Understanding the Difference Between a Mortgage Pre-qualification and a Pre-approval

December 3, 2014

If you’re in the market for a new home and you’ve been researching mortgages, you’ve likely come across the terms “pre-qualification” and “pre-approval”. While these terms are self-explanatory in some circumstances, they are quite different in regards to mortgage financing. In today’s blog post we’ll explain the difference between a mortgage pre-qualification and a pre-approval.

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How to Refinance Your Home

December 2, 2014

There is so much information out on the Internet that when it comes to refinancing homes it can be not only tricky to find the truth, but stressful. If you’re trusting your financial future to a random article off the Internet you might be in for some trouble. That’s why we’ve reached out to experts […]

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The LTV Ratio: How ‘Loan-to-Value’ Works and Why You Need to Understand This Ratio

December 2, 2014

Are you in the market for a new home? If you plan on using mortgage financing to buy your next home you’ve likely heard the phrase “loan-to-value” or the acronym “LTV” before. Let’s take a quick look at the loan-to-value ratio including why it’s important, how to calculate it and how it can affect your mortgage.

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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 1, 2014

December 1, 2014

Last week’s scheduled economic events were packed into Tuesday and Wednesday, but several housing-related reports were released including the Case-Shiller National and 10-and 20-City Home Price Indices for September, The FHFA House Price Index also for September, and New and Pending Home Sales for October.

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You Ask, We Answer: Should I Consider a Warranty when Buying a New Home?

November 28, 2014

In today’s blog post we’ll briefly explore home warranties including some of the pros and cons of buying one and how they differ from homeowner’s insurance.

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Case-Shiller Home Prices: Price Growth Slows in September

November 26, 2014

According to the Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, annual home price growth slipped to a seasonally-adjusted rate of 4.80 percent in September. This was 0.30 percent lower than August’s year-over-year reading of 5.10 percent.

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Buying a Home with a Mortgage? A Quick Guide to Closing Costs and What to Expect

November 25, 2014

Whether you’re just starting to shop for a new home or you’ve already found the perfect new house and you’re ready to submit an offer, if you’re taking out a mortgage loan to cover some of the home’s purchase price you should be aware of the various closing costs you may encounter.

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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – November 24, 2014

November 24, 2014

Last week’s scheduled economic news included the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, Housing Starts and Existing Home Sales. FOMC meeting minutes were released along with weekly Freddie Mac mortgage rates and weekly jobless claims.

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USDA Mortgages: Take Advantage of These Low-Rate Mortgage Loans to Buy a New Home

November 21, 2014

In today’s blog post we’ll introduce the USDA Rural Development Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program, explain the benefits of this mortgage program and how to determine if you qualify.

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FOMC Minutes: Economy Growing, Housing Lags

November 20, 2014

Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting held October 28 and 29 were released Wednesday. The report suggests that the U.S. economy continues to improve, although the annual inflation rate remains near 1.50 percent and short of the committee’s goal of 2.00 percent.

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