Mortgage Connects knowledge hub

In honor of Women's History Month, we interview Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB).

Take advantage of the power of social media to generate leads and referrals with curated posts and images ready to download, post and share.

We cover the latest SEB income calculation tools for the 2023 tax year, plus IRS tax and GSE guideline changes that may affect cash flow.

Use the insights in this infographic to help you understand your opportunity to help support future Black homeowners.

How LOs can partner with HR departments to connect with large groups of potential homebuyers.

Help your homebuyers see the milestones ahead and stay the course to their ultimate destination - the home of their dreams.  

From budgeting and understanding credit to preventing identity theft and navigating down payment options, this informational series provides borrowers with essential keys to successful homeownership.

Kayla Kallander, mortgage loan officer at First International Bank & Trust, shares actionable tips and tricks to help mortgage professionals maximize their social media strategies.

Listen in as Kevin Peranio, chief lending officer at PRMG, reveals top strategies to thrive in the current interest rate environment amidst the challenges of the mortgage industry.

Debunk common mortgage myths and show prospective borrowers all their options to help guide them on their homebuying journey.

This foundational video discusses who can be considered self-employed, eligibility requirements and what facts must be considered when evaluating self-employed income.

See how correctly documenting your file can expedite turn times, what tools can help you confidently calculate qualifying income and more about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac documentation.

Discover how understanding the different types of business structures can help you analyze your self-employed borrowers' income.

Learn how to look at income from a mortgage perspective, 3 key concepts used during the cash flowing process and how to analyze earnings trends to correctly calculate qualifying income.

Uncover important mortgage industry insights to help build your referral strategies from MGIC's 2023 Loan Originators Survey Report.

This handy guide is chock-full of facts to help loan officers and real estate agents debunk the 6 most persistent myths today's homebuyers believe.

Discover more about MGIC’s home improvement/rehab loan program, including underwriting requirements.

Explore non-taxable income, like Social Security, child support and alimony, and learn how to “gross up” the non-taxable portion of borrowers' income to arrive at adjusted gross income.

This brief tutorial shows how assessing the overall risk present in a file plays an important role in income calculation and delivers some helpful guidelines for calculating variable income.

Our on-demand video training series helps loan officers, lenders and other mortgage industry professionals expand their knowledge in 15 minutes or less.

This brief tutorial helps you prepare for calculating your borrower's income under unusual circumstances, like when your borrower is unemployed or on leave.

Learn how to determine if employment and income can be used for qualifying, the difference between fixed and variable income and more.

Get tips to determine the difference between bi-weekly and semi-monthly pay, as well as the importance of validating income documentation before calculating borrowers' qualifying income.

This brief video provides guidance for calculating income for borrowers who are teachers, postal workers, seasonal or union workers, or in the military.

Gain a better understanding of the Hispanic culture so you can be in a better position to help mortgage-ready Hispanic borrowers achieve their dreams of homeownership.

An interview with Daniel Gomez, branch manager at DHI Mortgage, in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.

An educational tool for your borrowers to help them understand the meaning behind their credit score numbers and how they can improve their score.

Explore our library of resources (available in English and Spanish) to understand, reach and guide mortgage-ready Hispanics on the journey to homeownership and expand your market.

Watch this video to learn about Hispanic homebuyers, a vibrant, growing origination opportunity.

Use the insights in this infographic to help you meet the needs of Hispanic borrowers - one of the fastest-growing homebuyer demographics.

Ready-made workshops help you build stronger relationships with real estate agents and other referral partners. Gain access to everything you need to host a business-building workshop.

Mortgage industry coach/trainer Ron Vaimberg shares tips for loan officers to connect with referral partners, including the right questions to ask and how to play to your strengths.

Gain access to MGIC's editable and auto-calculating self-employed borrower and income analysis worksheets.

Traits, trends and preferences you need to know to build trust and foster relationships with first-time homebuyers.

Handy list educates borrowers on what they should avoid doing during the mortgage process to help ensure their loan is approved on time.

Share these 5 benefits of homeownership with renters to help them see the big-picture value of owning a home.

Listen in as Matt Weaver, VP of mortgage sales at CrossCountry Mortgage, discusses referral partner relationships and strategies.

Enhance your next social media post with this ready-made visual about the value of homeownership. Tailored specifically for LinkedIn and Facebook.

Hear about PAL Kauai’i’s mission to provide permanently affordable and sustainable living solutions for the people of Hawaii.

Discover more about the National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America (NAMMBA) from its director of corporate solutions, Jade Winfrey.

Preferences and trends you need to know to build trust and foster relationships with millennial homebuyers.

