About Bryan Dornan

Bryan Dornan is a financial journalist and currently serves as Chief Editor of RefiGuide.org. Bryan has founded several mortgage and marketing companies and has worked as a loan officer and mortgage broker in the industry for nearly 30 years and has a wealth of experience in providing mortgage clients with the highest level of service in the industry. Bryan's continual focus is to educate homeowners how to leverage home equity while also promoting affordable home-ownership to consumers like you across the United States. He also writes for RealtyTimes, Patch, Buzzfeed, Medium and other national publications. Find him on Twitter, Muckrack, and Linkedin

5 Questions Every Renter Should Ask Before Buying a House

There are many reasons to buy your own home and stop renting. But there are many factors to consider before deciding to make the plunge into home ownership. It worth considering this question carefully; one of the reasons for the last financial downturn was too many people had mortgage they could not afford. When millions… Read More »

How is Mortgage Potential Calculated?

Most people wanting to buy a home with a mortgage usually have two major concerns: How much will the interest rate be, and can I afford the monthly payments? There are many good online mortgage calculators that can assist you in making these important financial calculations when you are deciding to buy a home. There… Read More »

Conventional Loans vs FHA Mortgages

Most home buyers will choose either a conventional loan or an FHA insured mortgage in 2023. If you have decent credit in the mid-600’s or higher, you may be considering either an FHA or conventional loan. Both programs have loans available with 3% to 3.5% down payments, so which is the best option? It depends… Read More »

First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Guide 2026

How Much Is the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit? As of March 2026, there is no active federal first-time home buyer tax credit, despite ongoing legislative proposals in Congress seeking to reinstate similar benefits. The original $8,000 first-time homebuyer credit expired in 2010, and while multiple bills have been introduced—including the First-Time Homebuyer Tax… Read More »

What Loan Documents Are Required to Get a Pre-Approval for FHA?

Do you want to learn what the loan requirements are to buy a home with a FHA mortgage in this year? The 2024 FHA loan requirements remain attractive to renters because the credit standards are not prejudice and the down-payment rules are very reasonable. Getting a FHA loan pre approval is the first step for… Read More »

Fannie Mae Mortgage Down-Payment Requirements

Fannie Mae mortgage loans are appealing for home buyers purchasing a house with a conventional loan because of the reasonable down payment requirements, competitive mortgage rates and stellar reputation in 2026. Below is more information about Fannie Mae guidelines that explain what the minimum down-payment rules will be for most borrowers qualifying for a Fannie… Read More »

Should I Wait for Rates to Drop or Refinance Now?

It is 2020 and interest rates are holding steady near record lows. Is it a good time to refinance your mortgage or should you wait for rates to drop? Well, interest rates for mortgage refinancing are a bit higher than a year ago, but they are still very low. Below is more information about whether… Read More »