About Bryan Dornan

Bryan Dornan is a financial journalist and mortgage industry veteran with nearly 30 years of experience as a lender, loan officer, mortgage broker, and chief marketing officer. He currently serves as Chief Editor of RefiGuide.org, where he has built one of the most trusted mortgage education platforms in the United States. Bryan has founded multiple mortgage and digital marketing companies throughout his career and remains focused on helping homeowners leverage home equity wisely while making affordable homeownership accessible to everyday Americans. He is a licensed California Real Estate Broker DRE: #01203791. and 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 in 2026 will choose between a conventional loan and an FHA-insured mortgage. If your credit sits in the mid-600s or higher, both are realistically available — conventional allows 3% down and FHA allows 3.5% — so the decision turns on factors beyond the down payment. Rate is the smallest of them. FHA… Read More »

How Retired Borrowers Qualify for a Home Loan without a Job

It is not unusual for retirees wanting to move after they stop working and buy a home. They think that once they actually stop working they will be unable to get a mortgage. This is not always true. If you meet the home loan requirements, you can get a mortgage when you retire. There are… 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 »

Best Mobile Apps to Get the Best Home Loans

Home buyers are always told they should do plenty of shopping for a home loan. In fact, the federal loan estimate closing document that was introduced last year that supplanted the Good Faith Estimate document of years past was created to encourage home buyers to shop for loans before the signed the dotted line and… Read More »

Why Credit Scores Play a Key Role in Mortgage Qualification

Perhaps by now you have heard about the Equifax security breach, but you don’t know exactly what happened. We want to make sure that you are informed about what the Equifax data breach entailed so that you are armed with plenty of information to protect yourself and your credit. As you surely know, it is… Read More »

Driving a Tesla Good for Your House and Environment

All electric cars are the new hot thing. According to the Motley Fool, all electric vehicle sales will increase from 2.4 million to 6 million between 2015 and 2024. And that is just the start. By 2040, it is estimated that EV sales will be 35% of all vehicle sales, which is a huge increase… Read More »