APM BLOG

Qualifying for first-time homebuyer programs may not be as hard as you think. These programs are designed to help qualified first-time homebuyers like you overcome common hurdles when buying a home. Those hurdles, of course, include saving for a down payment and the closing costs.

If you could use some assistance as a first-time homebuyer, this article is for you.

It’s easy to get tunnel vision when you’re building a new home and it’s nearing completion. You can practically feel that beautiful wooden banister and picture your shoe collection in that marvelous walk-in closet. These visions keep you going when your home is being built, but before you pack up those shoes, you want to make sure you understand the loan process, especially how your permanent loan finalizes. 

Let’s be real for a second: Mortgages are not cookie-cutter because borrowers are not all the same. There are, of course, some mortgage programs that can serve larger populations—hello, conventional mortgage and FHA loans—but there are plenty of people who aren’t accommodated by these programs for one reason or another.

Many people think of an existing single-family home when they think about homeownership or buying residential real estate. Purchases of this type of property are common, after all. But there are other residential real estate purchases that might be perfect for your lifestyle and/or financial situation. 

If you or a loved one have served your country and are now looking to buy a home, you may wonder if you qualify for a VA loan.

VA mortgage loans offer tons of benefits, like no down payment requirements, no private mortgage insurance (PMI) monthly payment, and flexible underwriting guidelines.

A temporary buydown is when a party in a mortgage transaction pays a lump sum in order to reduce the interest rate temporarily for early years of the loan. This can help a buyer ease into the full mortgage payment at the beginning of the loan term.

It is possible to obtain a conventional mortgage if you have a low down payment, but the trade-off is having to accept private mortgage insurance—also known as PMI. If you’re putting down less than 20% on your home, this article is for you!

Here’s the lowdown on PMI, when you need it, how to pay for it, and some ways you can avoid it altogether.

The mortgage process can be stressful … we know. Bank statements, credit scores, interest rates, loan estimates, closing disclosures, and more can really bog you down during the homebuying journey. That’s why we’re offering you a quick list of do’s and don’ts to help you cut through the noise and create a speedy mortgage process so you can focus on the fun stuff: finding your dream home!

Building a new home can bring about a ton of questions—you may be mulling over everything from picking a builder and finding a location to deciding on the specific features you want. And that’s to say nothing of the home’s financing. Unlike an existing home with a permanent mortgage, building a home typically requires a home construction loan—at least during the construction phase. Thankfully, our construction lending team has you covered! We’ve streamlined the construction home loan process so you know exactly what you’ll be dealing with.

Do you want to achieve the dream of homeownership but dread the looming down payment you’ll need? Figuring out how to come up with a down payment for a house can seem like a huge hurdle, especially for those with little to no savings.

We’ve all been spending a lot of time at home, but what happens when the home you love no longer meets all your needs? You may feel trapped in the home you have, but that’s not really the case. You do have a few options to consider.

Buying a home can be exciting. You know you want to buy a house, but where should you begin? The ideal place to begin the home buying process is with getting a pre-approval for a home loan.

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.

During the home buying process, one critical component to consider is your mortgage rate. Home loan interest rates vary widely from lender to lender. You might wonder if the lowest rate is the correct way to go; there are other factors to take into consideration besides an advertised rate. American Pacific Mortgage believes in giving you the tools you need to make educated decisions. We have compiled a list of tips to help give you confidence as you enter down the path of home ownership or refinancing a current home loan.

As you begin the process of achieving your homeownership dream and navigating the world of mortgages, you’ll come across a lot of terms that may be new to you. You’ll hear terms like “conventional loans”, “conforming loans”, “non-conforming loans” and “conforming loan limits” to name a few. We’re here to make these mortgage terms easy to understand and help you confidently consider and discuss your mortgage needs. Let’s talk about conforming loans and conforming loan limits - what do they mean to you? And where do conventional and non-conforming loans fit in?

You’re ready to take the next step toward homeownership, but want to stand out from the crowd of other buyers when it comes time to put your offer in on the home you’ve chosen. Your dream of homeownership is important to us at American Pacific Mortgage and we’re here to help set you apart from the competition with our Keys On Time loan program.

Is owning a home your dream? What has been keeping you from achieving that dream? Maybe you assume that your lower credit score will keep you renting for years. Maybe you have been turned down in the past for a home loan because your finances don’t “fit” the standard agency or jumbo program guidelines.

Do you enjoy watching Chip and Jo tear down the walls and turn messy homes into gorgeous ones on HGTV’s Fixer Upper? If you have the desire to demolish kitchen cabinets and create your own beautifully designed space, then our Dream Home Renovation program could be just what you need.