Learn how mortgage insurance can help your borrowers save a deal threatened by an appraisal gap.

Ready-to-share social media image is sized perfectly for LinkedIn and Facebook. Simply download and add to your next social media post.

This user-friendly calculator quickly shows renters and first-time homebuyers why it could make financial sense for them to buy a home now rather than wait to save a 20% down payment.

User-friendly homebuying calculators help borrowers crunch the numbers to see that buying a home is possible.

This handy flyer introduces potential homebuyers to our Buy Now vs. Wait Calculator that instantly provides a comprehensive comparison of the financial implications of either choice.

Access tools and information you can use to educate and guide your borrowers through the homebuying journey. Available in English and Spanish.

Learn about the ways Housing Resources, Inc., opens the door to homeownership though comprehensive homebuyer education, help overcoming obstacles and financial empowerment.

Customer trainer Sandra Sweeney discusses MGIC’s comprehensive self-employed borrower resource program - including the cash flow worksheets for 2022.

Hear about soft and hard credit inquiries, credit score factors and other credit-related topics from Mike Olden, VP of sales & education at American Reporting Company.

MGIC's Margaret Crowley, VP of marketing, shares her thoughts about DEI, why homeownership matters to communities and what women can do to continue growing their careers.

Help borrowers understand how lenders review credit history to determine their creditworthiness by sharing this useful guide. Part 3 of our Get Ready! series.

This informative guide details how preventing identity theft is key for borrowers in protecting their credit standing. Part 4 of our Get Ready! series.

Mortgage insurance allows your buyers to put down less than 20%. Pass along the MI basics with this information sheet.

This practical guide explains the importance of budgeting and how to evaluate spending patterns to uncover savings opportunities. Part 1 of our Get Ready! series.

Help your borrowers learn how to establish and maintain - or regain - good credit by sharing this useful guide. Part 2 of our Get Ready! series.

Discover strategic ways you can leverage MGIC’s mortgage insurance to create new opportunities, solve for common obstacles, earn more deals and close more loans.

This shareable guide explains mortgage insurance options that might help your borrowers find more down payment funds or put less down. Part 5 of our Get Ready! series.

Download this ready-made credit score basics social shareable and upload to LinkedIn or Facebook to boost engagement on your social media platforms.

Get practical advice from a top loan originator for growing and building referral partner relationships.

Practical guide explains the characteristics of the 5 common business structures of self-employed borrowers: sole proprietorship, partnership, S corporation, corporation and LLC.

Gain new insights on marketing, referrals, productivity and more in the latest Loan Originators Survey Report.

Borrower-paid Single Premiums are cancellable and refundable and can be financed into the loan to minimize monthly mortgage payments. See the advantages.

Get answers to common borrower questions about our Choice Monthly Premiums plan.

Borrower-paid Choice Monthly Premiums give your borrowers the option of paying part of the MI premium up front to reduce the monthly MI premium amount. See the advantages.

See a quick comparison of MGIC's 4 most popular premium plans, including BPMI Monthly, BPMI Single, BPMI Choice Monthly and LPMI Single Premiums.

Borrower-paid Split Premiums allow borrowers to pay part of the MI premium up front to reduce the monthly MI premium paid along with their mortgage payment. See the advantages.

Lender-paid Single Premiums allow borrowers to minimize their monthly payments in the short term. Coverage remains for the life of the loan and can't be cancelled by the borrower.

Borrower-paid Monthly Premiums offer borrowers the simplicity of combining their MI premium with their monthly mortgage payment. See the advantages.

See how mortgage insurance can help your first-time homebuyers buy sooner and build more equity with a lower down payment.

Discover how mortgage insurance can help your move-up buyers afford more home, buy sooner and expand their cash flow options.

Hear from Sean Moss, EVP at Down Payment Resource, about how this enterprise tool can help mortgage pros find, explore, track and monitor DPA programs in their area.

This quick-hitting video provides an overview of ways mortgage insurance can help broaden borrowers' financial options to find the loan that works best for them.

Watch this video to learn about the ways mortgage insurance can help move-up buyers afford more home by putting down less than 20%.

A quick-hitting summary of insights gleaned from MGIC's 2022 Loan Originators Survey Report.

Danny Garcia-Velez, SVP of sales and business development for MGIC, connects the dots between DEI, strategic innovation and the value of homeownership.

Hipolito "Hip" Garcia, area manager at Caliber Home Loans, discusses why Latinos are the driving force behind the housing market.

Understanding the traits, behaviors and misconceptions of Gen Z borrowers can help you make informed decisions on how to reach and work with them.

Discover 5 reliable ways to expand referral networks and bolster borrower leads.

