Do you love your home but aren’t quite in love with it yet? More often than not, your love for your home isn’t always unconditional. There’s always something that needs to be repaired or replaced, such as your roof or siding. Or maybe you’ll love your home more with new vinyl plank flooring or…Read More
Last year was challenging for potential homebuyers. While home prices rose nationwide, buyers scrambled for properties and engaged in bidding wars, resulting in homes selling exponentially higher than the listing price. Economists predict that the market will be a little more relaxed in 2022. However, it will take strategy and perseverance to chase and attain…Read More
For most Americans, buying a home requires a significant down payment (up to 20% of the purchase price), putting homeownership out of reach. However, for active service members, veterans, and eligible surviving spouses, it’s possible to purchase a home with little or no money down through the VA loan program. In today’s competitive housing…Read More
At some point in your journey of homeownership, you may get very close to paying off your mortgage, or better yet, make your final mortgage payment. Congratulations – this is a significant accomplishment! Once your home is paid in full, it now represents pure equity. These funds could be used in a financial emergency, medical…Read More
For homebuyers, 2021 was one of the most challenging years to navigate the housing market in recent history. For-sale homes had multiple offers before they officially hit the market. Contingency waivers were the norm, not the exception. Home prices hit record highs, with some homeowners gaining over 100K in home equity. With the craziness…Read More
In most economies, inflation is a common phenomenon and is often considered an early sign of the end of an economic cycle. A sudden spike in inflation can impact everything from the price of a gallon of gas to a jumbo pack of toilet paper. However, if you’re in the home buying market, the impact…Read More
When you’re shopping for a home loan, you’ll come across various mortgage options related to the down payment, loan term, and interest rate. Let’s focus on the interest rate and how your choice will affect your overall mortgage payment. There are two main options – fixed-rate and adjustable-rate. What’s the difference and how do you…Read More
Saving up for a down payment can be an obstacle for many first-time homebuyers. You want to take advantage of the historically low mortgage rates. Still, rent, utilities, childcare, and other monthly expenses make it difficult to save up that 20% down payment that most lenders require. According to the Homeownership Program Index, there are…Read More
Before jumping headfirst into the frenzy of the homebuying process, any prospective homebuyer has a general idea of where they want to live, the style of home they want, and how much house they can afford. And when you start to shop around for mortgage options, you’ll begin to hear the terms pre-approval and pre-qualification. …Read More
Are you getting ready to buy your first home? Or are you looking to downsize? In either case, the first step you should take in the home buying process is to get pre-approved for a mortgage. According to a survey from realtor.com, 48 percent of potential homebuyers are making the mistake of skipping the pre-approval…Read More