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Justin Huff

Loan Originator |NMLS 2072433
  • (361) 550-9006
  • jhuff@umortgage.com

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Meet Justin!

As your trusted UMortgage Loan Originator, my goal is to simplify the mortgage process to make your home loan experience easy to navigate! Please reach out so I can help start your home financing journey.

Serving Homebuyers In:

  • Texas

Mortgage Calculators

Monthly Payment

Affordability

Refinance

VA Entitlement & Payments

Your Mortgage Questions, Answered!

Six Reasons to Refinance Your Home Loan

When most people hear the word refinance, they immediately think it means one thing: lowering their interest rate to lower their monthly payment. While that’s the most popular reason people refinance, it’s not the only one. Think of refinancing as a financial tool. Depending on what’s happening in your life, your budget, and your long-term goals, it can help you unlock flexibility, reduce risk, or restructure your loan to better fit your needs today. Below are six of the most common reasons homeowners refinance, including a few that may surprise you, plus some quick guidance on what type of refinance might apply. 1) Lower your interest rate and monthly payment This is the most popular reason why homeowners refinance, and for good reason. If current mortgage interest rates are meaningfully lower than your existing rate, refinancing can help you reduce your payment and improve your monthly cash flow. A rate-and-term refinance is typically the option used here. It replaces your current mortgage with a new one that has a different rate and/or term, often to achieve a lower payment, a more stable structure, or both. When this can make sense: You want to reduce your monthly payment Your credit score or income is stronger than when you originally financed You want to move from an adjustable-rate mortgage to a fixed-rate mortgage for stability 2) Access your home equity for big goals Home equity isn’t just a number on paper; it can be a powerful resource to help you achieve your financial goals. A cash-out refinance allows you to replace your current mortgage with a new, larger loan and take the difference in cash. Homeowners commonly use equity to fund: Home renovations Major life expenses (weddings, tuition, medical costs) Emergency reserves Investments in long-term plans Quick example: If a new appraisal says your home is worth $450,000 and your current mortgage balance is $300,000, you have $150,000 in equity. A cash-out refinance could allow you to access a portion of that equity (depending on loan guidelines) while keeping the rest invested in your home. If you’d like to access some equity but aren’t ready to replace your entire mortgage, a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) can be a strong alternative. It works like a credit card, using your home equity as a revolving line of credit that you can borrow against and pay off as needed. 3) Consolidate high-interest debt into one payment This is one of the most overlooked refinance strategies, especially given that credit card interest rates can be 20% or higher on average. If you’re carrying high-interest debt, consolidating it through a refinance can potentially: Simplify your monthly finances (one payment instead of several) Reduce the amount of interest you’re paying over time Improve monthly cash flow This is often done through a cash-out refinance, where the cash is used to pay off higher-interest balances. Important note: Debt consolidation isn’t “free money,” it’s about restructuring your existing debts. The goal is to lower total costs and improve monthly stability by using your equity to pay off higher-interest debt, such as credit cards with APRs above 20%. A smart plan matters here, and a quick scenario review can help you see whether it makes sense for your financial situation. 4) Remove PMI once you’ve built enough equity If you bought your home with less than 20% down using a conventional loan, you’re required to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI). PMI is typically between 0.5%-1.5% of the original loan amount, paid monthly. But many homeowners don’t realize PMI isn’t always permanent. If your home’s value has appreciated and/or you’ve paid down your loan balance, you may now have enough equity to remove PMI, which can reduce your monthly payment without changing your lifestyle at all. Let’s say you bought your home for $320,000 and put 5% down. A few years later, your home value rises to $375,000, and your loan balance drops. If you now have 20% equity or more, you can remove your PMI. In some cases, a refinance is the cleanest path, especially if it also improves your rate or loan structure. 5) Change your loan term to match your goals Refinancing isn’t always about paying less each month. Sometimes it’s about aligning your mortgage with your priorities. With a rate-and-term refinance, you may be able to: Shorten your term (like moving from a 30-year to a 15-year) to build equity faster and pay off your home sooner Extend your term (like resetting to a new 30-year) to create more monthly flexibility Why homeowners do this: You want to pay the home off before retirement You want a lower payment to free up cash for other goals You want stability and predictability in your budget There isn’t a single answer to this kind of refinance. How you restructure your loan terms depends on your timeline, your cash flow, and what you want your money to do for you. 6) Change the borrowers listed on the mortgage after a life change This is a reason for refinancing that people don’t think about until they need it. If you’ve had a major life change, you may want to adjust who is legally responsible for the mortgage or who is included on the loan. Common situations include: Marriage (adding a spouse) Divorce (removing a borrower) Ownership restructure (estate planning, family transitions, or agreement changes) For example, if one borrower is keeping the home after a divorce, they may refinance into a new loan in their name only. This can help create a clear financial separation and ensure the mortgage aligns with the new ownership structure. This is the kind of refinance that benefits from a guided review, because the right path for you depends on your credit, income, equity, and the timing of the ownership change. Refinance options you may hear about Depending on your current loan type and your goals, your refinance might fall into one of these categories. Follow the links below to learn more about each type of refinance, the qualification requirements, and more. Rate-and-term refinance: Change your rate and/or term (often to lower payment or adjust loan structure) Cash-out refinance: Access a portion of your equity in cash VA IRRRL (Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan): A streamlined option for eligible VA homeowners looking to refinance an existing VA loan FHA Streamline Refinance: A streamlined option for eligible FHA homeowners refinancing an existing FHA loan Not every option fits every homeowner, but most homeowners do have at least one path worth exploring. If you want to see what your options look like and get an expert’s opinion on the best path forward, fill out this form to connect with a UMortgage Loan Originator near you. If the time isn’t right for you right now, they’ll set a strike rate and make sure you’re ready to act fast when rates dip below a certain level. FAQs: Common refinance questions homeowners ask Does refinancing only make sense if rates are lower than my current rate? Not always. Lowering your rate is common, but refinancing can also be about removing PMI, changing your term, consolidating debt, accessing equity, or handling a life change. How do I know if refinancing is “worth it”? A simple way to think about it is: what problem does this solve, and how much does it cost to solve it? A refinance review should include a clear breakdown of the monthly payment difference, the costs involved, and how long it takes to break even (if applicable). Will refinancing reset my loan back to 30 years? It can, but it doesn’t have to. You can choose different term lengths depending on your goals (and, in many cases, structure it so you’re not “starting over” in a way that doesn’t serve you). What credit score do I need to refinance? It depends on the loan type and your overall profile. The best way to find out is to have a UMortgage Loan Originator pull some loan scenarios, because credit is only one piece of the picture. Is a cash-out refinance the same as a HELOC? No. A cash-out refinance replaces your mortgage with a new loan. A HELOC is a separate line of credit that sits alongside your existing mortgage. One isn’t better than the other, but there are situations where one would make more sense than the other. How long does a refinance take? Timing varies based on the type of refinance you want, the property you’re refinancing, required documentation, and more. If refinancing could improve your financial picture, it’s worth at least reviewing your options. Ready to see your options? Click here to get started.

