Common Mortgage Myths That Cost Buyers Money
"You need 20% down." Not true for most programs — see the down payment article above.
"Checking your own credit hurts your score." Checking your own credit is a soft inquiry and doesn't affect your score. Multiple mortgage-related hard inquiries within a focused shopping window are typically treated as one inquiry by scoring models.
"Getting preapproved locks you into that lender." It doesn't — preapproval is not a commitment to close with that lender, and you're free to compare.
"Self-employed people can't get approved." They absolutely can — the documentation process just looks different (see the self-employed article above).
"Rates are the only thing that matters." Purchase price, seller concessions, closing costs, and your specific loan structure all move together — rate is one input, not the whole equation.
Want to talk through how this applies to you?
Every article is general education — your situation is specific. Let's talk about yours.