Managing Equity and Markets

Most people think that paying their credit cards on time is enough to protect their credit scores. And while on-time payments are essential, here’s the truth: paying on time isn’t the same as paying smart. The Hidden Credit Score TrapWhen a client pays on their due date, the balance from their b...

 What’s the Difference Between FICO and VantageScore?FICO Score Used by most traditional lenders (especially for mortgages) Requires at least 6 months of credit history More sensitive to recent missed payments or high utilization Mortgage lenders typically use older models like FICO 2, 4, or 5 Va...

 Fed Watch: No Rate Change, But July Is in PlayAs expected, the Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged last week. Chairman Powell noted that potential inflation from tariffs is one reason they’re proceeding with caution.Up to this point, the Fed has followed a “current data” approach—making decisio...

  Realtors and Lenders face a new problem creating more scarcity. I have closed 1500 new construction loans over the past 20 years, but my builder clients are now building rental units instead of for-sale units. A building boom is underway across the country in communities designed for renters, a...

Mortgage rates have had a rougher start to the new year, climbing above the 7.25% mark recently. The big question that is on everyone's mind is "where are rates headed?" Let's start off with what we do know.The Fed has two main weapons in its arsenal: manipulating rates and the monetary supply. S...

As the festive season approaches, we at Watermark Capitol wanted to take a moment to extend our heartfelt greetings to you and your loved ones.Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!We hope this season brings you joy, peace, and wonderful moments with family and friends. It's a time to reflect on the...

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced 2025 Conforming Loan Limits for all conventional loans delivered to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.What is the 2025 Conforming Loan Limit?The baseline loan amount for 2025 is as follows: 1-unit Property – $806,500 2-unit Property – $1,032,650 3-unit...

It's too early to get too far ahead of ourselves, but so far the mortgage rate market is improving dramatically in the last 72 hours. Stay tuned. This may help a lot of people. I wanted to share some insights on how election years can impact personal finances, as it's an important consideration f...

As we know, the Fed cut rates for the first time in over 4 years. It was larger than I had expected at 50bps. Since then, however, the market has bounced higher. I mentioned this would happen in a "buy the rumor, sell the news" type of event. The market aggressively priced in a rate cut, when the...

We have a big week ahead of us. We receive the last inflation reports before the Fed's interest rate decision next week. The market is betting on a 100% probability of a rate cut and the odds of a 50bp cut have been inching up slowly. With the Fed pivot about to take place, it makes sense for the...