Discover more about the Hispanic homebuyer market and the untapped opportunity one of the fastest-growing homebuyer demographics presents for increasing origination business.

Solutions, the fourth pillar in MGIC’s ARCS framework, highlights products and programs that may meet the unique needs of creditworthy minority applicants.

Community, the third pillar in MGIC's ARCS framework, reinforces how collective action can help address housing challenges in your target communities.

ARCS framework checklist helps lenders ask the right questions to build an affordable homeownership and racial equity plan in 4 areas: Awareness, Readiness, Community & Solutions.

Readiness, the second pillar in MGIC's ARCS framework, stresses the value of financial literacy in addressing the racial equity gap in homeownership.

Down Payment Connect is the affordable, effortless down payment assistance look-up tool that delivers quick access to available DPA programs in your borrowers' state.

Down Payment Resource’s database of homeownership programs and suite of tools helps lenders connect their borrowers to the DPA assistance they need.

Learn more about United Way’s Safe & Stable Homes initiative to improve housing and financial security and end family homelessness in Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County.

See how Awareness, the first pillar in MGIC's ARCS framework, can help you reach out to mortgage-ready minority borrowers.

Introducing MGIC's 5-part Affordable Homeownership Series: Addressing the racial equity gap in homeownership.

An insider’s experience in developing a multicultural lending action plan and his advice to loan officers looking to serve more diverse communities.

Listen as Karen Chiu discusses her experiences and insights into the challenges many Asian Americans face in homebuying and the mortgage industry.

Amber Lawrence, AVP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the MBA, discusses why creating an inclusive workplace is crucial, the MBA’s 5 pillars of DEI and other key DEI topics.

Housing supply and demand have accelerated annual home price appreciation. What strategies can help borrowers who are facing steeper prices?

Listen as Ryan Hills, regional director of Movement Mortgage, talks about the evolution of his business and successful career as a top originator and content creator.

Discover 4 ways community banks help boost local economies by being key contributors to new home building efforts.

Discover how SPCPs work to address racial equity issues in homeownership and the intended outcomes of the SPCP legal provision under ECOA.

See how mortgage insurance can help your buyers looking to purchase a fixer-upper keep more cash in the bank for home improvements and renovations.

Discover how Joanna Garcia realized her own American Dream by helping her Cuban community realize theirs.

Lenny McNeill, EVP of U.S. Bank Home Mortgage, discusses the need for homebuyer education in boosting homeownership rates in ethnically diverse communities.

Jeff Platfoot, MGIC customer trainer, covers what mortgage industry pros can expect as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pivot from the classic FICO model to new credit score models.

Steve Kyles, partner with Mortgage Animals, shares insights and tools that have helped him succeed for over 17 years in the mortgage industry.

Bestselling author Todd Duncan talks about the importance of mindset, attitude and knowing your "why" in building a successful career in the mortgage and real estate industries.

Private MI not only helps borrowers overcome challenges in today's market, but it can also help them increase their cash flow options.

Discover more about eClose and Service First Mortgage's experience with this digital mortgage process.

Take a deeper dive into the term “standard coverage” and its direct impact on lenders with MGIC’s customer trainer, Jeff Platfoot.

Discover our 4-pillar approach to closing the racial equity gap in homeownership to make sustainable homeownership possible for more people.

Maria Vergara, director of community lending at Fannie Mae, reveals why working with Hispanic homebuyers should be part of lenders’ origination strategies.

“Freedom is everything” to Eddy Perez, CMB, co-founder and CEO of Equity Prime Mortgage. Learn how his family’s immigration from Cuba shaped Eddy’s future and success.

Angel Alban, president at Zventus and chairman/co-founder of blockchain Hyperledger Mortgage Subgroup, shares why working hard, helping others and dreaming big can make it happen.

Armando Falcon, CEO of Falcon Capital Advisors LLC, expounds on his efforts to clean up the operations of the GSEs before the financial crisis as well as mortgage finance reforms.

From flying fighter jets to serving in Congress, Rep. Mike Garcia discusses how his goal has remained the same: fight for the U.S. and preserve it for generations to come.

Hear how lenders can support multicultural growth and incorporate diversity in the workplace from Senior Manager Edgar Hernandez, MCOE, CUNA Mutual Group.

Hear about the ways Service First Mortgage overcame operations, recruitment and marketing challenges post-pandemic.

Discover the do's and don'ts of keeping social media profiles and posts compliant in the highly-regulated financial industry.

Get the inside scoop on distinctive economic and social circumstances and challenges that faced 2021 homebuyers from Freddie Mac’s Danny Gardner.

