podcast, our Data Reports, the "A Tale of Two Mortgages" webcomic, and LodeStar Report Newsletter.
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Data Reports
2025 Purchase Mortgage Closing Cost Data Report
The national average total closing costs for a purchase mortgage transaction were $4,661. This amount consists of a national average of 1.06% of the home sales price.
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Full Disclosure
Vibe Check Before the Holidays
Here’s one last mortgage industry vibe check before the holidays. With just three and a half short weeks before break, Jim and Alayna give their take on the state of the mortgage industry.
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Loan Estimate Challenges
Alaska’s Biggest LE Challenges
Easily the nation’s largest state at 663,300 square miles, Alaska is larger than the next three largest states (Texas, California and Montana) combined. That also means that the statewide recording fees, which are uniform, cover the largest array of land in the country.
Loan Estimate Challenges
Rhode Island’s Biggest LE Challenges
Throughout the state of Rhode Island, recording fees are scaled by the size (length in page count) of each security instrument (mortgage), conveyance instrument (deed), or other recordable sent to the county for recordation.
A Tale of Two Mortgages
“Bad Thoughts”
Horace shares his strategy for keeping bad thoughts at bay during a long weekend.
Loan Estimate Challenges
Oregon’s Biggest LE Challenges
Oregon is one of only a few states in which the title insurance rate is promulgated, meaning all title insurers are required to charge the premium rates set by the state or agency overseeing the regulated rates, and no discounting or variation from the promulgated rates is permitted.