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Housing Market Update | Week of January 12th

I hope you had a nice weekend! Last week brought a whirlwind of headlines that pushed mortgage rates around, and the biggest move wasn’t sparked by jobs data. The sharp swing came after President Trump publicly instructed GSEs, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to move forward with up to $200B in MBS purchases. Markets reacted immediately, bidding up mortgage bonds and sending rates lower. Friday’s BLS jobs report slowed that drop. Payroll growth came in below expectations for December, and prior months were revised lower, but a lower number of eligible employees caused the unemployment rate to drop to 4.4%. This week, the big market movers are inflation-related, with CPI on Tuesday and PPI on Wednesday. We’ll also be watching two headline-driven storylines that can move bonds quickly: details on MBS purchases and the DOJ's investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Last Week's Mortgage Rate Recap Rates Dropped Amid Volatility Mortgage rates moved lower last week, but the catalyst was headline-driven instead of data-driven. Late Thursday, the market reacted to the Trump administration's guidance for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy upwards of $200 billion in Mortgage Bonds over the next 10 months. Traders bought mortgage bonds on the expectation that added demand would support MBS prices, which typically translates into better rate sheets. That improvement was tempered after Friday’s jobs data. The BLS reported +50,000 jobs in December, with October revised down to -173,000 and November revised down to +56,000 (a combined -76,000 revision). Ultimately, rates ended the week improved from the highs, but the rally cooled once the market had to digest real data after the initial headline surge. This Week's Mortgage Rate Forecast Rates Could Be Volatile This week is inflation week. We have our CPI report coming on Tuesday morning and PPI coming on Wednesday. If inflation prints cooler than expected, we could see bonds catch another bid and rates improve. If inflation surprises to the upside, we could see rates rise slightly. In addition to the data, keep an eye on headlines related to MBS-buying and the investigation into Jerome Powell. Markets will be looking for clarity on how the MBS buying program is executed (pace, mechanics, follow-through), because that can directly influence MBS demand and spreads. And the developing situation with the Department of Justice and Jerome Powell has the potential to move the broader rate market via risk sentiment and Fed policy expectations, even if nothing changes with expectations for Fed rate cuts early this year. For an expert overview of the situation surrounding MBS-buying and the investigation into Fed Chair Powell, watch today's Monday Market Update. And for real-time housing market insight or answers to any mortgage-related questions you have, click here to connect with a UMortgage Loan Originator near you!

