Making Sure You Are Ready To Take On A Mortgage

There is so much to know when it comes to homeownership that even wading into all of the information can seem overwhelming, but if there's one thing you need when the time comes to purchasing a home, it's to be prepared. Here are a few ways that you can ensure you're ready for what a mortgage entails so that buying your dream home will be a positive experience you won't regret. Consider All Of Your Options Instead of accepting the mortgage that your bank is offering you, it's very important to do some research and determine what some of the…
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How to Calculate Your True Cost of Living and Determine How Much Mortgage You Can Afford

A monthly mortgage can seem like enough of a financial responsibility on its own, but there are many factors involved in home ownership that affect its fiscal feasibility. If you're in the market for a house and are wondering how your income will stack up against the rest of your expenses, here's how to determine a home cost that's reasonable for you. Determine Your Down Payment Before you start with anything else, you'll want to determine the amount of money you can put down so you can estimate your monthly payments. The traditional amount for a down payment is 20%…
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Refinancing Your Mortgage: Understanding the Various Types of Refinancing

Whether you've been thinking about ways that you can draw on your home equity to fund a renovation project or you want to take advantage of low interest rates before they rise again, refinancing your mortgage is an excellent option. In today's blog post we'll introduce mortgage refinancing and discuss a few of the ways that you can use this tool to help accomplish your financial goals. Cash-In and Cash-Out Refinancing Many homeowners refinance their mortgage in order to take some of the home equity out for other purposes. In a "cash-out" refinancing, you take out a new mortgage loan…
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5 Uncommon Mortgage Terms You Need to Know

When it comes to finding a new home, there are lots of complex ratios, terms, and contracts that you'll encounter - and at times, it'll feel like you're trying to navigate a minefield. Here are five mortgage terms you may not encounter regularly that you'll need to know when buying a home. Escrow: Money Held In Trust To Pay Taxes An escrow account is a bank account that your lender maintains on your behalf. When you close your mortgage, you'll need to deposit a certain percent of your annual property taxes into the escrow account, which your lender will hold…
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Struggling to Get Approved Because of Your Income? 5 Reasons to Consider a FHA Loan

Buying a home isn't cheap. But if you're determined to become a homeowner, the FHA home loan program can help. This loan program, ideal for first-time buyers with low incomes, can help you to build your credit and make home ownership a reality. So why should you consider an FHA loan? Here are just a few ways you'll benefit from these government-backed mortgages. You Can Get Approved With Just 3.5% Down Traditional mortgage lenders typically require you to pay 20% down on your mortgage, or 5% if you have good credit and agree to pay mortgage insurance premiums. But for…
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What Financial Preparations Should I Make Before Applying For A Mortgage?

Getting a mortgage isn't an easy thing to do. Before a lender will put down tens of hundreds of thousands of dollars, it wants to know that the borrower can handle the loan so that it will get paid back. to this end, there are three things that a potential homebuyer can do to prepare for the mortgage approval process. Managing Debts For many homebuyers, managing their credit score is the biggest challenge. Mortgage lenders like buyers with strong credit. While getting strong credit usually isn't something that can be done overnight, paying bills on time, all of the time…
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A Guide to Financing Home Improvements and How Mortgage Refinancing Can Help

If you're planning to remodel or renovate your home in the near future - whether to provide a better living environment or as part of a house flip - you'll need to find a way to pay for your home improvements. There are several different possible sources of renovation money, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. One option that is gaining popularity is mortgage refinancing. How does mortgage refinancing work, and how does it compare to other renovation financing options? How can you use a mortgage refinance to get the most out of your renovation? Here's what you need…
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The Do’s and Don’ts of Getting Approved for a Mortgage Quickly

If you're ready to buy a home, getting approved for a mortgage is a critical step that you can't skip or rush. And although it may seem like the lenders can be a bit arbitrary in their approvals, there's actually a detailed set of criteria they look for when approving or denying an application. So how can you ensure your mortgage gets approved quickly and without any hassles? Here's what you need to know. Do: Have All Your Documents In Order Right Away Processing the paperwork on a mortgage approval is one of the most time-consuming parts of getting a…
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