The major problem that the vast majority of buyers will run into - especially when purchasing their first home - has to do with a lease agreement that is still active with their apartment complex at the time of the purchase. If you locate the perfect home in February but your lease isn't over until August, you can't be expected to wait around. But at the same time, the remainder of that lease agreement could represent thousands of dollars that you'll be paying to essentially "live" in two different places at the same time. Luckily, all hope is not lost. There are a variety of steps that you can take to help mitigate your remaining financial risk at your apartment as much as possible. … [Continue Reading...]
Last week’s economic reporting included readings on sales of previously-owned homes, the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s most recent Federal Open Market Committee meeting, and weekly readings on average mortgage rates and jobless claims. Federal Reserve leaders raise key interest rate range The Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve raised the Fed’s key interest rate range by 25 basis points to 4.50 to 4.75 percent. Fed officials cautioned that failure to ease inflationary pressure by raising interest rates could lead to inflation remaining higher than the Fed’s target inflation pace of two percent per year. In other matters, the minutes of the … [Continue Reading...]
Buying a house can be expensive, and it can take a long time to save up money for a down payment; however, it might be time for you to stop renting and buy your own place. What are some of the top reasons why it might be time to put down some roots? Your Rent Is Going Up The reality is that your rent will go up with time. Every time you renew your lease, it can be frustrating to see that rent check continue to increase. If you are tired of your rent going up, get a mortgage. You could lock in the same payment for 30 years. You Are Going To Stay Put For A While Are you planning on staying put for a while? If so, you don't have to worry about buying a selling a house too quickly. Go ahead and … [Continue Reading...]
When you are purchasing a home, your lender may recommend you obtain a mortgage pre-approval before you find the home of your dreams. There are some benefits to being pre-approved before you find a home, but oftentimes, people confuse pre-qualifications with pre-approvals.
So the question many buyers have is what exactly is a mortgage pre-approval? In a nutshell, it's when the lender provides you (the buyer) with a letter stating that your mortgage will be granted up to a specific dollar amount.
What Do I Need For Pre-Approval?
In order to obtain a pre-approval for your home purchase, you will have to provide your lender all of the same information you would need to show for qualifying … [Continue Reading...]
Do you want to purchase a house? If you cannot pay cash for your house, you will need to apply for a mortgage. A mortgage loan originator can help you find the right mortgage to meet your needs. What are some of the job duties of a mortgage loan originator, and how can they help you with the financing process? Provide You With a Budget The house-hunting process can be exciting, but it can also be a bit stressful. How do you know if you can afford your dream house? This is one of the first jobs of a mortgage loan originator. A mortgage loan originator can help you review your financial statements and provide you with a limit against which you can borrow. Now that you know exactly how much … [Continue Reading...]
Last week’s economic news included readings on housing markets, inflation, retail sales, and data on housing starts and building permits issued. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also published. NAHB: Homebuilder sentiment improves in February The National Association of Home Builders reported higher builder confidence in current U.S. housing market conditions with an index reading of 42 for February; Analysts expected a reading of 37 and January’s reading was 35. NAHB index readings over 50 indicate that most home builders have a positive view of housing market conditions. Factors influencing positive builder sentiment included lower mortgage rates and … [Continue Reading...]
