03 Apr 2020
By noelkelman

The Department Of Veterans Affairs Is Allowing Drive-by Appraisals Because Of COVID-19

Mortgage, ,
The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic has impacted every industry across the country. Many people are being asked to shelter in place and everyone has been asked to practice social distancing to try to curtail the spread of this deadly virus. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has asked both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to make some changes in the manner they conduct property appraisals and employment verification. Shortly after the move by the FHFA, The Veteran's Administration (VA) and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) followed suit by relaxing property appraisal requirements. Due to the unusual circumstances that are facing the country…
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01 Apr 2020
By noelkelman

Building An Emergency Fund During An Emergency

Mortgage, ,
By now, it should be apparent that this COVID-19 (Corona-virus) pandemic is going to be here for several months. It is already causing the market to plummet and is disrupting jobs all over the country. Many people who work as hourly employees (or are independent contractors) are starting to suffer. As people's budgets start to feel the squeeze, this is exactly the time that people should be relying on an emergency fund; however, for those who don't have one, it is time to start saving. How To Create An Emergency Fund Even though cash assistance from the government might be…
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31 Mar 2020
By noelkelman

How To Retain Your Sanity While Working From Home

Mortgage, ,
There are a lot of people who enjoy working from home; however, with the COVID-19 pandemic, many people who are not used to working from home are forced into this new arrangement. It can be hard for individuals o stay focused when they are stuck in the environment at home. Particularly if the kids are home from school, it is easy to get distracted. Fortunately, there are a few ways people can retain their sanity as they work from home. Get Into A Routine One of the first steps people need to follow is to find a routine. It can…
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26 Mar 2020
By noelkelman

Home Improvement Projects For The Quarantined

Mortgage, ,
If you have paid attention to the news recently, you have probably heard about the coronavirus pandemic which also goes by the name COVID-19. Those who are exposed to the virus might be asked to place themselves in quarantine. Some states have even told their residents to shelter in place. While this infection has forced everyone to change the way they live their lives, there are still some home improvement projects you can tackle during quarantine to put your free time to use. Jump On Spring Cleaning One of the first home improvement projects people need to tackle is spring…
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24 Mar 2020
By noelkelman

Home Sales Are Spiking, Driven By Low Mortgage Rates

Mortgage, ,
According to data from the National Association of Realtors, existing-home sales increased by 3.6% in December 2019. That pace is the strongest month-over-month in almost two years, since February 2018. The sales figures were also up 10.8% from what they were in December 2018. What's behind this uptick? The biggest factor driving the surge in home sales is historically low mortgage interest rates.  Plummeting Rates During the last week of February 2020, mortgage rates fell to their lowest in three years and were hovering - just barely - above all-time lows. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was sitting at 3.45%, almost…
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20 Mar 2020
By noelkelman

Paying Rent And Mortgages With A Credit Card

Mortgage, ,
When people purchase a house, they usually set up their mortgage payments as a direct draft out of a checking account. The same is typically true of rent payments; however, many people have wondered if there was another way to pay rent or mortgage. After all, there are credit cards out there that have fantastic rewards. It would be great to take advantage of these rewards by placing rent and mortgage payments on a card. Sadly, there is no way to pay rent or mortgage with a credit card without a fee. There are bank interchange fees that would lead…
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19 Mar 2020
By noelkelman

More Than 25% Of Millennial Homebuyers May Be Financially Unprepared

Mortgage, ,
Millennials are the first generation in America that will probably not be able to do as well as their parents. In the United States, there is not as much upward mobility as there was in the past. What is the cause of this? CNN reports that Millennials have more college degrees than their parents. They also have an enormous amount of student loan debt. Many millennials have lower-paying jobs than their parents had at the same age when adjusted for inflation. Spending patterns changed as well, due to the high cost of living. Finding The Money Saving is not easy.…
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12 Mar 2020
By noelkelman

The Long-Term Toll Of College Costs

Mortgage, ,
Taking out enormous student loans to get a college degree may be a terrible idea for some. The burden of paying off this debt can make it far more challenging to do other important things like buying a home. Here are some common problems that come from taking out large student loans: Not Worth It: The college degree may not help you land a high-paying job. Even high-paying jobs like being a dentist have extremely high educational costs as well. Aspiring dentists borrow, on average, over $500,000 to go to dental school and spend multiple decades paying it back. Tuition…
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