The only true rational and quantifiable piece of the home-buying process is financial. History of the Interest Rate Fifty years ago, the only real variable in mainstream mortgages was the interest rate. At that time, all loans were for 30 years, and second mortgages, which are commonplace today, were considered questionable by both sides. Money was truly a commodity, sold by price alone — like cotton or pig iron (crude iron). The Scaling of Rates As time has made us more soph