How a VA Loan Works for Military Homebuyers Who Have Never Used One
Nearly 90% of first-time VA loans close with zero down, and you'll skip the $150–$300 monthly PMI that conventional buyers pay. Here's how the benefit works.
Costs to Close a Mortgage Drop 7% in the Past Year
The costs to close a mortgage have dropped about 7% in the past year to $3,754 on average.
Is it Better to Rent or Buy?
There is an age-old debate that rages on between those who own their homes and those who rent: is it better to rent a house or to buy?
Fannie Mae’s Improved Access to Debt Markets Supports Housing Recovery
Fannie Mae issues Benchmark Bills that come due in three month, six month, and sometimes, one-year periods.
Using APR to Compare Lenders
However, it is important to understand that APR isn’t always a foolproof comparison method either, especially if you use a stated APR quote.
Breathing Easier With Title Insurance for Your Next Home
Title insurance is insurance that you buy when you purchase a home or a plot of land.
Compare Risks to Decide If You Should Accelerate Your Mortgage
Homeowners have a variety of reasons for accelerating their mortgage payments.
Borrowing Limits for Conforming Mortgages
Today, many homeowners are “upside down” on their home loans and they actually owe more on the homes than the houses are worth. This problem came about for a number...
Getting Value from a Mortgage Lender
Going to a mortgage lender, rather than a broker, can help speed the process up a bit.
Using Rate Lock to Your Advantage
A rate lock ensures that you will receive the loan terms that were promised to you by the lender.
Consumer Watchdog Wants User Friendly Mortgage Servicing
It is the aim of the CFPB to restore “service” for companies that engage in mortgage servicing.
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Most Recent
New-Home Sales Rose Higher Than Anticipated in May
The U.S. Department of Commerce reports that new-home sales in the U.S. gained 2.1 percent, which extrapolate into an annualized pace of 476,000 units. In April, completed sales...
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“Credit Expert”: Rising Rates Are Bad For Housing
Wow, how can I become a “credit expert”?! It seems that the bar must be pretty low for entry into that profession. Here are some things you should know...
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The Sunny Side of Flipping Houses
You could conclude either one of those scenarios if you woke up this Sunday morning and read the front page of the local newspaper, which pointed out “flipping houses” in...
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Want to Sell Your ETF? Well……
Alas, with the recent volatility some of that “help” seems to be slogging through a bit of the fine print involved in one of their most popular concoctions…uh…I mean...
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When Buying a Lottery Ticket is a Better Way to Make Money
This came to my attention recently when I got yet another ad about how to buy and flip properties “for huge profits.” My fault, perhaps, since I subscribe to various sources...
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Hold Your Breathe if You’re a “Yogic Real Estate Investor”
You probably do not associate yoga with money. But maybe you should. Why? Because one of the latest investment fads is using yoga to cope with your financial situations and...
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