Joel Mahakian offers advice for those pursuing a successful career in the mortgage industry, including how “when you do the right thing, the money will come.”

Gain industry insights and tips to overcome obstacles and grow your business from Phil Treadwell, national director of sales innovation & strategy for Thrive Mortgage.

Hear Sean Phalon, AREAA vice chair, discuss how understanding Asian Americans and their subcultures plays an important role in connecting with this homebuyer demographic.

Key insights from Kyle Draper, social media guru, about where mortgage professionals should be spending their time on social media to maximize their reach.

Take a deeper dive into specific requirements for gift documentation with MGIC's national trainer, Hali Plachecki.

Chelsea Peitz dives into the essentials that business professionals should consider when building their personal brand on Instagram.

The info you need to insure during construction or after completion, including single- and two-time close loans, underwriting requirements and MI activation considerations, is here.

Discover more about MGIC’s single-close construction-permanent loans, including underwriting guidelines and options for activation coverage.

Patty Gong, EVP secondary marketing of Parkside Lending, discusses her path to leadership and offers advice for women on how to succeed in their career journey.

Jim Park, executive chairman and founding partner of The Mortgage Collaborative, discusses strategies for connecting with Asian Americans in the mortgage industry.

Learn more about Freddie Mac’s support of equitable housing from Danny Gardner. Danny also shares his experiences in the affordable and inclusive lending space.

A spotlight on the many ways community banks support the dream of homeownership.

Senator Tim Scott, South Carolina, shares how his humble beginnings and the guidance from role models and mentors led to his life of public service.

Tony Thompson shares how the lack of women, millennials and minorities in the mortgage banking industry was the impetus for founding the National Association of Minority Bankers of America.

Representative Gwen Moore, Wisconsin, reflects on how events of 2020 shined a spotlight on racial inequality and economic disparity for Black Americans. And shares her priorities for 2021.

Lisa Rice, president & CEO of National Fair Housing Alliance, discusses how the legacy of discrimination resulted in disparities of wealth, homeownership and opportunity.

Discover more about the National Association of Real Estate Brokers and its role in promoting democracy in housing from National Director Antoine Maurice Thompson.

Ben Carson explains how his background in neurosurgery helped him succeed in his role as Secretary of HUD.

Kristy Fercho explains how finding opportunities among challenges and discovering work she’s passionate about has helped guide her to a successful career in the mortgage industry.

Representative Gwen Moore, Wisconsin, discusses her integral role in shaping housing finance and what she can do to help Black Americans experiencing the lowest homeownership rate in years.

Ditrick Dunn, founder of Integral Funding Solutions, shares his journey from military intelligence to housing finance and why he thinks housing finance is the bedrock of our civilization.

Learn more about FHLBank's role in helping to expand homeownership from Steve Thomas, senior managing director of Mortgage Capital Markets.

Get insights into ways lenders can reach the African American market from Lenny McNeill, EVP of national strategic markets and affordable lending for U.S. Bank.

Alanna McCargo, Urban Institute, sheds light on the uphill battle for Black families seeking homeownership and offers potential solutions to close the racial homeownership gap.

Sandra Thompson, deputy director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, discusses the FHFA and its role in affordable housing initiatives.

Uncover MI strategies to help you broaden your borrower's financial options, create new opportunities and earn more deals.

Loan Officer Hub, powered by MGIC, gathers the best information and resources from around the mortgage industry to help loan officers grow, learn and succeed. Get the latest insights!

Send your potential homebuyers to Readynest for tips, tools, and information that breaks down the homebuying process into bite-size topics. Accessible in English and Spanish.

The answer is in the power of home and homeownership that Hispanics have always understood and believed in.

Use this handy guide to MGIC's consumer calculators to help homebuyers understand their financial options.

This brochure highlights HPA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac requirements for borrower-requested and lender-required private mortgage insurance cancellation.

Help your customers get a jump-start on creating a realistic household budget by sharing these useful tips from Readynest.

Access this step-by-step guide for borrower-requested and lender-required MGIC mortgage insurance cancellation under HPA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines.

Get the basics about cancelling mortgage insurance in this step-by-step guide (available in English and Spanish).

Borrowers saving up for a down payment can use this worksheet to track their expenses and create a livable budget.

Homebuyers can use this chart to compare the features of up to 3 houses.

This home maintenance checklist helps homeowners decide when to perform a maintenance checkup and what to look for.

Discover how our Buy Now vs. Wait Calculator can help your borrowers understand all their down payment options.

In every profession, it’s the end-to-end customer experience that will set you apart from the competition – and the mortgage industry is no exception.