If you’re like millions of other taxpayers, you’ll receive a tax refund at tax time. A refund makes doing your taxes more fun, right? But once you receive the refund, what do you do with it? A spending spree sounds fun, as does taking a dream vacation, but what if you...
Recessions and Real Estate
The media has been sounding the alarms on a potential recession this year, which has many questioning if it’s a good time to purchase a home. When people hear about recessions, most remember the sharp decline in home prices during the housing bubble and 2009...
Fannie Mae HomeStyle Loan – What is it and How Does it Work?
Have you ever wanted to buy a fixer-upper that had great potential but was in terrible shape? Were you forced to pass it up because you didn’t have the cash to fix it up, and most mortgage programs wouldn’t approve a home in its current condition? Perhaps, you’ve...
How ARMs work
An adjustable-rate mortgage has an interest rate that can change at predetermined intervals. These adjustable-rate mortgage products can vary in several ways including the amount the rate can increase or decrease at each adjustment, the frequency of rate adjustments,...
How much have rents gone up this year?
According to Apartment List’s National Rent Report, rental prices went up $300 per month in 2021. And sources like MBS Highway expect this trend to continue in 2022, albeit at a slightly slower pace. If you’re currently renting or are considering renting, while you...
Is it too late to buy a home?
2021 was a banner year for housing, fueled by record-low interest rates, strong demand, and a low supply of homes. You may be wondering if you are late to the party, or if it’s still a good time to purchase. Experts expect demand to increase over the next several...
Put Your Home Equity to Work for You
Just about all measures suggest that home values have appreciated by a great deal. Estimates are for gains of 20 to 30 percent in home equity. That's a lot of wealth that could be used to consolidate debt. Proper use of debt consolidation could cut many years off the...
Why Should you Consider Refinancing?
Why Should you Consider Refinancing? It seems like everyone today is refinancing and who could blame them? Interest rates are at rock bottom levels, shouldn’t everyone refinance? Refinancing can be a great way to save money or get into a more attractive loan, but it’s...
How to Pick the Right Real Estate Agent
Picking the right real estate agent is just as important as finding the right home. With the right help, you may find the perfect home faster, get the best price, and have a more seamless process. So how do you pick the right real estate agent? It’s a lot like...
Six Satisfyingly Simple Steps for Loan Pre-Qualification
You need a loan pre-qualification if you want the home buying process to be easy. In today’s seller’s market, buyers have to do everything possible to set themselves above the rest. Without a pre-qualification the chances of a seller choosing you over others are slim....
Finding a Home and Making an Offer – What to Expect
Finding the right home takes time. If you prepare ahead of time and know exactly what to look for, though, it can speed the process up. But, finding a home is only the beginning. Next, you must make an offer – an offer that the seller accepts. It’s a process, but if...
What to Expect after your Offer is Accepted
Finding the perfect home is quite the project, but it’s just the start. You still have to get the sellers to accept your offer. You’ll likely go back and forth with the seller a few times before you agree on both sides. Once accepted, the process goes fast! Knowing...
Tips for Refinancing: Evaluating Your Income
One of the most significant considerations in deciding whether you apply for a refinance, debt restructuring, or buy mortgage is your income. That might not come as a shock, but you may be shocked by the many different forms your salary can be measured depending on...
Is it Time for a Mortgage Refinance?
Have interest rates plummeted after you purchased your home? Are you in a much better financial and credit situation than when you first took out your mortgage? Are you looking for a way to reduce your mortgage or loan payments on a monthly basis? If all of the above...
Refinancing’s Advantages
You've been living in your house for a while and have been paying your mortgage payment every month. However, when you see on the evening news that mortgage rates are 1% cheaper than what you locked in 10 to 15 years earlier, you soon remember that you might be...
Refinance Tips: Using Your Savings for a Down Payment
It's time to work out how to document the origins of your funds for the down payment and closing expenses after you've calculated how much of a down payment you can afford on your home mortgage. "Why do they care where I get the money?" you may wonder. To assess the...
Mortgage Refinance Loans Come in a Variety of Forms
You have more refinancing options than ever before thanks to today's lenders. So, whether you want to lower your monthly payments or lower your rates, you can find financing that is right for you. You can also compare loan quotes online without harming your credit...
Is Refinancing Suitable for You?
Are You Qualified for a Refinance? A one-on-one personalized review with a professional mortgage broker will assist you in deciding if a mortgage refinance is right for you. It's important to understand the objectives in order to assess the value of a possible...