Mortgage Questions, Answered
76 of the questions East Texas home buyers and veterans ask most, answered in plain English with the source for each rule.
VA Loans
These answers explain how VA's home loan rules generally work, drawn from VA's own pages and Lenders Handbook. Lenders can add their own requirements, so confirm your situation before you rely on any single rule.
- Does my VA disability rating change the funding fee?
- Does VA disability income count when qualifying for a loan?
- Can I use a VA loan on a duplex or up to a four-unit if I live in one?
- Can I use a VA loan on a barndominium in Texas?
- Can I use a VA loan on new construction?
- Is a townhome or condo VA-approved, and how do I check?
- Can I get a VA loan with charge-offs or collections?
- How do I get my Certificate of Eligibility?
- Can I use a VA loan on rural East Texas property with a well, septic or acreage?
- Can I use my VA loan benefit more than once?
- Can a surviving spouse use a VA loan?
- Do I have to live in the home, and how soon?
- Is there a VA loan limit?
- Can the seller pay my VA closing costs?
- What is the VA appraisal looking for?
- What is the VA IRRRL refinance?
Credit
Credit rules change by loan program, and some changed recently. Here is how they work today for conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loans.
- Does a lender pulling my credit hurt my score?
- Why am I getting flooded with calls and texts after applying for a mortgage?
- Why is my lender's credit score different from Credit Karma?
- If my spouse has better credit, should we both be on the loan? Which score counts?
- Do I have to freeze or unfreeze my credit to get a mortgage? Which bureaus?
- Will a new card or small loan hurt me before closing?
- What credit problems can a lender work with?
- How long after bankruptcy or foreclosure can I get a mortgage?
- Can I get a mortgage if I have no credit history?
Income and Jobs
Lenders count income by type, history, and whether it is likely to continue. Here is how the rules work for conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loans.
- Can I get a mortgage with overtime income? How long a history do lenders want?
- I'm a first-time buyer with less than two years at my job. What counts?
- Does child support count as income, and does paying it count as debt?
- Does disability or Social Security income count for a mortgage?
- I just changed jobs. Can I still buy a home?
- How do lenders count self-employed income?
- Does part-time or second-job income count?
- Why does my spouse's information matter in Texas if they are not on the loan?
- What is debt-to-income and what counts as a debt?
Down Payment and Closing Costs
Straight answers on where your down payment can come from, why closing costs move, and how to read the forms that show the final number.
- Can I use gift money for a down payment, and what does the paperwork look like?
- Can I use my 401(k) for a down payment, and how does the timing work?
- Why did my closing costs change from my Loan Estimate?
- What is the difference between a Loan Estimate and a Closing Disclosure?
- Why do lenders ask about large deposits in my bank account?
- Can the seller help pay my closing costs?
- What is cash to close, and when do I find out the number?
Documents and Timeline
What lenders usually ask for, what sets the pace of a home loan, and what the common steps actually mean.
- What documents do I need to apply for a mortgage?
- How long does it take to close on a home loan?
- What is the difference between pre-qualification and a fully documented pre-approval?
- What slows a mortgage down the most?
- Why does underwriting keep asking for more documents?
- What does clear to close mean?
- Do I need a real estate agent before I talk to a loan officer?
- How long is a pre-approval good for?
How Rates Work
How mortgage pricing works, what you can control, and how to compare offers on equal terms.
- What actually moves my mortgage rate?
- Why is the rate I see online different from the one I get?
- What does locking my rate mean, and when should I do it?
- What are discount points?
- How do I compare offers from two lenders fairly?
- Should I shop more than one lender?
- What is the difference between a mortgage broker and a bank or direct lender?
Escrow, Taxes and Your First Payment
What to expect after closing on a home in East Texas, from your first payment to property taxes. These are general rules, and details depend on your loan program and lender.
- When is my first mortgage payment, and who do I pay?
- My loan got sold. Is the letter I got real, or a scam?
- Can I skip escrow and pay my own taxes and insurance?
- Why did my escrow payment go up?
- Does a mortgage estimate include the Texas homestead exemption?
- When can I file for the Texas homestead exemption after I buy?
- What is mortgage insurance and how does it go away?
- Do I need flood insurance in East Texas?
Appraisals and Repairs
How appraisals work on conventional, FHA and VA home loans. Rules differ by program, so these answers point out where they split.
Refinancing
General rules on refinancing a home in Texas. What applies to you depends on your loan program, your lender and your situation.
General information, checked against the sources shown in November 2026. Program rules change and each lender can add its own requirements. This is not a commitment to lend.
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