Mortgage Rates and Financial News and Tips
What Lower Mortgage Rates Mean for Buyers and Sellers
Mark Twain was quoted as saying, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” One could make the same case for the United States real estate market. Have there been tall peaks and low valleys? Yes. But every market has…
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Rates and Applications Both Shift Down
On Thursday, February 2, 2023, Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.09 percent, down from last week when it averaged 6.13 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM…
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Liquid Assets vs. Fixed Assets: Understand the Differences
Having assets can help you qualify for a mortgage loan and maybe even better interest rates. But they have to be the right type of assets first. Assets fall into two categories: liquid or fixed. While both types are good…
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How to Protest Your Property Taxes (And When)
If you haven’t been paying attention, things are expensive nowadays. Everything seems to be skyrocketing in price. From food, to used cars, to gas, to rent to home prices. It’s as if someone has been holding a beach ball under…
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Breaking It Down: Understanding Your Home Closing Costs
When you’re a first-time homebuyer, the entire concept of closing costs may be elusive and intimidating. You know they’re coming, but you have no idea what to expect. Luckily, a little knowledge can go a long way. Fees for loan…
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Questions and Answers About Home Equity
There are several ways to finance a big home improvement project. One is to refinance for cash out, the other is to apply for a home equity loan or line of credit. Here is what you need to know
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What to do if your home is “Underwater”
According to the World Economic Forum, global sea levels are rising and some of the world’s greatest cities could be underwater by the end of the century. Well, there is also a rising breach in the real estate market that…
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How to Get Pre-Approved for a Home Loan
If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, you’ve probably heard someone tell you to get pre-approved for a home loan to improve your chances of obtaining that dream home. Pre-approval doesn’t guarantee the success of your loan application, and…
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Understanding the Connection Between Inflation and Interest Rates
Well, 2022 is over and it’s been another wild and crazy year. 2022 saw inflation start at 7 percent then rise as high as 9.1 percent only to ease back down to 7.1 percent in December. At the same time…
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Closing Costs: How Much Should You Expect to Pay?
Closing costs can be confusing.
Not only do they cost you an additional few thousand dollars come closing day; they also cover fees and expenses you’ve likely never heard of, making them even more perplexing for a first-time buyer.
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