Most people need mortgages to be able to afford to purchase a home, but you might know that with many home loans comes the requirement of a down payment. Unfortunately, this can be a big hurdle for prospective homeowners who might be wondering, “Can you buy a house with no money down?” You can buy…

Investing in real estate has major benefits, like growing your wealth and passively generating income without getting a second job. There are many ways to invest in real estate, including house flipping, rental properties, REITs, syndication, and online investment platforms. Real estate investing for beginners can initially seem daunting, but once you get the hang…

Most home buyers need a mortgage to afford their dream homes. Unfortunately, getting a mortgage for the first time can be intimidating. However, once you’ve gone through the process once, you’ll feel more confident in your ability to get a mortgage in the future. Knowing how to get a mortgage will ensure you have all…

With a second mortgage or refinance, you can tap into your home’s equity to increase your cash flow, pay off debt, or afford large purchases. But which option is right for you? When comparing a second mortgage vs. refinance, you should consider your goals. With both options, you can leverage your home’s equity. However, with…

If you’re self-employed, such as a real estate investor, you need to make sure that you’re generating a solid return on your investment. There are several important metrics you need to follow, such as your occupancy rate and your total monthly revenue, but you might also be wondering, “What is the cap rate on rental…

Having a stress-free home selling process is crucial for anyone wondering how to sell their home. Most people don’t want to invest too much time or money into the process and often choose to work with professionals to help them sell their homes. Unfortunately, selling a home is complicated, and there’s a lot the homeowner…

Rising inflation means higher home prices, but it also means that you can purchase a home for cheaper now than in the near future. Whether you should purchase a home during rising inflation depends on factors such as your current spending power, savings, employment, income, and credit history. Is rising inflation a good or bad…

A 2/1 buydown mortgage is a type of mortgage that allows the borrower to reduce the amount of interest paid during the first two years of the mortgage. It’s similar to buying points that reduce the interest rates but typically lasts for a period of two years. You could potentially save a lot on interest and enjoy…

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage makes it easier for you to buy a home because the seller knows that they can close more quickly. In order to get pre-approved, you need a set of documents to show a lender that you’re capable of fulfilling the terms of a mortgage. This gives you an advantage against…

If you have ever applied for a mortgage, you probably know that there is a tremendous amount of documentation that goes into the process. One of the most common questions people ask is whether they need to provide tax returns as part of their mortgage application. While this isn’t always the case, there is a…

Being unemployed and not having a full-time job can hurt your chances of getting approved for a mortgage. That’s because two major deciding factors for lenders when reviewing a mortgage application are your income and job history. Unfortunately, not everyone has those. Some individuals don’t have full-time jobs because they work for themselves as freelancers…

Applying for a mortgage can be confusing for first-time home buyers, but once you’ve gone through it once, you’ll be an expert. There are several steps to getting financing for your dream home, but one of the most important is the mortgage underwriting process. The mortgage underwriting process determines your eligibility and dictates whether you’ll…

When you’re ready to buy a house and learn about the mortgage process, you’ll come across various terms that seem intimidating and confusing. Terms like “conforming” and “non-conforming loans” can make applying for a home loan even more confusing and daunting. However, knowing the difference between these types of loans can ensure you make the…

Investing in homeownership has many advantages. Over time, home values increase, allowing you to sell your home for more than you paid and passively earn money. However, that’s not the only way being a homeowner can help you earn. The longer you live in a home and pay your mortgage, the more equity you build…

Being unemployed can be stressful for the average person. Not having a job often means having little to no income, and you may require a loan to help you get through a difficult time and pay your bills. But can you get a loan without a job? There are several loans with no job requirements.…

When you apply for a mortgage loan, you must meet the lender’s criteria for approval. Your income, job history, debt, and other financial factors will play a role in eligibility, loan approval, and loan amount. You’re not disqualified from securing a home loan if you have debt. Instead, lenders compare your debt to your income…

If you are going through the process of applying for a mortgage, you understand that you might be asked for certain documentation. For example, your lender will ask for information about your financial situation, the various debts you carry, and where your income is coming from.  To get a better financial picture, they might even…

Traditional mortgages have stringent lending requirements. Lenders verify your income in several ways, including reviewing pay stubs and W-2s. But what happens if you don’t have those documents? Many borrowers are self-employed, retirees, and business owners who don’t get these documents because they’re not employees of a single company. Instead, they might run companies or…

Qualifying for a conventional mortgage can be challenging for many types of borrowers, including real estate investors, retirees, and small business owners. Luckily, several loan options are available for purchasing a home. If you’re having difficulty securing a home loan, a portfolio loan might be the right option for you. Understanding how they work can…

When buying a home, you have many options to choose from. Most people don’t know how many mortgage programs can help them save money and get the funding they need to purchase a property. However, since several types of home loans are available, it can be difficult to find the right one for you.  Conventional…

