I’m a teacher. Are there any lenders who offer discounts for mortgage applicants who teach?

A Mortgage Broker or a Bank? The Best Path to Finding the Ideal Mortgage

How do you find the best deal on a mortgage, knowing that even a small difference in interest rate or rules can mean a significant amount of money saved? Should you go to a mortgage broker or bank to find it? Let’s first look at what brokers do. A mortgage broker is a middleman who […]

I’m in the middle of the loan process for buying a new home and am considering opening a new credit card account. Is this a bad idea?

Four Unspoken Rules of Buying a Home

A combination of warmer weather and the promise of rising interest rates will be enough to convince many potential home buyers that this spring is the time to look. If you’re one of those potential buyers, here are four unspoken rules of home buying you should know before starting your search. 1. Get pre-approved. If […]

Government Watchdog Finds Fault (Yet Again) in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s Practices

The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of the Inspector General recently audited Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s use of a web portal designed to decrease error in collecting appraisal data.  Not surprisingly, the audit found that both government-sponsored entities are failing to use the portal properly.  For example, in some situations for which the database […]

The FHA’s Big Announcement: How New FHA Loan Limits for Palm Beach County, Miami Dade County and Broward County Could Affect Your Plans to Buy a Home in 2014

In a memo from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Commissioner, HUD released the new Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) maximum loan limits effective for all FHA loan applications received January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.  While the decrease was expected in the industry, it could have a significant impact on real estate […]

Rates are rising. Is this the right time to refinance or a buy a house?

Communication Skills that All Loan Originators Must Have

A lot of new home buyers say that the main obstacle that they face with their loan originator is that of communication.  According to these buyers, unprofessional loan originators often don’t reply to their calls, messages or emails, which lead to a lot of problems.  So, if you are someone who is looking for a […]

Are there any tax deductions I can take for purchasing a home recently that might not be commonly known? I want to make sure I take advantage of every possible one!

Speed and Thoroughness of an Approval Letter is Key to Getting Your Offer Accepted

Image courtesy by JAMIE SKOJEC @ homesourcerg.com   Most realtors agree that the current state of the housing market is one that requires speed if you want to access the best deals.  With the rate of foreclosures and bank-owned properties still relatively high, the deals that are out there are certainly worth pursuing—although you have to be […]

Have You Served Our Country in the Military? If So, You Likely Qualify for a Zero Down Mortgage for Veterans

It takes a special kind of person to be willing to give his or her life for the freedoms our country enjoys, and without a doubt, members of the military should receive special benefits not given to the rest of the population.  That’s why if you are a veteran and in the market for a […]

So What Exactly Is Going On With Jumbo Loans?

You might have heard how difficult it is to get a jumbo loan.  You might even be confused now on what a jumbo loan actually is – and there’s reason for that confusion.   The reason is that the concept of a jumbo loan means two very different things based on whether you are working with […]