There are times to DIY (do it yourself), and there are times to call in an expert. Buying a home is not the time to try your hand at real estate negotiations. Can you buy a home without an agent? Of course you can—just as you can sell a home without an agent—but those decisions tend to cost you in time, energy and, most of all, money!
Getting into debt can be fun for a moment (hello, last-minute trip to Cabo!), but that debt hangover will last long after those margaritas have made their way out of your system. Once your splurge is over, you’re left with a long-term debt obligation that may grow ever larger, thanks to compounding interest.
Let’s face it, debt is the pied piper that demands you sacrifice current and future wants and needs for past spending. It can also prevent you from achieving your goals if this debt hurts your credit score or results in a high debt-to-income ratio, making it harder to borrow more money.
So, nip that obligation in the bud and get that piper off your back by managing debt effectively.
There are so many VA home loan benefits that make this the ideal lending vehicle for service members, veterans, and surviving spouses. But you can’t use these benefits to buy a home if you don’t understand what they are—or who qualifies for them.
So let’s get right to it.
As an active-duty service member, veteran, or surviving spouse of a veteran, you’ve made your country proud and, now, we hope to do the same for you. That’s why American Pacific Mortgage is honored to work with you to obtain affordable VA loans that can help our service members and their families achieve their American Dream.
You’d love to own a vacation home (who wouldn’t?!) but you’re not sure if you can afford it, or even qualify, on your own. Buying a vacation home with family can be the best of both worlds: you get the option—and prestige—of owning a second home, but you only have to pay a fraction of the costs.
Sounds like a dream come true, right? Buying a home with family can be, but that all depends. There are many factors to consider before you plunk down your hard-earned cash, sign those documents, and show up to your new vacation home…only to find your sister’s car in the driveway.
You have your primary residence, but you’re thinking about buying a second home. Congrats! Being in a position to purchase another residence is a major accomplishment, and you should be proud of that.
The first thing you’ll want to do after celebrating your awesomeness is determine the function of this home. There are second homes that are exactly that—additional dwellings regularly used by you and your family. Then there are investment properties that are purchased with the explicit intent of renting them out as a source of income.
The American Dream is not one size fits all. For some borrowers, their goal includes owning a second home where their family can vacation while the asset builds equity. Whether that vacation home is a cabin in the mountains or a condo on the beach, this can be a totally attainable goal—as long as you understand the process of qualifying for a second home loan.
Identifying your dream home is an important step in the homebuying process – but you’ve still got to close the deal! Putting in an offer on a home can be nerve-racking. After all, once your offer is submitted, it’s out of your hands and up to the seller. This is why you should do everything possible beforehand to ensure your offer stands out from the rest and looks as attractive as possible to the owner.
You’ve been amazing in your dedication to helping our country and communities as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. While we know your job is far from over, we want to show our appreciation by offering front-line medical professionals a mortgage discount that puts a little more money back into their pockets.
We’re all searching for a little certainty nowadays. At a time when it seems like everything is changing, you can at least buy yourself a little peace of mind in the homebuying process by getting pre-approved.
You know you want to sell your home. The only issue left to decide now is whether you sell it yourself or enlist a real estate agent to help you. This is always an important decision…but it’s even more so in the current pandemic. The logistics of selling a home today are multiplied as health and security have become even bigger priorities.
There may be no greater example of multi-tasking than when you’re buying and selling a home simultaneously. It can feel like you went from 0 to 100 in no time flat! Whether you’re chomping at the bit to get settled into your new home or ecstatic about the price you secured for your current home, we know you have plenty of activity to go around.
Just when, exactly, is it the right time to buy? That’s the million-dollar question! While no one can definitively answer that for you, there are a few facts you should take into consideration that may provide you with more clarity.
Life may not be completely back to normal, but many cities are reopening businesses and services as we emerge from quarantine orders caused by COVID-19. Returning to work and to the office will also give Americans a better sense of what their finances may look like in the near term.
The monthly payment and duration of your loan can vary widely. These terms are influenced by a few factors, including the type of loan you choose, interest rates and the size of your down payment. You may not be able to control interest rates, but you definitely play a role in your financial future by choosing which loan works best for your situation – and much of that starts with the down payment.
Getting ready to buy a home is the beginning of an exciting journey! Once you’ve found your dream home and you’re ready to buy, how do you decide what type of mortgage loan fits your needs? Should it be a fixed rate loan, adjustable loan, FHA loan, or something else?
Many young, single, career-focused, and financially savvy adults are realizing that buying a home is the right decision for their personal and financial goals. In fact, more than 90% of Americans believe homeownership is the first step on the road to wealth. And the U.S. government agrees. The Department of Housing and Urban Development promotes homeownership to people from all economic backgrounds, because homeownership is an important means of wealth accumulation.
Buying a home is undoubtedly one of the most difficult decisions you’ll make. After debating the pros and cons of homeownership -- and there are many -- you’ll have a whole new set of questions that will keep you up at night. Yes, you’ll have tons of question to ask of your real estate professional. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a knowledgeable, credible agent with lots of experience who may even answer those late-night questions before you tap snooze the next morning. Hiring a realtor that fits your expectations is imperative to the home-buying process. So, where do you start?