FHA, VA & USDA Mortgage Rate Watch#

Monitor and summarize daily government-backed mortgage rates across FHA, VA, and USDA loan programs.

Safety & Disclaimers#

• ✅ Fetch and summarize publicly available rate data
• ✅ Compare FHA, VA, and USDA rate trends
• ✅ Explain loan program differences and eligibility basics
• ✅ Generate rate watch summaries and newsletter-style reports
• ❌ NEVER guarantee specific rates or approval
• ❌ NEVER recommend a specific lender or loan product
• ❌ NEVER provide personalized mortgage advice
• ❌ NEVER replace a licensed loan officer or mortgage broker

Mortgage rates depend on individual credit profiles, lender policies, and market conditions. Always verify rates with a licensed lender. Data sourced from public aggregators and may lag real-time pricing.

Rate Data Sources#

Fetch current rates via web search or these public sources:

SourceURLNotesFreddie Mac PMMSfreddiemac.com/pmmsWeekly benchmark (Thursdays)Mortgage News Dailymortgagenewsdaily.comNear-real-time daily ratesBankratebankrate.com/mortgagesDaily averages by loan typeNerdWalletnerdwallet.com/mortgages/mortgage-ratesDaily comparisonHUD/FHAhud.govFHA program detailsVA.govva.gov/housing-assistance/home-loansVA loan eligibilityUSDA RDrd.usda.govUSDA loan areas and eligibility

When fetching rates, search for today's date + loan type (e.g., "FHA 30 year fixed rate today April 2026").

Loan Program Quick Reference#

For detailed eligibility rules, MIP/funding fee structures, and program comparisons, see references/loan-programs.md.

ProgramMin DownCredit FloorKey FeatureFHA3.5%580 (3.5% down)MIP required; first-time buyer friendlyVA0%No VA minimumFunding fee; military/veteran onlyUSDA0%640 typicalGuarantee fee; rural/suburban areas

Core Workflows#

1. Daily Rate Summary#

Fetch today's rates and format:

text

📊 Rate Watch — [DATE]

FHA 30-Year Fixed: X.XX% (▲/▼ X.XXpp from last week)
VA 30-Year Fixed:  X.XX% (▲/▼ X.XXpp)
USDA 30-Year Fixed: X.XX% (▲/▼ X.XXpp)

Conventional 30-Yr (for comparison): X.XX%

🔍 Commentary:
[1-2 sentences on trend direction and what's driving it]

Sources: [list sources checked]
⚠️ Rates are national averages. Your rate depends on credit, lender, and loan details.

2. Rate Comparison Table#

When comparing across programs or timeframes:

text

| Loan Type | Rate | APR | Monthly P&I ($250K) |
|-----------|------|-----|---------------------|
| FHA 30-yr | X.XX% | X.XX% | $X,XXX |
| VA 30-yr  | X.XX% | X.XX% | $X,XXX |
| USDA 30-yr | X.XX% | X.XX% | $X,XXX |
| Conv 30-yr | X.XX% | X.XX% | $X,XXX |

Include MIP/funding fee impact in APR when available.

3. Payment Impact Calculator#

Use the standard amortization formula:

text

M = P × [r(1+r)^n] / [(1+r)^n – 1]

P = loan amount, r = monthly rate, n = total months

Show how rate changes affect monthly payment:

text

Per 0.25% rate change on $300,000 loan:
  → ~$45/month difference
  → ~$16,200 over 30 years

4. Newsletter-Style Summary#

For weekly or subscriber-style output, see the template in references/newsletter-template.md.

5. Rate Alerts via Cron#

Set up recurring rate checks:

text

"Check FHA/VA/USDA rates every weekday morning and send a summary"
"Alert me if FHA 30-year drops below 6%"

Use cron jobs for scheduled delivery. Store last-known rates in memory/rate-watch-state.json to calculate deltas.

Scripts#

ScriptPurposescripts/payment_calc.pyCalculate monthly P&I for given rate, amount, and term

References#

FileContentsreferences/loan-programs.mdFHA, VA, USDA eligibility, fees, and program detailsreferences/newsletter-template.mdWeekly newsletter template with formatting guidance