Homebuying

Mortgage terminology If you’re thinking about buying a new home, you may be confused by all the mortgage lingo you hear. Before you go house hunting, you’ll first need to know how much home you can finance. When you start the home loan process, you’ll come across terms like pre-qualified and pre-approved, often used interchangeably, […]

Introduction When it comes to mortgage loans, think of interest rates as the celebrities, because they’re the ones that grab all the headlines! The real story is that many factors influence both the amount of your mortgage and your monthly payment, including the price of the home, the amount you’re borrowing, your down payment, and,

Back to basics: what is a mortgage? For most everyday purchases, you pay the sales price in full, and you then own the good outright. Because real estate purchases are so much larger, most people need a mortgage loan to pay for them. With a mortgage loan, you pay for part of the purchase up

What is credit? Simply put: Your credit is your ability to borrow money with the agreement that you’ll pay it back over time, usually with interest, by an agreed-upon date. If you can’t pay cash for something at the time of purchase, you’ll need to use credit. Typical examples of things you may purchase on

3 questions to ask yourself as you consider renting vs buying Should I rent or buy? This is a question you may be asking yourself as your lease is coming up for renewal. Or, maybe, you’ve been perusing homes in your area for a while. Renting offers flexibility and a relatively maintenance-free lifestyle, among other

What to expect during closing? You’ve made it to the fourth, and final installment of Your First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide. In this section, we will cover the home stretch of your homebuying experience, “closing,” as shared in Your First Home (Second Edition), written by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. Even though the final stage of the homebuying

Introduction Welcome to Your First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide, Part Three! If you’ve completed parts one and two of the series, you’re practically a first-time homebuyer pro as we’ve covered a lot, including: financing, how to find your home, partner with a real estate agent, and more. In the third installment of this series, we’ll continue to add to your homebuying

Introduction As shared in the second edition of Your First Home, written by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan: “Buying a home is a big decision – particularly your first home – but it is one of the best choices anyone can make. It’s a place that is entirely your own. Something you can paint, renovate, and

Introduction In First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide (Part One) we covered key elements such as deciding to buy, finding your agent and securing financing. In part two, we will explore three more components of the first-time homebuying experience so you can embark on it with ease and confidence. Each magnificent tip below is brought to you courtesy