expensive to undo.

Calculated on the loan, not the purchase price. Two routes to removing it — and why FHA insurance is a different animal.

Every line on a Loan Estimate, section by section, and exactly which fees are negotiable.

APR over headline rate, three Loan Estimates, the 45-day credit window, and the break-even on points.

What the caps actually limit, how to model the worst case, and the specific cases where an ARM wins.

The one calculation that decides it — plus the amortization reset that quietly cancels the benefit.

58 terms defined in plain English, from amortization to underwriting.

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