About OwnMG
Clear mortgage guidance, written for the person signing.
OwnMG, short for the Own Mortgage Guide, is an independent educational publication about home loans in the United States.
Our mission
Help people understand a mortgage before they sign one.
A mortgage is usually the largest debt a household ever takes on, yet most of the paperwork arrives in a vocabulary few people use anywhere else.
We think you should be able to read your own Loan Estimate, know what a rate lock or an escrow shortage means, and recognize a trade-off when one is presented to you. Our guides are written to make that possible, in plain English and in the order the questions tend to come up.
We are not here to steer you toward a product. OwnMG does not make loans, take applications, compare live rates or recommend specific lenders. That independence lets us focus entirely on explanation.
What we cover
The core of the mortgage process, one topic at a time.
Our library focuses on the essentials of borrowing to buy or keep a home:
- How a mortgage is structured and how the process unfolds, from budget to closing
- Fixed-rate and adjustable-rate loans, and how to read ARM caps
- Interest rates, APR, discount points and how to compare offers
- Conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans and how they differ
- Escrow accounts, PITI and why payments change
- Refinancing and how to judge whether it can make sense
We do not provide advice about your individual situation, review personal documents, or connect readers with lenders, insurers or brokers.
Editorial standards
How every guide is written
These standards apply to everything we publish, both before a guide goes live and every time it is reviewed.
We start from primary sources
Our explanations are built from federal statutes and regulations, publications from the agencies that administer them, and the standard disclosure forms lenders are required to use. Where a rule has exceptions, we say so rather than simplify it into something inaccurate.
We write in plain English
Technical terms are defined the first time they appear. We prefer short sentences, concrete examples and headings that tell you what a section answers.
We label every example
Worked examples use round, hypothetical figures, and we say so each time. They exist to show how the arithmetic works. They are not quotes, forecasts or a description of what any lender will offer you.
We make no promises
We never tell readers they will qualify for a loan, receive a particular rate or save a particular amount. Outcomes depend on your circumstances and on decisions made by lenders and agencies, not by us.
We link only to official sources
When we point you elsewhere, it is to the public websites of government agencies and official bodies, so you can confirm current rules for yourself.
Keeping guides current
How our content is reviewed
Mortgage rules, loan limits and fees change. A guide that was accurate last year can quietly become wrong, so review is part of how we publish, not an afterthought.
- 01
Before publishing
Each guide is checked against the underlying rules and forms, and every example is recalculated.
- 02
Scheduled reviews
Guides are revisited on a regular schedule, and the last-reviewed date at the top of each guide is updated when that review is complete.
- 03
When rules change
When a regulation, standard form or program requirement we describe changes, the affected guides are reviewed and revised.
- 04
Corrections
If you find an error, tell us at info@ownmg.com. We review every report and correct confirmed mistakes promptly.
Independence
What OwnMG is, and is not
OwnMG publishes general educational information. It is not financial, legal or insurance advice, and OwnMG is not a lender, insurer, broker or government agency. We are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any government agency or any company mentioned in our guides. Naming an agency, program or type of loan is never a recommendation.
For decisions about your own situation, speak with a qualified professional, such as a HUD-approved housing counselor, an attorney or a licensed loan officer, and confirm current requirements with the lender or agency involved.
How to reach us
We welcome questions about our guides, suggestions for new topics and reports of anything that looks out of date. Write to info@ownmg.com or use our contact form.