Self-employed and buying a house in Tennessee? Lenders use net income after write-offs, not revenue. Here is what they want and what to do if returns fall short.

Down payment gift funds in Tennessee can cover 100% on a primary residence. Here are the donor rules, gift letter requirements, and the 2026 IRS limits.

Your first tax bill on a new build in Wilson County is often based on the lot alone. Tennessee values property on January 1, so the full house usually hits in year two, along with an escrow shortage. Here is how the math works and how to budget for the real payment before you close.

A price cut and a seller concession solve two different problems. Cutting the price brings new buyers through the door. A concession closes the buyer who already toured the house. Roughly $10,000 off the price saves about $60 a month. The same $10,000 on a 2-1 buydown can move the payment $400 or more.

Rates hit 7.03%. How a mortgage rate lock in Tennessee protects your payment, what an extension costs, and why your leverage with sellers just improved.

Builder incentives in Middle Tennessee are the most aggressive they have been in years, and nearly all come with a string attached to the lender. Under RESPA a builder cannot require you to use theirs, but they can tie the credit to it. Here is how to compare the two offers on total cost instead of interest rate.

In the Nashville metro, buyers have more leverage right now than at almost any point since 2019. The metro is sitting near 6.83 months of supply, up from about 3.35 a year ago. In Wilson County, homes are now taking around 73 days to sell, up from 57 last year. The same market that's frustrating you with mid-6% rates is handing you negotiating power that disappears in a low-rate frenzy.

If you bought a Nashville-area home in 2023 or 2024 with a rate above 7%, it's worth running the numbers. Rates in 2026 have settled into the mid-6% range, and refinancing could shave $200 to $450 off your monthly payment on a typical loan. The deciding factor is your break-even point: divide your closing costs (about $3,000 to $5,000) by your monthly savings, and if you plan to stay in the home past that many months, refinancing likely pays off. By Khristian Schlemmer | July

Less than you think. The 20% down payment is a myth conventional loans start at 3% down, FHA at 3.5%, and VA and USDA loans can be zero down. But your down payment isn't the whole picture. Your true cash-to-close also includes closing costs (about 2% to 5% of the price), prepaid escrow for taxes and insurance, and sometimes cash reserves. On a $400,000 Tennessee home with 3% down, that often totals somewhere around $20,000 to $26,000 and down payment assistance can shrink tha

Because a fixed rate only locks your principal and interest not your taxes and insurance. Your lender collects those in an escrow account, re-analyzes it once a year, and after Wilson County's 2026 reappraisal raised assessed values and Tennessee insurance premiums climbed 6–15%, many escrow accounts came up short. To catch up and cover the higher bills going forward, your servicer raised your monthly payment. It's one of the most common questions Lebanon and Mt. Juliet homeo

What changes for condo loans on August 3, 2026? For conventional loan applications dated on or after August 3, 2026, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are retiring the streamlined "Limited Review" for condos. Every condo loan in a project with more than 10 units will require a Full Review of the building itself budget, reserves, insurance, delinquency rates, litigation, and special assessments no matter how large your down payment or how strong your credit. Buildings that fail becom

Can you really take over a seller's 3% mortgage in Tennessee? Yes — if the seller has a government-backed loan. FHA, VA, and USDA mortgages are assumable, meaning a qualified buyer can take over the seller's existing rate, balance, and remaining term instead of getting a new loan at today's 6.4%+ rates. More than 1,100 Tennessee homes currently have assumable loans, some with rates as low as 3%. The catch: you must qualify with the loan's servicer, cover the seller's equity i

What are the benefits of a VA loan for Tennessee veterans buying a home in 2026? Tennessee veterans using a VA loan can purchase a home in Lebanon, Nashville, or anywhere in the Greater Nashville metro with zero down payment, no private mortgage insurance, and — for veterans receiving any level of VA disability compensation — zero VA funding fee. Tennessee also offers the THDA Great Choice for Heroes program, which reduces your mortgage rate by 0.5%, and starting July 1, 2026

What Should Tennessee Buyers Avoid Between Pre-Approval and Closing? Between pre-approval and closing day, your lender will re-verify your employment, run a final soft credit pull, and review your finances one more time before funding the loan. Opening new credit, buying a car, changing jobs, making large unexplained deposits, or co-signing a loan can all trigger a denial — even after you've received a conditional approval. In Tennessee, a last-minute denial can put your earn

What happens if your mortgage is denied after going under contract in Tennessee? If your mortgage is denied after going under contract in Tennessee, your financing contingency protects you — provided you follow the specific notice and deadline requirements in your contract. Under the standard Tennessee Realtors RF401 Purchase and Sale Agreement, you must apply for your loan within 3 days of the Binding Agreement Date. If the loan is denied and your contingency is still active