With rates back above 7%, a $10,000 seller funded rate buydown saves an Arizona buyer roughly $186 a month versus about $60 for a $10,000 price cut. Here is how to run the math before you write your offer. Pillar Mortgage Group.
Two Arizona lenders can quote the same 7% rate and still be thousands apart in cost. Here is how to read pages 1, 2, and 3 of a Loan Estimate and pick the cheaper loan. Pillar Mortgage Group, NMLS #2700076
A lender credit is money your lender applies to closing costs in exchange for a slightly higher rate. With 30 year rates near 7%, it can cover $8,000 or more for Phoenix buyers. Here is the real math. Pillar Mortgage Group, NMLS #2700076
A 401k loan lets you borrow up to $50,000 for an Arizona down payment with no tax or penalty, while an early withdrawal usually costs 10% plus income tax. How Phoenix and Scottsdale buyers should decide. Pillar Mortgage Group, NMLS #2700076
VantageScore 4.0 is now accepted for conforming mortgages, and as of June 2026 the top 30 lenders can use it. Here is what the new credit scoring rules mean for Phoenix and Scottsdale buyers. Pillar Mortgage Group, NMLS #2700076
Rent vs buy in Phoenix 2026: what owning a $454,699 median priced home costs a month at the 7.32% Freddie Mac average with 3.5% down, how much equity five years builds, and how to compare it with your rent. Pillar Mortgage Group.
Straight answers on buying, refinancing, and selling a home in Scottsdale, Phoenix, and across Arizona, from Blake Hermann, Director of Lending at Pillar Mortgage Group (NMLS #2271358).