These are some changing times, aren’t they? Loan limits for both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are adjusted annually to keep up with the cost of living – but with the appreciation that’s experienced lately in so many markets, it may not be enough. So, what do you do in that case? Qualified buyers can […]
How much of your credit is available at a given time? When applying for mortgages and loans, a lower credit utilization means that the borrower is not relying heavily on their credit, and also means that they are using their credit wisely. Basically, the higher the percentage, the higher the risk is involved which will […]
If you’re a veteran, I’d first like to take this opportunity to thank you for your service to our country. There are loan options available to you, and one of those is an IRRRL. You must be a Veteran with a current VA-backed home loan to qualify. IRRRL is an acronym for Interest Rate Reduction […]
I know you’ve heard of the phrase “which came first, the chicken or the egg?”. It kind of makes you think of what happens when you consider selling your home. Which should you do first – purchase your new home, or sell your current abode? What’s the better option? Some don’t have a choice – […]
In the case of a divorce, it’s very common for the spouse who keeps the home to remove the other spouse from the loan. In a similar situation, it’s also equally common for a first-time home buyer who doesn’t have enough income to qualify to ask a parent or relative to co-sign – that person […]
It isn’t much of a secret that home appreciation has quite dramatically increased over the past two years. With that increase, most homeowners have equity. Quite often, a common way to release part of that equity is a cash-out refinance, however not all homeowners are currently eligible. First off – what is it? A cash-out […]
Since May 2019, mortgage rates have been below 4 percent. With historically low-interest rates, you would think homeowners would take advantage and refinance to save money. However, a recent Lending Tree survey said that 49 percent of homeowners say they are considering a mortgage refinance in the next year. The report also estimated that over […]
A reverse mortgage loan allows the homeowners to borrow money against their home while they still retain the title to the property. There are no monthly payments required on a reverse mortgage loan. However, once the homeowner moves out of the home or passes away, the reverse mortgage becomes due and payable. With no monthly […]
In 1913, the 16th amendment allowed personal income tax and one of the allowable deductions was mortgage interest paid on your principal residence. A follow up in 2017, Tax Cut and Jobs Act reduced the maximum amount of acquisition debt to $750,000 from $1,000,000. Acquisition debt is the amount of debt used to buy, build […]
Need some money? Want lower interest rates? Then a home equity line of credit or HELOC may be the answer for you. It is a mortgage loan that homeowners can use as-needed. Any lender like a bank will review and approve it for a specific amount based on the amount of equity you have available […]
