The New Year is full of new goals. For many, planning to buy a house is one of them—and who could blame them? With interest rates teetering at historic lows, the door for many borrowers has been opened, and these rates have provided some borrowers the opportunity to increase their price range.

If you’re ready to get the process started to ensure you’ve got all your ducks in a row when it comes time to pull the trigger and submit an offer on a house, APM is here to help with planning tips for buying a home in the new year.

Interest rates are one of the biggest factors that can influence your homebuying process. This little—or big—number can dictate how much house you can afford . . . and if you can afford to buy a house at all. With so much riding on this figure, it’s important to understand what determines interest rates.

Now, we know what you’re thinking: I know what determines interest rates. My credit score and the size of my down payment! And you would be correct on that, to some degree. While credit score and down payment are two factors that may impact the exact mortgage interest rate offered to you, there are larger interest rate factors at play that determine where these published rates will land day in and day out.

Though you may not know it, there are five surprising factors that can influence mortgage interest rates.

You’ve submitted all your financial documents, completed your paperwork and secured your new home loan or refinance. Pop some champagne and celebrate all that you have accomplished! Though this may feel like the end, it’s actually just a stop on your homeownership journey. 

Is it smart to pay off your mortgage early? It certainly can be, in certain situations. In other scenarios, it may make more sense to put that money to work elsewhere, or to keep it in the bank. 

The path to homeownership is right in front of you – you just need to take the first step of qualifying for a home loan! Luckily, our trusted loan advisors can help you with this. The steps to qualify for a home loan can be easily simplified once you have a reliable partner in your corner.

As you make the decision to move forward on your homeownership journey, you may be wondering about all of the costs involved in purchasing a home. In addition to your down payment, you will also need to plan for closing costs.

Getting your ducks in a row when applying for a mortgage can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! Lenders, underwriters and APM are here to help you determine what type of loan, including size, duration and other terms, are right for you.

It’s not feasible for most people to snap their fingers and – poof! – a 20 percent down payment appears. For some, saving for a down payment can be a long-term process. While there are many down payment assistance programs and loan options that can make the down payment a little easier to swallow, there are also a few habits you can implement to quickly save for a down payment.

Down payments are one of the most daunting parts of the homebuying process. We all know, it’s a lot of money! Thankfully, you don’t necessarily have to drain your savings to come up with the sum. There are a few other ways to secure a down payment, including gift funds, grants and down payment assistance.

Budgets are like diets…they’re difficult to stick to! Much like diets, however, putting in the hard work and short-term sacrifices can yield amazing results. Every penny counts when you’re working toward a home purchase – and that doesn’t stop once your budget is created.

Have you been thinking about purchasing a home sometime this year? As you prepare for that exciting journey, you’ll want to check your credit score. Your credit score, often referred to as your FICO® score, is calculated using your credit history on file with the credit reporting agencies. No matter what your score is, you can work on boosting it by following a few simple tips.

Now that the holidays are behind us, it’s time for many to start budgeting to purchase a home this year. Here are a few tips to get your budget on track and get you on the road to home ownership.

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.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced an increase in the baseline conforming loan limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans in 2020. For most of the U.S. the limits have been increased to $510,400, up from the 2019 limit of $484,350 for one-unit properties.

For some higher cost areas, the limit has been increased further, to a maximum of $765,600. This varies by county, and a full list of counties with corresponding limits can be accessed on the FHFA website here.

Special statutory provisions establish different loan limit calculations for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  In these areas, the baseline loan limit will be $765,600 for one-unit properties.

One of the most important factors which determines your home loan qualifications and rate is your credit score. If you are at the beginning of the home buying process, it’s important to understand how your credit score can impact your ability to get a mortgage loan, as well as the interest rates you may be offered. Understanding your credit is one of the first steps you will take to becoming a home buyer, so let’s get started.

How much do you have saved for a down payment on a home? For many would-be homebuyers, saving up enough funds to cover a down payment and closing costs often feels like a monumental task. Luckily, you may be able to purchase a home with far less money down than you thought.

Student loans can pose problems for many first-time home buyers trying to qualify for a home loan. This isn’t a news flash for most of us with student loan debt, but it also doesn’t have to mean the end of the road for the dream of homeownership.