Shopping for a mortgage should be your first step before you even begin to ponder your housing options. Whether you choose to go with an FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional or exotic mortgage is a very personal decision that you’ll have to make on your own, but I thought it might help if I made some… Continue Reading
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
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