The dreaded down payment. Whether you’re looking to fund the minimum down payment or put down more than the traditional 20%, this chunk of change can certainly be a challenge when you’re already looking at the purchase price, closing costs, and monthly payments on a new home.
Housing budgets are serious discussions because homes are serious investments. Home buyers expect to pay a down payment when buying a home. That amount can range based on qualification and the amount of assets available. Down payments start as low as 3% and can go as high as needed to get the payment at that comfort level.
There’s always a lot of back and forth when you buy a home. It’s called the negotiation process, and it’s one of the reasons you need a great realtor. Potential buyers want to secure the best sale price possible, while a seller wants to achieve their list price—if not more. Some sellers also want to sell as quickly as possible.
Two things can be really exciting and terrifying—buying a home and changing jobs.
Combine the two, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for stress…or do you? Many people assume that they can’t or shouldn’t buy a home if they’re in the middle of a career change.
Buying a house isn’t just about the sticker cost or the monthly payment. A large part of your housing budget will also be your down payment. If you’ve seen lender ads before, you know that this number can be all over the board.
It’s tough out there, we know. Today’s competitive housing market can keep you trapped in a vicious cycle: Find a terrific house, make an aggressive offer, get your hopes up, get outbid, start over. Rinse and repeat. Some of the biggest competitors for homes on the market today pay cash, which can make it tough when YOU don’t have cash to buy the home outright yourself.
Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, the housing market changes. Well, here’s the truth: No one has it all figured out. Being mortgage professionals, however, we do understand the ins and outs of the market and how today’s climate affects your homebuying ability and the mortgage process.
If you’re planning to finance your home, you need the support of an experienced and local mortgage loan officer. You’re probably aware that they’re the ones who collect all that tedious paperwork, but the value of a loan officer goes far beyond that during your home purchase.
We all know the drill: House-hunting is fun, but a mortgage application … not so much. Collecting tax returns, proof of income, bank statements, credit reports, pay stubs, and other documents just isn’t as exciting as attending an open house and visualizing your family inside those walls.
That’s okay, though: We’ll make applying for a mortgage simple so you can get back to the good stuff—securing your American dream!
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.
You know you want to purchase a home—and that is so exciting! We feel your energy, we really do. But before you start looking online or driving around neighborhoods in search of your dream home, you need to get your ducks in a row and prevent unpleasant surprises that can delay the lending process.
As exciting as it is to go house hunting, there can be some surprises along the way. Not all of these surprises are fun, and the last thing you want to do when buying a home is realize you can’t qualify for the loan amount.
Let’s be real for a second. Mortgages are not cookie-cutter because borrowers are not all the same. There are, of course, some 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.
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.
You’re thinking about selling your home, but you’re stuck on the age-old question: Are you going to list your home yourself, or are you going to use a listing agent?
Buying a home is one of the biggest, most important decisions you’ll make. After debating the pros and cons of homeownership—and there are many—you may have a whole new set of questions about hiring a real estate agent.
Real estate agents are a dime a dozen, right? While it’s true that buyer’s agents and seller’s agents are in no short supply, a good real estate agent is something to appreciate. So how do you know if they’re good, and—even better—how do you know if they’re good for you?
Can you buy a home without a buyer’s agent? Of course you can. Just like you can sell a home without a seller’s agent. Here’s the deal, though: Those decisions tend to cost you time, energy and, most of all, money!
Naturally, having a good credit score and making a down payment of 20% or more can help you secure the best interest rate, but there’s something else you can do to lower that rate even further. It’s called a mortgage rate buydown.
