Real Estate Archives - Page 25 of 35 - Lori Blank & Associates

04

Oct

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…

15

Sep

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

Using Your Equity To Buy Another House: What To Consider

Buying a home is a dream that many people want to make come true. At the same time, many people dream of buying a second home. Perhaps you are looking for a rental property. Maybe you are looking for a vacation home. Regardless, you might be wondering how you can come up with the necessary cash to finance this dream. You might even be thinking about tapping into the equity in your current home to make that happen. It could be your down payment for your second house, but what do you need to know? How To Get A Home Equity…

14

Sep

By Lori Blank

Mortgage Tips

Thinking About a New Home? 3 Reasons Why a Mortgage Will Be the Best Money You Ever Borrow

In these days of low interest rates, it can be a great idea to get into the real estate market and invest in a home. However, if you don't have the funds saved up to buy a home outright, it may seem like more of a burden than it's worth. The good news is that you might qualify for a mortgage loan, which tends to come with more favorable terms than a traditional bank loan. Here are three reasons why a mortgage might just be the best money you ever borrow. Taking Advantage Of Low Interest Interest rates have been…

13

Sep

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

How Your Home Equity Can Help You Reach Your Retirement Goals

If you plan on retiring soon, you are probably looking at a few options that can get you over the hump. You are probably excited to start a new phase of life. With a record number of people closing in on their retirement age, many are starting to assess their resources to make sure they have enough money to last them for the rest of their lives. If you already own a home, you might be able to tap into your home equity to help you fuel your retirement. Your Home Has Probably Gone Up In Value Your house is…

09

Sep

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

Consider A Home Renovation Loan To Navigate A Challenging Housing Market

Today, there are many people who are having a difficult time purchasing a house. Even though interest rates have gone up, sales are still happening quickly. Therefore, it can be difficult for people to qualify for a mortgage, purchase a house, and get to the closing table before the property is sold. One potential way to get around the hot housing market is to consider a home renovation mortgage. How can a home renovation mortgage help you? A Renovation Loan Can Help People Buy A Less Desirable Home If you want to close on a home, you might be interested…

08

Sep

By Lori Blank

Home Tips

What To Consider When Shopping For Interior Paint

If you are looking for a way to increase the value of your home, you may have thought about putting a fresh coat of paint on it. If you have beautiful paint throughout your home, you can increase the value of your home. Even though you are probably focused on the color, you need to think carefully about several other factors. What do you need to consider when looking for interior paint for your home? Where The Paint Is Going You can start by thinking about where the paint is going. Some people like to use the same color throughout…