HomeAffordLab publishes free mortgage calculators and guides for first-time home buyers in the United States. This page explains who writes our content, where our numbers come from, and how we keep them accurate.
Who writes our content
Every guide and calculator is written and maintained by the HomeAffordLab Editorial Team. We are not a lender, a mortgage broker or a financial adviser, and we do not accept payment from lenders to rank or recommend their products. Our content is educational and is not financial advice; see our disclaimer.
Primary sources first
Program rules, limits and fees come from the agencies that set them, and we link to the source in each guide:
- FHA loan limits and mortgage insurance premiums: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
- VA loan eligibility and funding fees: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
- USDA income limits and guarantee fees: U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.
- Conforming loan limits: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).
- Underwriting rules for conventional loans: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac selling guides.
- Average mortgage rates: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.
- Consumer rules on PMI, escrow and closing disclosures: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Every number is reproducible
Examples in our guides are calculated with the same calculator that appears on the page. Assumptions such as interest rate, property tax rate, insurance cost and down payment are stated next to each table, so you can enter the same inputs and get the same result.
How we keep content up to date
- We recheck loan limits, mortgage insurance premiums and program fees when the agencies publish new figures, usually at the start of each year.
- Rate assumptions are reviewed against the latest Freddie Mac survey.
- Each guide shows the date it was last updated.
Corrections
If you find an error or an outdated figure, please tell us through our contact page. We review every report, correct confirmed errors promptly and update the “last updated” date on the page.
Advertising and independence
HomeAffordLab may display advertising. Advertisers have no influence on our calculators, our guides or the numbers we publish.