A home is a significant investment, but becoming a homeowner has many advantages. First, you’ll own your property, so as long as you continue to pay your mortgage, your home will increase in value over time. In addition, it gives you a permanent residence where you don’t have to worry about moving every few years…

Property taxes are paid to the government to ensure projects such as community services, schools, and fixing the roads. How much property tax you pay will depend on where you live and your home’s value. However, all homeowners pay property taxes, so it’s important to budget for more than your principal and interest when paying…

CoreLogic recently released its Home Price Appreciation Report, revealing that home prices in the US appreciated by 6.9% in 2022. This growth is expected to continue in 2023, with the company forecasting a 3% increase in home prices. While the media and neigh sayers think we are headed for a housing bubble or crash… it…

A conventional loan for first-time home buyers is a traditional mortgage loan that meets the parameters set by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. Conventional loans require some percentage of down payment, depending on the mortgage you choose, and your credit score typically must be 620 or higher. In addition to credit score, conventional loans for…

FHA loans for first-time home buyers make it more affordable for aspiring homeowners to purchase a home. The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) was established in 1934 as part of an effort to make homeownership more affordable for buyers that meet specific criteria. An FHA home loan for first-time home buyers is insured by the federal…

If you are thinking about purchasing a new home, you might not be in a position to purchase a home with cash alone. Fortunately, you do not need to save up hundreds of thousands of dollars to qualify for a house. There are plenty of loan options available, but every buyer is in a different…

Are you interested in purchasing a new home in the near future? You might be buying a home for the first time, which is why you need to think carefully about your credit score. It is one of the most important factors that will dictate whether you qualify for a home loan.  Regardless of whether…

Having bad credit doesn’t always mean that you won’t be able to get a mortgage or home equity loan, although it does complicate your efforts. There are ways for you to get the funding you need to buy or borrow against the equity of your home even when your credit rating isn’t great. The following…

If you are thinking about purchasing a house, there are a lot of steps you need to complete. One of the most important steps is to accumulate a down payment.  A down payment is the amount of money that you have to put towards the principal value of the house at closing. Learn more about…

If you are interested in purchasing a home, there is a good chance that you will have to take out a mortgage. Not a lot of people can purchase a home with cash, but thankfully there are multiple types of mortgage loans to choose from. It is important to think about the different types of…

A HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) and a HELOAN (Home Equity Loan) are both secured by the equity in your home. The main difference between a HELOC and a HELOAN comes down to how you get and use the money.  A HELOC loan is akin to a credit card in that it’s a line…

If you are interested in purchasing a house for the first time, you have probably realized that there are a lot of hoops that you have to jump through. Even though it can look like a significant challenge to purchase a house on your own for the first time, there are tools that you can…

If you are interested in purchasing property, you may have to take out a loan. There are different types of loans available, including FHA loans, investment property loans, and even a VA home loan. At the same time, before you can purchase the house, you may be required to place an earnest money deposit. If…

If you are thinking about applying for a home loan, there is one word that is going to come up over and over again: escrow. So, what is escrow in a mortgage, and what do you need to know about mortgage escrow? There are some situations where this could be beneficial, and there are other…

Jobs report gives Fed green light for more rate hikes The Federal Reserve is almost certainly raising interest rates in March. The only question now is by how much. The strong January jobs report is the last piece of evidence the Fed needs to show that inflation pressures are not going away anytime soon. With…

Where we live has been dictated by where we can find a good job. That truism has defined much of where Americans reside — clustered in and around lucrative job markets.  Working remotely isn’t just another perk in a benefits package, it’s the opportunity to move freely and still continue the same career, ideally with…

Record home price appreciation in the last few years has pushed tappable home equity to new heights! According to a report published by data vendor Black Knight this week, the third quarter of 2021 saw a nearly $250 billion dollar increase in tappable equity—a record. With record high tappable home equity, now is a great time to consider a…

Real estate investors were responsible for 18.2% of the homes purchased in the U.S. during the third quarter of this year — a record-high share, according to Redfin.  Investment Property Mortgage Home Loans are available to both new and experienced investors.  This new all-time high was up from a revised share of 16.1% in second-quarter…

High home prices could drop in November as mortgage rates increase, economist says Home prices are rising, though not at the same record pace as earlier this year. As a result, economists say both homebuyers and homeowners should expect substantial home value increases annually, but decreases month-over-month toward the end of 2021. “The typical home…

HOME EQUITY HAS HIT A RECORD HIGH. As home prices continue their rapid rise, many Americans are sitting on a pile of equity in their homes.  Homeowners with mortgages gained $2.9 trillion in equity in the second quarter of 2021, a 29.3% year-over-year increase, according to a new report by CoreLogic.  This marks an average gain…