By Allison Hammons - September 01, 2026
You’ve talked with a lender, gone through your finances, and now you have your preapproval. Let’s say it’s $450,000. So naturally, you start looking at homes. You find one listed at $425,000 and another at $440,000. Both are within your budget. You like both of them. But if I asked you which one would give you the lower monthly payment, what would you say? The $425,000 home? Maybe. But before you