Home-Ometry

Yesterday we celebrated Mother’s Day, but one day will never be enough to recognize the women and mother-figures whose love, sacrifice, and quiet strength hold our families, workplaces, and communities together.

To every mom, bonus mom, grandma, guardian, and caring soul who shows up with patience, guidance, and unconditional love: thank you for all you do that often goes unseen.

I’m sending appreciation to those who were celebrated, those who are missing their moms, those hoping to become parents, and those navigating complicated relationships, your stories and hearts matter too.

Let’s carry yesterday’s gratitude into every day by checking in, offering support, and acknowledging the incredible “mothering” work happening all around us, at home and at work.

May is here and the market is doing what it does this time of year.

Rates are fluctuating but trending in the right direction compared to where they were twelve months ago. More inventory is on the market than buyers have seen in years. And the buyers who are moving forward are the ones who spent time getting educated before they needed to make a decision.

That's not a coincidence. It's what preparation does.

If you're watching the market from the sidelines and wondering when the right time is, the answer is rarely about timing. It's about understanding the process well enough that you can move confidently when your time comes, whatever your credit situation looks like.

When that time feels close, two steps worth taking before anything else. Spend some time on a mortgage marketplace. Sites like Bankrate, LendingTree, and Credible show you what rates are actually available without any obligation or pressure. Then find the right mortgage professional for your specific situation, not just the first name someone hands you. Those two steps alone will change how the rest of the process goes.

Follow the link in our bio to sign up and be among the first to know when our new home search portal launches at Home-ometry.com.

Enjoy your weekend.

Most buyers have heard of LendingTree and Bankrate. There are quite a few others worth knowing before you reach out to a lender, especially if you want a fuller picture of what's available.

A few lesser-known mortgage marketplaces and comparison platforms worth exploring:

- Credible (4.7/5 on Trustpilot): A fast marketplace that lets you see prequalified rates from multiple vetted lenders using a soft credit pull. No hard inquiry, no commitment required.

- Own Up: An AI-driven marketplace that pairs you with a dedicated home advisor and compares offers across a screened lender network. No social security number required upfront, soft credit check only. Their customers report saving an average of $27,000 over the life of their loan.

- Morty: An online broker and marketplace that shops a wide range of lender partners and walks you through from comparison to application.

- Simplist: A newer digital marketplace focused on comparing rates from multiple lenders simultaneously, from application through closing.

- Lower.com: A fintech platform offering home loans, refinancing, and HELOCs with a streamlined digital process.

- LoanSnap: Uses AI to scan the market for loan options, with a focus on your overall financial health rather than just the rate.

- New American Funding (4.8/5 on Trustpilot): A highly rated digital lender with a wide range of programs, including options for buyers with lower credit scores.

- Better.com (4.1/5 on Trustpilot): A digital-first lender offering zero-commission mortgage origination and fast, online-only approvals.

One more worth knowing about, though it serves a different purpose. Ownli is a commission-free real estate platform that lets buyers search verified listings and sellers list directly, without traditional agent commissions. It launched nationwide across 43 states earlier this year. Users save an average of $42,832 in commission costs per transaction. As the industry continues to move toward transparency and lower consumer costs, platforms like this are worth having on your radar.

Do your research across a few of these before you make any calls. The information is free. What you do with it is up to you.

Follow the link in our bio to sign up and be among the first to know when our new home search portal launches at Home-ometry.com.