Welcome to Mortgage Lending Explained, my consumer education blog dedicated to bringing clarity to the mortgage process.
Mortgage Lending Explained is published on Substack at www.JSWhaldo.Substack.com and is also featured here on JSWhaldo.com. Wherever you choose to read, I encourage you to comment, ask questions, and subscribe.
The Mortgage Lending Explained newsletter is published with each new article and podcast episode. My monthly JSWhaldo newsletter focuses primarily on travel and lifestyle content, highlighting new projects and stories from across the site.
After more than 30 years in mortgage underwriting, I write these articles to help consumers understand how mortgage loans really work. My goal is to explain lending in plain English, separate fact from fiction, and provide insight into how mortgage underwriters evaluate loan applications.
Whether you're buying your first home, refinancing, exploring reverse mortgages, or simply curious about credit and lending, I hope you'll find useful information and practical answers here.
Written by J.S. Whaldo, a retired mortgage underwriter with more than three decades of industry experience.
Welcome, and enjoy exploring Mortgage Lending Explained.
Student Loans and Mortgages: What You Need to Know
Even if your student loan is in deferment, most lenders still count a monthly payment in your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI. The tricky part is that each loan program has its own rules. That means the same $75,000 loan balance could be treated very differently depending on whether you apply for a VA, FHA, USDA, or Conventional loan.
Understanding Monthly Liabilities: What Counts in Your DTI (and What Doesn’t)
Let’s talk about liabilities. We all have them, but not all of them affect whether you qualify for a mortgage. Some debts are counted in your application, and some are not. Understanding which ones matter (and why) is key to getting approved with confidence.