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A cute little house with a white picket fence is a lot more romantic than the portion of the American Dream it represents: home equity. But there are a few things you need to understand about how it works, especially if you plan to borrow against it. The post Home Equity Meaning – How Much […]
Home Equity Meaning – How Much of Your House Do You Own? Read More »
A qualified mortgage is a home loan that meets federal guidelines aimed at preventing lenders from issuing loans that borrowers can’t afford to repay. These guidelines were created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and are designed to be less risky for borrowers and lenders alike. Qualified Mortgage Requirements The Consumer Financial Protection
What Is a Qualified Mortgage? Read More »
Refinancing your home can provide a lot of benefits, but it’s not always the best decision. Whether you’re looking to refinance your mortgage to secure a lower interest rate, cash out some of your equity or switch from a variable rate to a fixed one, here are some situations where it might not make sense.
7 Reasons Not to Refinance Your Home Read More »
There can be great satisfaction in making a house your own, but financing a home brings major obligations, so before you take the leap, make sure you’re doing it for all the right reasons and that the time is right for your circumstances. Here are some thoughts to consider when deciding when it makes sense
Pros and Cons of Buying a Home Read More »
A “cash-in” refinance allows a homeowner to replace their existing mortgage while making a lump-sum payment that enables them to get more favorable borrowing terms on the new loan. This type of refinance can be a viable option if you’ve recently received a cash windfall (via an inheritance, tax return, lottery winnings, etc.) and want
What Is a “Cash-In” Refinance? Read More »
It’s not required to make a 20% down payment when buying a house, but there can be some financial benefits if you do. At the same time, putting down that much money could also come with some potential drawbacks. As a result, it’s important to think carefully about your situation and your objectives to make
Should You Put Down 20% on a Home? Consider the Pros and Cons Read More »
Adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) loans can be an attractive alternative to a fixed-rate mortgage because they offer lower introductory interest rates. But after the initial fixed period, the rate becomes variable, adjusting along with market rates. Fortunately, ARMs include a few different rate caps, which can limit how much your interest rate can rise. Knowing what
Do Adjustable-Rate Mortgages Have Rate Caps? Read More »
A zero down payment mortgage can be a good idea, but there are some drawbacks to consider before taking out this type of loan. Read on to discover the pros and cons of no down payment loans to see if it’s right for you. What Are No Down Payment Loans? As the name suggests, a
Are No Down Payment Mortgages a Good Idea? Read More »
U.S. home values surged from 2021 to 2022 and delivered hefty boosts in home equity to millions of homeowners. Home prices have since flattened and even begun to decline in some markets, but the total value of all U.S consumers’ home equity is at an all-time high, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of
Should You Tap Into Your Home Equity? Read More »
You can use a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to consolidate high-interest credit cards, fund a home renovation, or for just about any purpose. You can even use a HELOC to pay off your mortgage. But depending on the terms of your primary mortgage and the new HELOC, it might not always be a
How to Use a HELOC to Pay Off Your Mortgage Read More »
As a homeowner, one of your most significant expenses is property taxes. A primary factor that helps determine your property tax bill is something called “mill rate” or “millage.” Mill rate is the amount of every dollar of a property’s assessed value that’s taxed. Generally, property taxes are included in your mortgage payment. When municipalities
What Is a Mill Rate and How Will It Affect My Home Costs? Read More »
A home equity line of credit (HELOC) allows homeowners to tap the equity in their home in the form of a revolving credit line, similar to a credit card. What’s considered a good HELOC interest rate can vary depending on the current economic conditions. In November 2022, for instance, some lenders are offering rates in
What Is a Good HELOC Interest Rate? Read More »
Due diligence in real estate is the period of time between an accepted offer and closing. It is during this time that the buyer and seller agree to allow the buyer to inspect the property before closing the sale. In other words, it ensures you, the buyer, are getting what you’re paying for, and that
What Is the Due Diligence Period in Real Estate? Read More »
An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is a unique type of home loan. While a fixed-rate mortgage keeps the same interest rate for the life of the loan, an ARM’s interest rate periodically fluctuates. It might be a good option for some homebuyers, but its complexity can be a lot to digest. That’s why we put together
8 Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Terms to Know Read More »
A home equity line of credit, or HELOC, is a type of secured loan that gives you access to cash based on the equity in your home. You draw from a HELOC as needed and repay some or all of it monthly, somewhat like a credit card. When applying for a HELOC, a lender will
Pros and Cons of a HELOC Read More »
A home equity line of credit (HELOC) can offer a convenient way for homeowners to finance expenses such as home remodeling projects. HELOCs let you borrow money against the equity in your home up to the limit of your credit line. When it’s time to repay the balance borrowed from your HELOC, you’ll typically have
Can You Pay Back a HELOC Early? Read More »
An 80-10-10 mortgage loan, also known as a piggyback loan, lets you buy a house using two mortgages simultaneously. When you take out an 80-10-10 loan, you borrow a total of 90% of your home’s value. The first mortgage covers 80% of the price of your home, the second mortgage covers 10% and the remaining
What Is an 80-10-10 Mortgage Loan? Read More »
El proceso de compra de una vivienda puede ser abrumador, sobre todo si es la primera vez que compra una. Hay que pasar por muchos obstáculos, desde conseguir una hipoteca hasta encontrar una vivienda y cerrar el trato. Una vez que tenga las llaves de su nuevo hogar, tendrá que pagar el préstamo hipotecario. Asimismo,
Una guía paso a paso para ser propietario de una Vivienda Read More »
You can negotiate certain mortgage fees to lower your loan costs. It’s only natural to want to save as much as possible when making a purchase as large as a home. This is especially true when you consider that closing costs and fees usually range from 2% to 5% of your new home’s purchase price,
Can I Negotiate Mortgage Closing Costs? Read More »
When mortgage lenders speak of “seasoned money” for a down payment on your home, they mean money you’ve possessed for a certain period of time—commonly 60 days. Lenders require seasoning of large portions of your down payment to avoid potential fraud and the use of funds from criminal activities to make home purchases. Why Do
What Are Seasoned Funds for a Down Payment? Read More »
