With the uncertainty surrounding today’s mortgage market and skyrocketing prices to buy real estate, buyers are having to come up with more and more cash to cover the costs of closing and buy-down their interest rates. As of the time of this writing, the average interest rate on a 30-year mortgage is 5.95%. By comparison,… Continue Reading
You’ve cleaned up your credit, put some savings in the bank, paid down some debts and you’re finally nearing one of your lifelong goals of homeownership. All that hard work is about to pay off into one of the ultimate American dreams. There’s only one problem – what loan program do you choose? In today’s… Continue Reading
Let’s say you’re buying a house or refinancing and you need PMI. What are your options (besides putting down 20%)? Take Two Mortgages to Avoid PMI That’s right. If you take two mortgages that add up to 90% or 95% (remaining 5-10% is your down payment), you can avoid paying PMI. How? Because your first… Continue Reading
If you’re buying a house, then like most people, you’ll need to get a mortgage. You talk to a few lenders, get some quotes, pick a lender, and apply for your loan. Your lender then starts the process of getting you approved. They ask you for documents, send out disclosures, and order an appraisal. What… Continue Reading
If you’re wondering why mortgages seemingly come in sizes, like tubs of popcorn at a movie theater, you’re not alone. A jumbo mortgage refers to a loan amount that’s higher than the conforming or high-balance loan limit for a particular county. Presently, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac set the maximum loan amount threshold for the… Continue Reading
For most people, undertaking a mortgage refinance isn’t something they look forward to. The prospect of lowering monthly payments and paying less interest over the life of the loan are powerful motivators though, so let’s make sure your next refinance is your best. #1 Start by clearly identifying and defining your goals for refinancing. It’s… Continue Reading
As housing values increase across the country, more people are thinking about tapping into that hidden potential in their homes. Home equity is becoming a thing again, guys, and there’s no denying that it’s a great solution for life’s problems, both big and small. If you plan on staying in your home for the long… Continue Reading
Earlier this summer, a friend of mine was looking to buy a house and although their Realtor assured them that it was a slam dunk and everything was fine with their paperwork and they had a legitimately significant down payment, there were complications. In fact, their appraisal came in a little over eight percent short.… Continue Reading
When I was in real estate school, one of the concepts we discussed in great depth was the very real way that neighborhoods grow and die — how real estate is more like a living thing than a simple concept. Instead of a straightforward life cycle, neighborhoods go through growth, decline, decay and rebirth as… Continue Reading
There are few steps in the real estate process that both Buyers and Sellers dread so equally as the appraisal. Not only does it represent the next to last step (and thus, an urgency is added to packing and making repairs), but it can literally make or break a deal that both parties have already… Continue Reading