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Tulsa Financial Readiness: How Free Local Counseling Can Support a Homebuying Plan

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Buying a home is not only a mortgage decision. It is also a household-budget decision, a cash-flow decision and a timing decision. A local Tulsa resource is helping residents work on those fundamentals before they reach a major financial milestone. The City of Tulsa announced on August 5 that its Financial Empowerment Center had helped clients collectively increase savings by $2,001,268 and reduce $5,360,860 in non-mortgage debt as of July 14, 2026. Since launching in 2020, the Center has served more than 9,000 clients. What the Tulsa Financial Empowerment Center offers The Center provides free, one-on-one financial counseling. According to the City, topics include budgeting, credit building, debt management and long-term financial planning. Services are available through community partners and are intended to give residents a structured place to ask questions and build a workable plan. This is not the same as mortgage underwriting, credit repair or a promise that someone will qualify ...
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Mortgage Closing Wire Fraud: A Stop, Call and Verify Checklist for Homebuyers

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Closing week is busy. Buyers are reviewing documents, coordinating movers and preparing to transfer funds. That sense of urgency is exactly what a scammer may try to exploit. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that criminals target homebuyers near closing by sending false wiring instructions. A scammer may pose as a real estate agent, lender, settlement agent, attorney or another trusted person in the transaction. How the scam can look real A fraudulent message may use familiar names, logos, email formatting and transaction details. It may say that wiring instructions changed or that funds must be sent quickly to avoid delaying closing. The message can look polished. That is why visual appearance is not enough to establish that it is legitimate. Set up verification before closing week The CFPB recommends identifying trusted people involved in the closing and recording their contact information in advance. Buyers can ask the title or settlement professional how wiring instru...
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Location: Tulsa, OK, USA
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Tulsa Mortgage Rates & Housing Market Update Monday August 17, 2026

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If you've been following mortgage rates this summer, you know the story has been frustrating. Every time rates appeared ready to improve, another inflation report, geopolitical headline or jump in Treasury yields seemed to push them back in the other direction. But over the last two weeks, the economic picture has started to become a little more encouraging for homebuyers. Mortgage rates haven't suddenly become “low,” and nobody should assume a major drop is right around the corner. But we're finally seeing several pieces of the economy moving in a direction that could eventually provide some relief. At the same time, something important is happening locally: Tulsa homebuyers are gaining negotiating power. Here's what buyers, homeowners and Realtors should know. Mortgage Rates Eased Slightly Last Week Freddie Mac's national benchmark for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.67% on August 13 , down slightly from 6.69% the previous week. The 15-year averag...
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Location: Tulsa, OK, USA
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Drone Delivery Launches Near Tulsa’s Cherry Street

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Drone Delivery Has Officially Landed in Tulsa A new kind of delivery service is now operating above part of Midtown Tulsa. Manna Air Delivery launched commercial service near Cherry Street on August 12, allowing eligible customers to receive food and other small items by drone. The initial service area covers approximately two miles surrounding the company’s first Tulsa base. It is a limited launch, not yet a citywide service—but it gives Tulsa residents an early look at how air delivery could become part of everyday local commerce. How Tulsa’s Drone Delivery Works Customers begin by downloading the Manna app and entering their address. The app determines whether the property is currently inside the service area and has a suitable delivery location. If the address qualifies, customers can order from participating businesses and follow the aircraft’s progress through the app. Manna employees collect orders from local businesses and bring them to the Cherry Street base. The packag...
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Bixby’s August 25 Bond Vote: What Each Proposition Would Fund

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Bixby’s 2026 Bond Vote: A Plain-Language Guide to the Four Propositions Bixby residents will vote August 25 on a proposed general obligation bond designed to address several needs connected to the city’s continued growth. Rather than presenting voters with one combined question, the proposal is divided into four propositions: public safety, roads, parks, and wastewater. Each proposition will be decided separately. Here is a straightforward look at what the City says each proposal would fund. Proposition 1: Public Safety The first proposition includes three public-safety projects. A new fire station is proposed for South Bixby, where continued development has increased demand for emergency services. The City says another station would help distribute Fire and EMS resources more effectively across the community. The proposition also includes a city-operated animal shelter. Bixby currently relies on outside providers for shelter services and has used three different providers durin...
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Location: Tulsa, OK, USA
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Down Payment Assistance Program for Cleveland County Homebuyers

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  For many prospective homebuyers, the biggest challenge is not necessarily qualifying for a monthly mortgage payment. It is having enough money available for the down payment and closing costs. A newly funded program from the Cleveland County Home Loan Authority may help address that challenge while also offering a highly competitive interest rate. The Cleveland County Home Loan Authority First Home Program currently combines a 6.06% fixed mortgage rate with down payment assistance equal to 3.5% of the loan amount. Most importantly, the assistance is provided as a grant. It does not create a second lien and does not have to be repaid. What the program currently offers: • 6.06% fixed interest rate • 3.5% down payment assistance • Grant assistance with no repayment required • No second mortgage or second lien • FHA, VA and USDA financing options • 30-year fixed-rate financing • 620 minimum credit score On a $400,000 loan, 3.5% would equal $14,000 in down payment assistance. HOW DOES...
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Location: Tulsa, OK, USA
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Buying a Condo? The New Fannie Mae Guidelines You Need to Know About.

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A condo can offer the right location, maintenance arrangement or price point for a buyer. It also comes with a financing question that does not arise in exactly the same way with every detached home: is the condominium project eligible for the intended loan? Fannie Mae published project-standards updates in Lender Letter LL-2026-03 on March 18, 2026. For Fannie Mae loan applications dated on or after Aug. 3, 2026, the Limited Review process has been retired. Depending on the facts, an established project may need a Full Review or may qualify for a Waiver of Project Review. Fannie Mae also updated policies involving project reserves and financial health. This does not mean every condo purchase will be delayed or denied. It does mean buyers, sellers, Realtors and association contacts can help by starting the documentation conversation early. Here are several items a lender may need to evaluate, depending on the program and transaction: • condominium association budget and reserve informa...
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Location: Tulsa, OK, USA
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