Just when you think you’ve learned all there is about mortgages; someone asks you if you’ve ever considered recasting. What in the world is that, you wonder? Should you consider it? Is it something you need to do? And where can you find the answers for all of these questions? In this blog post we’ll […]
Haven’t saved quite enough money for a down payment on a home? How about zero money of your own saved, but your family will gift you money towards a down payment? Or maybe there’s no possibility of receiving a gift of money from anyone in your family – but you still want to buy a […]
Saving to buy a home while you watch prices and interest rates increase feels like an impossible goal. You checked into FHA loans and learned it only requires 3 ½% of the purchase price as a down payment. But then you learned about the high, and permanent, mortgage insurance premiums. No thanks. Well, don’t give […]
Yesterday the Fed released the Beige Book which contained an even stronger emphasis on the impact of tariffs and labor shortages than the previous two publications. Along with that, all twelve districts in the U.S. said the economy is expanding moderately or at a moderate pace in their region. The issue of labor shortages isn’t […]
Experian, FICO, and Finicity are developing an “UltraFICO” score to improve access to financial products for borrowers with low credit score or short credit histories. This will be achieved by letting the borrowers share checkings and savings account data to help lenders better assess risk. Why an “UltraFICO” Score? After all, what is wrong with a […]
The overview for the week is that housing markets are weakening, growth in wages continues to be below expectations, and Saudi Arabia is in a negative spotlight over the killing of a critic of the Saudi Crown Prince. The stock market is experiencing significant volatility, which saw a gain of 547 points in the DJIA […]
Learning about real estate investing can be a complicated process. However, a simple overview of the basics is the best way to get started. You’ll have a useful framework if you begin by understanding: The value of leverage Tax Benefits Depreciation We’re going to cover each of these in this blog post, beginning with the […]
If you purchased a home with less than a 20% down payment, or you’re about to, you’re familiar with Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). PMI is an ‘evil villain’ in the eyes of family and friends who’ll likely tell you to “avoid it at all costs.” But in reality, PMI is a good thing. It’s a […]
The Federal Reserve raised the Fed Fund overnight rate by one-quarter percent yesterday, as predicted. Commentary by Fed President Powell also indicted another increase will come at their December meeting. The markets expected this rate increase so minimal movement in the markets as a result. Further based on the commentary released from the Fed meeting […]
Everyone in the market for a mortgage loan thinks comparing the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) from competing mortgage companies is the way to choose the best loan. And it’s all wrong. At best, trying to understand what APR means and using it to find the best loan adds unnecessary confusion to the process of finding […]
