Mortgage Tips

This was the first category I created when this website was created in 2006.

And it’s really why I launched the site to begin with. To educate prospective home buyers and existing homeowners.

Simple guides and practical mortgage tips can help you better understand and prepare for the home loan process.

Same goes for answering mortgage questions and brushing up on the latest mortgage lingo.

Sometimes home buyers focus exclusively on the real estate piece while ignoring the home loan part.

This can result in some bad decisions when it comes to getting a mortgage. Or simply overpaying because of missteps (or a lack of shopping around!).

Learn how to get a mortgage, refinance an existing loan, and discover the many different loans programs available today.

You’re not financing a TV, or a car for that matter. It’s a big purchase and it deserves a lot more time and attention.

Arm yourself with knowledge early on and you’ll likely enjoy a better outcome.

2017 Mortgage and Real Estate Predictions

Well, another year has passed, and not just any year. Some have referred to 2016 as the worst year ever, though I’m a little more… Read More »2017 Mortgage and Real Estate Predictions

You may remember GMAC Bank, which was taken down by its fateful mortgage arm Residential Capital (ResCap) before eventually requiring a government bailout. It wasn’t… Read More »Ally Home Loans: Bank Now Offers Retail Mortgages to Its Customers

I typically refer to the 30-year fixed mortgage as a set-it-and-forget-it type of mortgage because it’s fixed for the entire duration of the loan. The… Read More »Is the 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Actually a Lot of Work?

Now that mortgage rates have jumped, it might be time to take a look at how you’re repaying your mortgage. Put simply, if your mortgage… Read More »Is Now the Time to Slow Down Mortgage Repayment?

A company called Plastiq enables consumers to make payments with their credit cards that might not otherwise be accepted by the recipient. One such example… Read More »Plastiq Lets You Charge the Mortgage for a Fee

Recently, I wrote about when the next housing crash might take place. For opportunists, it’s something to look forward to. For others, and frankly most… Read More »See Which Phase of the Housing Cycle Your City Is In

You may have heard that you can lower your monthly mortgage payment without refinancing via a “mortgage recast.” These two financial tools are quite different,… Read More »Mortgage Recasting 101: How It Works and What It Does

Over the years, we’ve learned that buying homes near certain types of businesses can boost the value quite substantially. For example, homes near Starbucks tend… Read More »Buy a Home in a Good School District Even If You Don’t Have or Want Kids

Let’s talk about real estate investment for a moment. A recent commentary from mortgage financier Freddie Mac revealed that those aged 54 and older control… Read More »Time Heals All Real Estate Wounds If You Let It

Look Familiar? This probably goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway because I recently received a very pressing letter in the post. It said… Read More »You Probably Shouldn’t Go with the Mortgage Lender That Sends You Junk Mail