A Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) is a type of reverse mortgage that allows people to access their home’s equity and take cash out for a variety of purposes. The HECM was created by Congress in 1992 and has been used by seniors since then to help them pay for expenses related to aging, such… Continue Reading
Home loans for people with bad credit are surprisingly available. If you have had credit challenges in the past and want to refinance or buy a home, you have options. There are excellent loans such as FHA and VA loans that give you the opportunity to buy or refinance a home even if you have… Continue Reading
Buying a home is a process with many steps. Practically anyone who has started that journey eventually contacted a Real Estate agent, and the question has come up: Have you been pre-approved? The homebuyer may have been pre-qualified by a lender and may think that it is the same thing. Unfortunately, pre-qualification and pre-approval are… Continue Reading
For many first-time homebuyers, the biggest challenge to homeownership is the large chunk of change needed to put down on a mortgage. This is commonly referred to as a down payment. Depending on the loan program you choose, a lender could require you to put down as little as 3% or as much as 10%.… Continue Reading
Reverse mortgages are very misunderstood mortgage programs. In part, this is due to myths or misconceptions about this very useful program. Many of the myths about Reverse Mortgages are so entrenched with the public that it is very difficult for them to have a change of mind or heart. This is the case even though… Continue Reading
If you have been shopping for a loan in June 2022, you may have noticed rates have risen. In fact, the average 30-year fixed rate for conventional loans has just about doubled since the lows of January 2021. According to this chart from FHLMC, the 2nd largest purchaser of agency mortgages, rates went from 2.74% … 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 and you have calculated your front ratio or the comparison of your proposed housing debt to your usable income. You know your lender allows a 43% total DTI ratio, and your front ratio is an enviable 36%. But your loan officer informs you that your total or “back” DTI… Continue Reading
If you are buying a home or refinancing a mortgage, you should be aware of the two most potentially expensive components of your closing costs: Escrows and Prepaids. What Are Escrows and Prepaids? Escrows are the initial amount you must put aside (i.e., pay) at closing to fund your escrow account with sufficient funds so… Continue Reading
Have you been affected by COVID-19? Not physically – financially. Did you lose your job? Did your company cut back on your hours? Are you a homeowner and you’re finding it increasingly difficult to pay your bills on time? Then you might need a forbearance. What is a forbearance? On March 27, 2020, President Trump made… Continue Reading