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Tips for First-Time Home Buyers
Have you decided it’s time to buy your first home? Congratulations! It is a huge decision, and there is much to learn to make the process as smooth as possible.
Staging Your Home During The Holidays
The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year for many people, and for many magical reasons! The local landscape looks like a winter wonderland, the city sidewalks are dressed in holiday style, and there are plenty of chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
Credit Advice for Young Adults
Credit can make a significant difference in obtaining your life goals. Creditworthiness can impact milestones such as buying a house, paying off debts, or purchasing a car. It’s never too late to build credit; however, starting while you are still young is best.
What Does a Loan Officer Do?
Whether you’re buying your first home, refinancing, or upgrading to your dream home, a loan officer is a critical player in a successful purchase. They oversee the financial transaction and ensure that your loan is approved; it’s a very important job!
What You Need To Know About Conventional Loans
As you consider applying for a mortgage, it can be equally comforting and daunting to know that there are so many available options as you look to finance your home purchase.
Staging Your Home During The Summer
Summer is typically the busiest time of year in the real estate market. Some reasons for increased activity are families looking to relocate before school starts and developers wanting the most of long daylight hours to finish renovation projects.
Types of Home Renovation Loans
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 a renovated kitchen. Whatever you need to feel the love for your home, you’ll likely need some money to achieve it.
Buying a House in 2022: What to Expect
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.
Can Anyone Get a VA Loan?
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.
Is Money Received From a Reverse Mortgage Taxable?
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!
Is Now a Good Time to Buy a House? What to Expect in 2022
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.
Effects of Inflation on Housing Prices
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 is even more significant.
Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgages
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 know which one is better for you?
A Guide to Down Payment Assistance Programs
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.
Pre-qualified vs. Pre-approved: What’s the Difference?
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.
Importance of Pre-Approval When Buying a Home
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.
How Much House Can You Afford?
Buying a home is an exciting milestone in your life. It’s an opportunity to put down roots and have a place you can finally call your own. But before you call a realtor, you need to establish a budget and ask yourself an important question: How much house can I afford?
Buying a House in 2021: What to Expect
House hunting can be one of the most exciting times in your life, but it can also be one of the most challenging. Before you start your search, it’s important to ask yourself some questions such as: What type of house do I want? Where do I want to move to? What is my maximum budget? How do I start the process?
Will Interest Rates Remain Low in 2021?
According to recent survey data from the National Association of Realtors, purchasing a home remains part of the “American Dream.” Homeownership is still an attractive opportunity for financial security, stability, and investment for you and your family.
What Features Do Buyers Want in a Home?
Congratulations – you’ve been pre-approved for a mortgage and started your journey to achieving homeownership! Now comes the fun part – choosing the must-haves for your dream home. You’ve figured out your budget, square footage, and the number of bedrooms requirements, but what about other features?