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2026 Mortgage Rate Forecast and Housing Market Predictions

Trying to predict the housing market is like trying to guess the weather. But understanding how mortgage rates react to other markets and, sometimes more importantly, other market sentiment can make it easy to navigate the market and time rate dips to your advantage. This was especially true for the market in 2025. Rates gradually declined throughout the year, but there were specific windows when informed buyers and homeowners took advantage of rates at or near annual lows. It’s likely to be true for the 2026 housing market as well, which is shaping up to be normalized and opportunity-driven rather than one that crashes or booms. Federal Reserve Policy and Mortgage Rates Why the market moves and why mortgage rates can feel jumpy at times One of the biggest misconceptions regarding the housing market is that mortgage interest rates only move when the Federal Reserve cuts or hikes the fed funds rate. In reality, mortgage rates move in a slow dance with other markets, especially the 10-year Treasury yield, and those markets react more to expected Fed policy than they do to actual Fed action. That’s exactly what we saw in 2025. Before the September and October Fed Meetings (which featured our first two federal funds rate cuts of the year), mortgage rates improved in the weeks leading up to those meetings, then became choppy or even moved higher after the decisions were announced. The two drivers that matter most for Fed policy and the expectations that move rates are inflation and the labor market. Inflation has risen slowly this year, but the Fed believes this is likely due to a one-time price adjustment resulting from President Trump's tariff policies. On the other side, the labor market has been a primary concern for the Fed. Its slow deterioration this year was cited as the primary reason behind each of 2025's three fed funds rate cuts. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November, the highest level since September 2021 and 0.6% since the start of the year. Monthly nonfarm payroll reports from the BLS also posted negative month-over-month growth three times in 2025, a first since 2020, with the December jobs numbers still to come and the October & November reports likely to be revised. In the Fed’s December 2025 press conference, Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged the weakness in the labor market, saying, “the labor market has continued to cool gradually, maybe just a touch more gradually than we thought,” in relation to rising unemployment and negative data from the BLS. Regarding the job market in 2026, he said there are several downside risks to the economy if these trends continue, which means forecasts today can change with the data we receive tomorrow. For weekly updates on the jobs data and how it impacts mortgage rates throughout 2026, make sure to watch UMortgage’s Monday Market Update every week at 10:30am ET. Will Mortgage Rates Go Down in 2026? The economic data and headlines that could make rates move this year So, understanding the internal and external factors that drive the markets, how are mortgage rates expected to move in 2026? Judging by the Fed’s dot plot, which is a chart where each “dot” represents an individual Fed policymaker’s projection for where rates could go, we should see overall stability with the potential for slight easing. A realistic working range is between 5.75% and 6.5% throughout the year, with relief appearing in waves rather than in a straight line. Those waves will provide windows to refinance to a lower monthly payment, get buyers off the sidelines, and slowly ease the lock-in effect. The biggest variable that can either drive or change these expectations is the Fed’s dual mandate: low inflation and a healthy job market. If the labor market continues to deteriorate, meaning unemployment rises and job growth slows faster, markets may start to price in more cuts. That can push rates down faster, but also create uncertainty for buyers who would rather take a “wait and see approach.” On inflation, if the one-time impact of tariffs fades as the Fed expects, or if tariff policy is rolled back/removed through political or legal channels, inflation should begin to cool, giving the Fed more room to ease. The final factor to watch in 2026 is the Fed itself. The voting composition will rotate in January, with four Fed policymakers assuming responsibilities from their colleagues. A new Fed Chair will lead the post-meeting press conferences starting in May as well; President Trump’s nominee is expected to be announced in January 2026. When markets expect new decision-makers to lean hawkish or dovish, expectations can shift, and mortgage rates can follow suit. So once again, this market will favor those who keep their finger on the pulse. Is 2026 a Good Time to Buy a Home? How a more stable market impacts inventory, home prices, and housing demand More stability with mortgage rates should get more homebuyers off the sidelines. Even if rates aren’t ‘low,’ stability brings confidence back to both sides of the transaction and helps people feel comfortable making big moves again. That’s the secret to unlocking the housing market. One of the most positive housing stories of 2025 was the rise in housing inventory. We saw 5-year highs for active single-family housing inventory, and during the market’s peak in the summer, inventory ran about 33% higher year-over-year. More inventory means a more balanced market, which is better for everyone involved. This should lead to fewer panic offers, more negotiation, and cleaner deals where buyers and sellers can actually meet in the middle. As affordability improves even modestly (especially if rates dip below 6% at points), more buyers will be able to get involved in the market. This is also where “move-up” buyers come back into play. When the payment math gets easier, those life-driven moves start to become more common. On home prices, the FHFA’s home price index showed year-over-year price growth at 2.2% nationally in Q3 2025. That slow-and-steady pace of growth is projected to continue, with Fannie Mae’s Home Price Expectations Survey suggesting around 2.8% growth in 2026. Just like in 2025, 2026 looks like a market that will favor the pros who can explain the market clearly and help clients act when it makes sense. If you want to stay plugged in as these trends develop, tune in to UMortgage’s Monday Market Update every week at 10:30am ET. We’ll break down the news and data that drive rates and help you sound like the expert your clients are looking for.

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