Oklahoma Mortgage Group - Mike David

  Mortgage rates took a meaningful step higher last week, and this week may be even more consequential. The combination of rising oil prices, persistent inflation and changing expectations for Federal Reserve policy pushed Treasury yields sharply higher. The 10-year Treasury finished last week near 5%, and mortgage pricing deteriorated along with it. For Tulsa-area buyers and Realtors, the important question is not simply, “What are rates today?” It is: Why did rates move, what could happen next, and what can we actually control? Mortgage Rates Moved Higher—Fast Freddie Mac reported that its national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 6.76% on September 10 , up from 6.71% the previous week. GlobeNewswire But Freddie Mac’s weekly survey does not fully capture what happened later in the week. Mortgage News Daily’s more immediate daily index finished Friday around 7.12% , after rates rose almost one-quarter of a percentage point during the week. Monday morning’s bond mar...

A buyer can love the home, negotiate an acceptable price and receive a competitive mortgage rate—then discover that the homeowners-insurance premium changes the entire payment. Insurance is not simply a closing document. It is part of the buyer’s monthly housing expense and mortgage qualification. What is included in the housing payment? When buyers talk about a mortgage payment, they often mean principal and interest. Lenders generally need to consider the more complete expense, which may include: Principal and interest Property taxes Homeowners insurance Mortgage insurance HOA dues Other required property-related expenses If the actual homeowners-insurance premium is higher than the estimate used during preapproval, the monthly payment increases even if the loan amount and mortgage rate remain unchanged. That can affect the buyer’s debt-to-income ratio and available purchasing range. Which homes may require extra attention? Every property needs appropriate coverage, but an earlier in...

Many potential homebuyers assume down-payment assistance works like a small grant fund: once the available money is claimed, the program disappears. That is not always how Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency financing works. OHFA states that its Single Family loan program has maintained continuous funding since 1980. Its participating lenders can use eligible OHFA financing to help qualified Oklahoma buyers with down-payment and closing-cost needs. Continuous funding does not mean unlimited approval. It means buyers should not automatically rule out the program because they heard that another grant or local assistance fund ran out of money. What should buyers understand? OHFA financing includes a first mortgage combined with assistance that can be applied toward eligible upfront costs. Qualification depends on factors that may include: Household or qualifying income Purchase price Property eligibility Credit and underwriting Occupancy Applicable loan-program requirements The rate and assis...

Mortgage credit scoring may be entering one of its largest periods of change in decades. The Federal Housing Finance Agency has directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to expand the availability of VantageScore 4.0 to approved mortgage lenders. At the same time, federal officials are considering changes to the traditional practice of obtaining information from all three national credit bureaus. Those headlines sound dramatic, but buyers need to understand the difference between a policy announcement and complete lender implementation. What is VantageScore 4.0? VantageScore 4.0 is an alternative to the classic FICO models traditionally used in mortgage lending. It evaluates credit information differently and can use trended credit data, which looks at how balances and payments change over time. When information such as rental payments is reported to a credit bureau, the model may also consider that history. This could be helpful for some consumers who responsibly pay rent but have limited t...

  If you’re shopping for a home and your financing needs are approaching jumbo territory, there’s a new reason to review your options. Waterstone Mortgage has announced a temporary increase in its conforming loan limit to $845,000 for eligible one-unit homes. The change applies to qualifying loans with new rate locks beginning September 10, 2026. For buyers in Tulsa, Bixby, Broken Arrow, Jenks and surrounding communities, this could provide another option when deciding how to finance their next home. What does the higher limit mean? Loan limits help determine which mortgage programs can accommodate the amount you need to borrow. Waterstone’s increase allows qualifying borrowers to explore its eligible conventional programs for loan amounts up to $845,000. If you previously discussed jumbo financing because of your loan amount, it may be time to compare the options again. The right fit still depends on your finances, the property and your goals. The loan amount and purchase price ar...

A mortgage-rate headline can be useful, but it is easy to give it more meaning than it deserves. Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey is a widely followed national benchmark. It helps consumers and housing professionals see broad market direction. It does not quote a rate to a specific borrower. What the survey tells you Freddie Mac releases the PMMS on Thursdays. The published averages reflect survey methodology and assumptions described by Freddie Mac. They are useful for comparing broad changes over time and understanding the general rate environment. What it does not tell you A national average does not account for every detail of an individual transaction. Available rates and terms may vary based on the loan program, credit profile, down payment or equity, occupancy, property type, loan purpose, points or lender credits, lock period and market conditions when the rate is locked. Not every borrower or property fits the same scenario. Why the full loan estimate matters When ...

  Beginning November 2, 2026, new appraisal reports submitted to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac through the Uniform Collateral Data Portal must use UAD 3.6. New reports using the older UAD 2.6 format will receive an unsuccessful submission status. For Realtors, this is not simply an appraisal-industry technology update. It is a reminder that accurate, organized property information can materially affect the efficiency of a mortgage transaction. UAD 3.6 introduces a more structured and detailed approach to describing residential property characteristics. Realtors are not responsible for determining appraisal condition ratings, quality ratings, or market value. However, listing and transaction teams can help ensure that the underlying facts are readily available. A useful property-information packet might include: A complete list of renovations and approximate completion dates Permits or contractor documentation when available Accurate concessions and seller-paid expenses HOA dues and pr...

  Manufactured housing plays an important role in Oklahoma, particularly for buyers seeking affordability or purchasing in rural communities. One long-standing obstacle has been financing a manufactured home that was moved after its original installation. Beginning September 9, updated Freddie Mac guidance may create a financing path for some of these properties. Under the updated requirements, an eligible manufactured home moved from another site must be inspected by a licensed professional engineer or another appropriate authority to verify its structural integrity. The home also cannot be placed in an area with more restrictive wind, roof-load, or thermal-zone requirements than the zone for which it was constructed. That is a meaningful change—but it is not blanket approval for every relocated home. Buyers and Realtors must still consider: HUD certification labels and construction records The home’s movement and installation history Foundation requirements Real-property classifi...

Mortgage Monday is arriving on a Tuesday this week—and this time, waiting for the financial markets to reopen gave us a much clearer picture of what is actually happening with mortgage rates. The early read is mixed. Mortgage bonds have recovered from some premarket weakness, and the 10-year Treasury yield was close to 4.78% during Tuesday morning trading. That is better than the early premarket level of approximately 4.80%, but it is not enough to call this a meaningful mortgage-rate rally. The more accurate description is: Mortgage pricing opened roughly unchanged to slightly better, but inflation and oil prices are keeping the market on edge. What Happened When the Market Opened? Before the regular market session, the 10-year Treasury yield was approximately 4.803%, nearly two basis points higher than Friday’s close. Later in the morning, the yield moved back toward 4.78%, while mortgage-backed securities were essentially unchanged to slightly stronger. That recovery is mildly encou...

  Only $630,000 remains available through the Tulsa County Home Finance Authority program, creating a limited opportunity for qualified first-time homebuyers who need help with the upfront cost of purchasing a home. The remaining funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the money has been reserved, this opportunity will close. What the program currently offers Qualified borrowers may receive a 6.35% fixed interest rate on a 30-year FHA, VA or USDA first mortgage, along with down payment assistance equal to 3.5% of the total first-mortgage note amount. The assistance is structured as a five-year forgivable second mortgage. If the program’s requirements are met throughout the five-year period, the assistance may be forgiven. Current program highlights include: • 6.35% fixed interest rate • 3.5% down payment assistance • Five-year forgivable second mortgage • FHA, VA and USDA financing options • Minimum 620 FICO score • Household income limits and other program re...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...