Calculator / Guides
Mortgage & Loan Guides
Plain-English guides to every major loan program, plus the interactive calculator that ties them together. Learn the differences, then run your own numbers.
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Conventional loans
A conventional loan is not backed by a government program. With 20% down you avoid monthly private mortgage insurance. With less down you pay PMI, which drops off automatically as you pay the balance down near 78% of the home value. Strong credit earns the best pricing.
Jumbo loans
When the loan amount is above the conforming limit (about $832,750 for one unit in 2026), it becomes a jumbo loan. Jumbo loans have no monthly mortgage insurance but ask for stronger credit, more reserves, and often a larger down payment.
Which one fits you?
The fastest way to see is the calculator. It reads your down payment, credit, location, and military status, then ranks the loan types that fit and shows the cost of each side by side. It is educational only. A licensed loan officer confirms what you actually qualify for.
Learn each loan type in depth
Guides from Winslow Homes Publishing on Amazon:
Before you compare offers
Most of the money in a mortgage is decided before you pick a lender. These cover the decisions that move the payment most.
Situation guides
Waiting periods, occupancy rules, and cash requirements change what you qualify for.
Guides by Winslow Homes Publishing on Amazon.
Important disclosures. LoanFitCalc is a free educational tool that provides estimates only. It is not a loan, a loan approval, a commitment to lend, a rate lock, or an offer to make a loan, and it does not provide financial, legal, or tax advice or recommend a specific loan for you. Mortgage insurance rates, funding and guarantee fees, loan limits, taxes, and insurance figures are typical published values used for estimation and are subject to change. Program eligibility rules are summarized and simplified. Actual terms depend on your full application, credit, property, and lender underwriting. Consult a licensed mortgage loan originator before making any decision. LoanFitCalc is an independent educational website and is not a lender. ⌂ Equal Housing Opportunity
