First time homebuyers, more than any class of homeowners, tend to be cash poor. That’s not a judgement statement — we all start somewhere. However, compared to other loans, FHA is much more forgiving of your liquidity-related woes. Because of FHA’s low down payments and small reserve requirements, along with options to roll your up-front… Continue Reading
Home equity — it’s a dream so many Americans gave up on after the real estate crash in 2006, but now, nine years later, we’re starting see equity rising once again. In fact, over 80 percent of all mortgaged homes currently have at least 20 percent of their value in equity, with the average loan… Continue Reading
As much as it saddens me to admit it, we’re entering yet another tax season. When you weren’t a homeowner, your taxes were probably pretty simple — you filed a 1040EZ with your single W-2, waited for your return to arrive as if by magic, and went on with your life. Once you’ve purchased a… Continue Reading
Getting your first mortgage is a rite of passage for many Americans, but in these days of tighter credit regulations, increasing down payments and less free cash for savings, it may seem like an impossible dream. Believe it or not, you can still get a mortgage — even a first mortgage — in today’s real… Continue Reading
No matter if you’re dreaming of a white picket fence or a condo on the seventh floor, there’s a good chance you’re going to need a mortgage like 64 percent of homeowners in America. Getting a mortgage means somebody is going to peek at your credit score while they’re trying to determine how big of… Continue Reading
As far as purchases go, your home is up there — it’s one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make, generally speaking. Whether you’re spending hundreds of thousands of dollars or tens of thousands of dollars, it’s still a lot of money — so you’ll want to be sure that the home you purchase is… Continue Reading
It’s an incredible feeling to walk through your front door each and every day, knowing that this house is yours — and yours alone. No one else can take it from you or make any decisions regarding it…as long as you don’t count the lender who holds your mortgage. For many people, knowing that they’ve… Continue Reading
Buying a house was supposed to be easy, right? You just pick a house and the rest would fall into place — poof! Unfortunately, that dream isn’t exactly how it works, nor should it be. Your home will be the largest purchase you’re likely to make during your lifetime, so it won’t hurt you to… Continue Reading
Interest rates are constantly in the news: they’re rising, they’re falling, they’re flat — whatever they’re doing, they keep the thought of refinancing in the forefront of the minds of many homeowners. These folks wonder if they should refinance now, or if they’d be better off to wait a little while longer. Choosing to refinance… Continue Reading
As your closing approaches, it seems more and more like everybody and their uncle is crawling out of the woodwork to demand your hard-earned money. You need deposits for the utilities, a great big moving truck and even more cash for something your banker swears he told you about — your mortgage escrow account. This… Continue Reading