There’s a certain fantasy that penetrates the American psyche, we like to call it The American Dream. It varies slightly between regions, but basically, it involves the triad of homeownership, stable employment and a marriage with 2.3 kids. Maybe that white picket fence was ideal in 1950, but times have changed dramatically since the American… Continue Reading
Buying a house can be a confusing hurricane of paperwork, with lots of indecipherable legal documents and technical terms being tossed around. By the time you get to closing, you’re holding on by your fingernails, and just thankful that it’s almost over. You’re exhausted, emotionally and physically, but there’s just a little bit more to… Continue Reading
You’ve had your eye on a home of your own for months, or even years, but it never seems like the timing is right to buy. Rates are dropping, rates are rising, prices are a confusion — it’s hard to know when it’s the right time to finally take the plunge. Maybe you’re thinking about… Continue Reading
Even though the housing market seems to be rebounding, we are still living in uncertain times and people are increasingly conscious of how much money they’re spending on necessities. If you’re like most people, you’ve managed to slim your grocery budget, reduced your heating costs and eliminated those subscriptions you barely use so you can… Continue Reading
After a long, exhausting search that consumed every free minute of your time, nearly destroyed your marriage and drove all your friends insane, you’ve finally found the home of your dreams. You, your spouse and your realtor may have breathed a big sigh of relief when your offer was accepted, but you’ve barely begun your… Continue Reading
There are two things in this world that are inescapable: death and taxes. Real estate property taxes are no different, and unlike income taxes, aren’t dependent on how much you make or what kind of deductions you have. For a lot of homebuyers, their principal and interest payment looks nothing short of amazing, but once… Continue Reading
After another rise in FHA mortgage insurance rates during the last year and the announcement that borrowers may be locked into those payments for the life of their loans, a lot of people are taking a second look at second mortgages. Piggyback seconds, those small mortgages used in conjunction with a Conventional mortgage at the… Continue Reading
So you’ve finally landed that promotion, finished college, gotten married or have just gotten tired of throwing your rent money into an endless pit and are starting to investigate the housing market. Maybe you’ve even spotted a house that you feel a deep emotional attachment to – but before you step one foot inside, you… Continue Reading
In 2013, we finally saw hard evidence that the real estate market is ready for some positive changes: home values have increased, bringing many underwater mortgages to value or better, foreclosures have slowed and everybody is generally in a pretty good mood. If you’ve been putting off buying a home, 2014 is your year. There… Continue Reading
2013 saw a lot of changes to the U.S. mortgage industry, from Fannie Mae’s elimination of 97 percent loans and the appointment of a new head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to nation-wide changes to provide more leniency through FHA programs for troubled borrowers. The Ability-to-Repay Rule and Qualified Mortgage Rule made headlines and… Continue Reading