Mortgage Rates
Many people believe that interest rates are simply set by lenders, but the reality is that mortgage rates are largely determined by what is known as the Secondary Market. The secondary market is comprised of investors who buy the loans made by banks, brokers, lenders,...
Mortgage Rates
The difference between APR and actual note rate is very confusing, especially for First-Time Home Buyers who haven’t been through the entire closing process before. When shopping for a new mortgage loan, you may notice an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) advertised...
Mortgage Rates
Timing the market for the best possible opportunity to lock a mortgage rate on a new loan is certainly a challenge, even for the professionals. While there are several generic interest rate trend indicators online, the difference between what’s advertised and...
Home Buying Process
Short sales, foreclosures and new construction homes all have caveats that need to be considered when pursuing financing. If the guidelines and potential pitfalls are not properly understood, you could face delays in closing or potentially even a denied loan. Short...
Home Buying Process
Congratulations on finding a house! You now have only a few days from when you signed the purchase and sales agreement to have a home inspection. Chances are your real estate agent made the offer contingent upon a satisfactorily home inspection and obtaining mortgage...
Home Buying Process
Buying a new home is literally a team sport since there are so many tasks, important timelines, documents and responsibilities that all need special care and attention. Besides working with a professional team that you trust, it’s important that the individual...
Home Buying Process
A Home Owner Association (HOA) can have a huge impact on your life when you buy a home in a PUD (Planned Unit Development) or Condominium Project. According to Wikipedia: A homeowners’ association (abbrev. HOA) is an organization created by a real estate...
Real Estate Appraisals
It’s obviously easier to picture the process of estimating value on an existing property in a neighborhood that has a history of home sales, but the task of determining the value on new construction projects does pose some challenges. Appraisals on homes that...
Real Estate Appraisals
During periods of economic growth, when home values are typically just going up, most homeowners do not question appraisals much. And in times of turmoil when property values are declining, home sellers and even listing agents quite often question and pick apart...
Mortgage Closing Process
What the heck are they talking about? Many borrowers go through the closing process in a haze, nodding, smiling, and signing through a bunch of noise that sounds like Greek. Even though you may have put your trust in your real estate and mortgage team, it helps to...
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