One of the obstacles that keeps first-time homebuyers out of the housing market is the misconception that they need to have a 20% down payment.
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Snoop a Little. Find Your Next Home.
If you're planning to buy a home in a certain neighborhood—perhaps your own?—you can limit your search to online listings. Or you can rethink your strategy and become an amateur detective, locating homes that aren't yet for sale, but may go on the market in a month or two. Here are clues that tell you that a property may be for sale soon. If you're lucky, you may be first in line to discuss a purchase.
When it comes to investments, many people say it’s all about timing. While that’s good advice in theory, there’s simply no way to time the market if you’re purchasing a sizable investment like buying a house. In a perfect world, interest rates and prices would both be low—and this does happen, but not very frequently.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is held each year from September 15 to October 15, celebrating the culture and significant contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans.
At APM, we use this as an opportunity to learn more about our APM Family and what their history, culture, and heritage means to them.
High interest credit card debt can suck the life out of anyone. Paying off your credit card debt at today’s high interest rates can also take major sacrifice—but it doesn’t have to. Not if you’re a homeowner, anyway.
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Tell Your Home It's Payback Time With a HELOC
Even if you bought your home recently, property prices may have boosted your amount of home equity. This is because equity is comprised of two numbers: the amount of your mortgage you've repaid, plus any rise in appraised value. If you have over 20% equity in your home, you may be able to tap into your investment with a home equity line of credit (HELOC).
It’s no fun to have a lot of debt hanging over your head. It’s even less fun when that balance is large enough to keep you from doing the things you want to do and achieving the dreams you’ve always had.
It’s easy to get caught up in the fun of house hunting, but you also need to keep your eyes open for warning signs that the home you’re considering might not be a safe, sound, dependable dwelling.
Thankfully, you can easily spot major red flags. You just have to know what to look for, have the right people on your side (hello, structural engineer, home inspector, real estate agents, and your trusted licensed pest inspector!), and go into your purchase with your eyes wide open.
Sometimes, we get by with a little help from our friends…or family.
There are many reasons someone may need help to qualify for a mortgage. They may just be starting out and haven’t established a good credit history yet. Or perhaps they’re just getting out of a tough financial situation that they’re turning around.
Most people understand that owning real estate can be a great investment. What they may not realize is that this investment can begin to pay off while you still own the home!
Tuition, books, transportation, room and board…the cost of college adds up fast. At first glance, then, it may seem crazy to consider buying a home for a college student, but is it?
A debt consolidation refinance may let you kill two birds with one stone. It can allow you to achieve a lower interest rate on your debt while streamlining all your monthly payments into one. You’ll essentially consolidate debt obligations and roll them into your mortgage, but at a much lower interest rate. The result is a single payment at a lower interest rate: your monthly mortgage payment.
Investing in real estate can be an amazing experience—and a great way to earn passive income while someone else (or a bunch of other people) pays your monthly mortgage. Home-share platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, and other vacation rental websites have made it even easier for those who want to market their investment properties as short-term rental property.
The American dream is not one size fits all. Some borrowers want to purchase a second home where their family can vacation for part of the year. Buying property as a second home could mean a cabin in the mountains, a beachside bungalow, or anything in between.
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Want To Buy a Home Now? Consider These Strategies.
Whether you're a first-time or move-up home buyer, you may be considering postponing a purchase if your area's affected by climbing home prices. Or you may be balking at today's mortgage interest rates (more about those later in this newsletter).
Buying an investment property can be one of the keys to financial freedom and generational wealth. Whether you want to enjoy rental income, tax benefits, or both, owning an investment property can help you achieve your long-term goals in less time.
You own your primary residence, but you’re thinking about buying a second home. Congrats! Being in a financial position to make that kind of real estate investment is a major accomplishment, and you should be proud of that.
The 4th of July is coming up, celebrating the ratification of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Are you looking for fun, unique activities for your Independence Day celebration this year?
You know all about fireworks shows and barbecues, so we won’t waste your time with those—but more power to you if you plan to partake! If you’re looking for even more ways to celebrate freedom while embracing the historic nature of this federal holiday, we’ve got you covered.
