Real Estate

25

Oct

Real Estate

Closing Costs And A Cash Sale: Who Pays?

There are some people who are able to pay cash for a home. Typically, these are individuals who are selling an existing property that has gone up in value. Now, all of a sudden, they have a lot of extra money they can spend on a house. If you can pay cash for a home, you have a lot of extra negotiating power. When it is time to complete the sale, who pays? What Is Included In Closing Costs? Before deciding who pays closing expenses, it is important to take a look at what is included. Because you do not…

20

Oct

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

What Do First-Time Homebuyers Need To Know?

If you are purchasing a house for the first time, you are probably excited to imagine what your life might look like in a bunch of different houses. At the same time, the process can be a bit overwhelming. The housing market is competitive right now, the financing process can be confusing, and you might not know exactly what you are looking for. What are a few of the most important tips first-time home buyers need to know? Reach Out To Experts For Help First, you need to reach out to professionals who can help you during the process. For…

14

Oct

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

The Top Tips To Get Your Offer Accepted

The housing market today is very competitive, and you might be wondering how you can get your offer accepted. If the seller has multiple offers on the table, it can be a bit of a challenge. Many people assume that the best way to get an offer accepted is to offer the most money. Even though that is certainly helpful, there are several other tips you should follow to make sure your offer is the one the seller picks. Get Pre-Approved For A Mortgage First, you must make sure that you get pre-approved for a mortgage. Unless you are paying…

12

Oct

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

Current Servicemember or Veteran? 4 Reasons Why a VA Home Loan Is an Excellent Choice

Are you current or former member of the US military service who is looking to buy a new home? If so, you will be pleased to know that there are some special mortgage programs that are open to you. Let's take a look at five reasons why a mortgage backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs is an excellent choice when buying your new home. You Can Borrow Up To 100% Of The Home's Value You read that correctly! VA-backed mortgages are available to you even if you choose to put no money towards your down payment. This can be…

05

Oct

By Lori Blank

Real Estate Tips

3 Reasons to Hit the Accelerator on Your Mortgage Payments – If You Can Afford It

Does the thought of repaying your mortgage for the next twenty-plus years leave you feeling a little down? Whether you've had your mortgage for weeks or years, accelerating your payments is an excellent option that can help get your mortgage fully paid off in a shorter time frame. Let's explore three great reasons to accelerate your payments so that your mortgage debt is paid down faster. You'll Be Debt-Free That Much Faster It may seem obvious, but it's worth stating that you'll be debt-free that much quicker if you accelerate your repayment schedule. Every extra payment you make against your…

04

Oct

By Lori Blank

Real Estate Tips

An Overview Of A Buyer’s Agent

If you plan on purchasing a home in the near future, you have probably noticed that there are plenty of options available. The market changes quickly, the perfect house may come and go before you get a chance to see it, and you might have a hard time figuring out which house is right for you. A buyer's agent can be helpful, but do you actually need to work with one? There are several important points to keep in mind. A Buyer’s Agent Represents Your Interests You should consider working with the buyer's agent because they will represent your best…

30

Sep

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

The Minimum Credit Score For VA Home Loan Approval: What To Know

When you are applying for a home loan, you need to make sure that you meet the minimum credit score requirements. If you decide to go with a traditional loan, the credit limit can be high, making it hard to qualify for a home loan. In contrast, you might be able to qualify for a VA home loan with a much lower credit score. What do you need to know? The VA Does Not Have A Minimum Credit Score Requirement One of the major benefits of applying for a VA home loan is that you do not need to worry…

27

Sep

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

How Can A Cash-Out Refinance Help You?

If you have been in your home for a while, you might be able to refinance. If your credit score has increased, your income has gone up, or the average home loan interest rate has gone down, you might be able to conduct a cash-out refinance. During this process, you can keep your mortgage payments the same, secure a lower interest rate, and withdraw the difference as cash. What can you do with this extra cash? You Can Make Improvements To Your Home One of the most popular ways people use a cash-out refinance is to increase the value of…

23

Sep

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

What To Know About Your Debt-To-Income Ratio When Buying A Home

When you apply for a mortgage, your lender will do some quick math to figure out how much of a loan you can afford. Your lender will consider many factors, and one of the most important ones is your debt-to-income ratio. It is usually shortened to DTI, and understanding this formula can help you better understand how big of a house you can afford. An Overview Of A DTI Your DTI represents the amount of money you spend compared to the amount you make. Your lender is going to have very strict DTI requirements when deciding whether you can be…

21

Sep

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

Should You Buy Mortgage Points?

When you take out a home loan, you might have the option to purchase mortgage points. Essentially, this is money that you pay to the lender upfront in exchange for getting a lower interest rate over the life of the loan. If you got a great deal on the house, you might have some extra cash on hand. Should you use that money to buy down the interest rate? This is a math problem that you need to calculate for yourself. How To Do The Math If you want to figure out if the mortgage points are worth it, you…