Category: Mortgages
Don’t pay off your mortgage early. Here’s why
Written by: Max Marvelous
Paying off your mortgage has been a monumental goal for decades now. But is it the right thing to do in the 21st century? Read on …
7 big mortgage mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Written by: Opher Ganel
Although mortgage interest rates have recently pulled back some, they’re still historically low. When rates were lower yet, I decided to refinance the mortgage on our home. …
9 mortgage scams you need to know about
Written by: Sheryl Nance-Nash
What is mortgage fraud? Mortgage fraud refers to lying or omitting information to fund or insure a mortgage loan. It results in billions of dollars in …
Thinking about getting a reverse mortgage? Read this first
Written by: Jamie Cattanach
If you’re at or nearing retirement age and looking for a way to generate cash flow, a reverse mortgage can seem like a great idea, especially …
18 questions you need to ask before closing a mortgage
Written by: Alene Laney
Hiring a knowledgeable mortgage lender is one of the first steps you’ll take on your journey to homeownership. A good lender could help you make a …
Want a mortgage approval? Avoid these 7 mistakes
Written by: Marjolein
How much house can I afford? That is a question many home-buyers ask themselves when they are in the process of buying a new home. Purchasing a home is …
What is a fixed-rate loan?
Written by: Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman
A fixed-rate loan is a lending product that allows eligible consumers or businesses to borrow money with an interest rate that does not change over the …
Your home insurance is about to get more expensive
Written by: Kara McGInley
Homeowners may see an increase in their home insurance premiums in the coming year, according to a white paper released by the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. The spike …
Mortgage interest deductions explained
Written by: Sheryl Nance-Nash
Homeownership has long been a part of the American dream, and it opens the door to benefits like the mortgage interest deduction for those who …
These cities saw the biggest rise in home prices this year
Written by: Emily Leff
It’s never easy buying a house, and in certain cities, real estate is coming at an increasingly higher cost, now more than ever. Following the onset …
Why most people don’t get mortgages from banks anymore
Written by: Brian Acton
The housing market is continuing its hot streak with mortgage applications surging into the holiday season, a time when demand typically cools off. Getting approved for a …
What is a second mortgage?
Written by: Krystal Etienne
If you’re a homeowner, your house is not only the place you call home but also an asset. In fact, it’s the largest asset of …
What is a piggyback mortgage loan & how does it work?
Written by: Ashley Kilroy
At its simplest, a piggyback mortgage can be defined as a second mortgage, typically a home equity loan or home equity line of credit (HELOC). …
Here’s how your mortgage compares to your neighbors’
Written by: Aaron Crowe
Figuring out how much home you can afford entails much more than the interest rate on a mortgage loan and what your monthly mortgage payment …
How to buy a home when you’re single
Written by: Alaya Linton
Buying a house as a single woman has become more mainstream over the past few decades. This rise is partly due to an increase in …
What Is an assumable mortgage?
Written by: Brian O'Connell
Homebuyers have more mortgage loan options available when buying a home than they may think. One of those could be the assumable mortgage, a home loan …
Can you lose your house with a reverse mortgage?
Written by: Kim Franke-Folstad
For older Americans who may find they need more money in retirement, using a reverse mortgage to convert some of their home’s equity into cash can …
What is mortgage forbearance?
Written by: Kelly Boyer Sagert
When homebuyers take out a mortgage, they’re likely dreaming about living out their days in a house of their own—whether that means bedecking the front porch …
Top 30 states with mortgage foreclosures for March
Written by: Gabriela Cordero
Despite the economic fallout and job loss from the pandemic, the number of U.S. properties with foreclosure filings in March was 11,880, down 75% from last …
A guide to lender-paid mortgage insurance
Written by: Rochel Maday
Homebuyers have a variety of conventional mortgages to choose from. The element most have in common is private mortgage insurance—usually required when the down payment is less …
