As a homeowner myself, I can tell you that your home isn't a stationary object - it's a living thing that always seems to need attention and maintenance to stay healthy. Sadly, the money needed to keep up with your home isn't always readily available. However, if you are looking … [Read more...] about Mortgages and Maintenance
Mortgages
It’s a Good Time To Buy
If you ask me, this is a good time to buy a home providing you can afford it. If we've learned anything about the current disaster in the home-buying market, it's that buying a home you can't afford inevitably leads to disaster. And in this case, the disaster is not only in the … [Read more...] about It’s a Good Time To Buy
The Story This Past Month
For those of you who like me are visual, I'm posting a simple graph that shows what the mortgage backed securities have done since May 12. They hit their low point on May 14. Don't forget, rates move inversely with the price of the security so you can see how dramatically they … [Read more...] about The Story This Past Month
Anticipating Settlement Costs
For first-time home buyers, all the fees and extra costs beyond what they are paying for their new house may come as a shock. So it's best to know about them upfront to avoid being caught off guard. One of the most common questions asked is, "Do I pay the realtor?" And the answer … [Read more...] about Anticipating Settlement Costs
Properly Conducting a Closing
No venture will run smooth without proper preparation and when it comes to something as critically important as a real estate closing, would you want the closing to come off anything less than smooth? More than likely, you would probably prefer that all goes well with the closing … [Read more...] about Properly Conducting a Closing
What Do the New Appraisal Guidelines Mean to You?
I've been talking about the new appraisal guidelines and what a problem it will be for those who want to refinance. In a nutshell, the mortgage originator will not be allowed to have any contact with the appraiser. This means that the person determining the value of your home … [Read more...] about What Do the New Appraisal Guidelines Mean to You?
