Clarity Engine Flow

March 30, 2026 — Week 3 Prototype

How we got here

Started from Product Memo v3, UI Layering diagram (Figma 207-5985), and Collaborative Sensemaking Loop (207-5134).

Phase 1: Mapped every screen and transition from the memo into a flow diagram.

Phase 2: Designed scenario cards. Tested 3 versions. Landed on Christopher's 5-section template with confidence tags.

Phase 3: Found the contradiction: Explore was a conversation AND the drawer was a conversation. Two surfaces doing the same job.

Phase 4: Collapsed into one drawer. Screens are behind it. Drawer slides to reveal/hide them.

Phase 5: Progressive revelation. No nav at start. Clarity tab appears after first dot. Scenarios tab after Magic Moment.

Phase 6: Dot animations bridge drawer and clarity. Dots fly down when clarity reveals, fly back up when it hides.

Current architecture
Scenario cards
Dot system
Key decisions
Not built yet
Sources
Explore
Save / Create Account
Settings
About PreFi
Tell me what's on your mind
Refinance, made easier
Enter your address for personalized numbers
I want a lower payment
Should I refinance at all?
How much cash can I access?
I'm just exploring
◉
Not enough signal yet
Keep chatting. Once I understand your priorities, constraints, and what matters most, I'll show you directions that fit.
A simpler way to look at this
Based on what you've shared, three directions stand out
Lower payment
About $420 less each month
Cash out
About $335k available
Pay off faster
Higher payment, less debt
Compare these
Keep it simple
You have two strong paths worth comparing
Based on: lower payment, ~8yr stay, $2k max edit
What you told us
Rate 6.5%. Equity ~$200k. Staying 5-10 years. Want lower monthly pressure. Open to $40-50k cash-out.
What we're assuming
high Payment relief is the top priority
medium Cash access is secondary
medium Payment tolerance ~$2,000/mo
Tap any item to edit it right here.
Your options at a glance
Breathing Room
Lower monthly pressure
You said payment relief matters most. This extends your term to bring the monthly down, without touching your equity.
Payment
$1,420/mo
-$420 from today
Rate
5.25%
Cash out
$0
Breakeven
18 mo
Adjust
Payment tolerance
$1,200$2,000
Not this one
Unlock
Access cash from equity
Cash access seems important, but your payment tolerance may be tighter than first assumed.
Payment
$1,988/mo
+$148 from today
Rate
5.875%
Cash out
$335k
Breakeven
24 mo
Adjust
Cash-out amount
$0$335k
Not this one
Fast Track
Pay off sooner
You haven't ruled out a higher payment if it means getting out faster.
Term
15 yr fixed
vs 30 yr today
Total interest
$142k
saves $99k
Payment
$2,450/mo
+$610 from today
Rate
5.0%
Adjust
Loan term
10 yr20 yr
Not this one
The trade-offs
Breathing Room gives you the most relief now, but you pay more total interest.
Unlock gets you cash, but your monthly goes up and fees are higher.
Fast Track costs more each month but saves the most long-term.
To narrow further
How much monthly increase could you handle if it meant accessing cash or paying off faster?
I really can't go above what I pay now
$200-300 more is fine
I'd stretch for the right reason
Breathing Room
Lower monthly pressure
You said payment relief matters most. This extends your term to bring the monthly down, without touching your equity. Based on staying ~8 years, the breakeven makes sense.
Key numbers
Payment
$1,420/mo
-$420 from today
Rate
5.25%
Cash out
$0
Breakeven
18 mo
More details
Term
30 yr fixed
Total interest
$241k
New loan amount
$380k
Closing costs
~$6,200
LTV
67%
Loan type
Conventional
Why this path?
Facts
Your current rate (6.5%) is above today's available rates. With ~$200k equity, there's room to refinance without touching equity.
Inferred priorities
Monthly pressure reduction is the top signal. Cash access is secondary.
Assumptions
Payment tolerance around $2,000/mo. Staying 5-10 years means breakeven under 24 months matters.
Uncertainty
ARM comfort unknown. Actual equity depends on appraisal.
Fees and breakeven
Estimated closing costs$6,200
Monthly savings$420
Breakeven point~15 months
Time in home~8 years
You'd recover the closing costs in about 15 months. With 8 years remaining, that leaves ~6.5 years of net savings, roughly $32,760 total.
The Unlock
Access cash from your equity
Cash access seems important, but payment tolerance may be tighter than first assumed. This pulls equity while keeping the term reasonable.
Payment
$1,988/mo
+$148 from today
Rate
5.875%
Cash out
$335k
Breakeven
24 mo
Term
30 yr fixed
Total interest
$312k
Why this path?
Cash access seems important based on the kitchen renovation. With $200k equity, pulling $335k requires a significant increase in your loan balance, which pushes the payment up. The system chose this configuration because it maximizes cash while staying within a 30-year fixed term.
Fees and breakeven
Estimated closing costs$11,200
Breakeven point~24 months
Higher closing costs because of the cash-out. Your monthly goes up $148, so breakeven takes longer. With 5-10 years in the home, it still works, but it's tighter than Breathing Room.
Breathing Room vs Unlock
Breathing Room
Unlock
Payment
$1,420
$1,988
Cash out
$0
$335k
Total interest
lower long-term
higher
Breakeven
18 mo
24 mo
One lowers pressure now. The other unlocks liquidity. The question is whether cash access is worth ~$568/mo more.
Welcome back. Last time, you were leaning toward lower monthly pressure and had saved two paths.
Where you left off
Breathing Room and Modest Unlock saved. Still figuring out how much payment increase is acceptable.
Anything change since last time?
No, pick up where I left off
Actually, rates dropped. Let me re-explore.
Let me check what you have on me
○
Nothing here yet. Start a conversation and I'll build your clarity report as we go.
×
Tune payment tolerance

Adjusting this will reshape which paths the system surfaces.

$1,200$3,500
Comfortable max: $2,000/mo
×
Why this path?
Facts
Your current rate (6.5%) is above today's available rates. With ~$420k equity, cash-out is possible.
Inferred priorities
Monthly pressure reduction is the top signal
Cash access is a secondary interest, not the driver
Assumptions
You can tolerate up to ~$2,000/mo
Staying 8 years means breakeven under 24 months matters
Uncertainty
We don't know your comfort with ARM rates
Actual equity depends on appraisal
×
Pick two to compare
×
A simpler way to think about it
Forget the numbers for a second.
Breathing Room
Like trading in your car for one with lower monthly payments. You'll pay a bit more over time, but right now you get to breathe. Good if the monthly pressure is what keeps you up at night.
Modest Unlock
Like pulling some cash from a savings account you forgot you had. Your home has built up value. This lets you use some of it now, for whatever matters most, without dramatically changing your monthly life.
Fast Track
Like overpaying your credit card each month. It hurts now, but you're debt-free years earlier and save a lot on interest. Good if you can handle the short-term squeeze.
The real question: what matters more to you right now? Relief, flexibility, or speed?
×
Fees and breakeven
Estimated closing costs$6,200
Monthly savings$420
Breakeven point~15 months
Time in home~8 years
You'd recover the closing costs in about 15 months. With 8 years remaining, that leaves ~6.5 years of net savings, roughly $32,760 total.

Developer Console

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Clarity Engine Flow

  
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