Terms of Use: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was established in 1965 to develop national policies and programs to address housing needs in the U.S. One of HUD's primary missions is to create a suitable living environment for all Americans by developing and improving the country's communities and enforcing fair housing laws. HUD helps people by administering a variety of programs that develop and support affordable housing. Specifically, HUD plays a large role in h  More...

Terms of Use: Pre-qualification is an informal way to see how much you may be able to borrow. You can be "pre-qualified" over the phone with no paperwork by telling a lender your income, your long-term debts, and how large a down payment you can afford. Without any obligation, this helps you arrive at a ballpark figure of the amount you may have available to spend on a house. Pre-approval is a lender's actual commitment to lend to you and carries much more weight with sellers than being pre-qual  More...

Terms of Use Making your home the most desirable possible does not have to cost a lot of money and can significantly increase the selling price of your home. Your Home's Exterior Your home's exterior is the first thing a potential buyer sees when visiting your home. The following tips will help you increase your home's curbside appeal and create a strong first impression to potential home buyers. Fence Replace missing slats, stakes and posts. Repair broken hinges and paint or  More...

Terms of Use: Your mortgage broker and loan officer are there to help you get the best mortgage possible for your specific needs and to make the process as convenient and hassle-free as possible. A good mortgage broker and loan officer should provide the following services: Assist you in selecting the best loan to meet your personal needs. This single decision can save you thousands of dollars throughout the years. Keep you informed of your loan status throughout the entire process. Keep y  More...

Terms of Use Contact the local chamber of commerce for promotional literature or talk to your real estate agent about welcome kits, maps, and other information. You may also want to visit the local library. It can be an excellent source for information on local events and resources, and the librarians will probably be able to answer many of the questions you have. To find the chamber nearest to you, click here .

Terms of Use Contact your lender directly to ensure that you are actually paying for PMI. If your principal balance is less than 80% of your last appraised value, request that your lender stop charging you for PMI. If your principal balance is more than 80% of your last appraised value, but you know that your home's current market value would cause you to be below the 80% threshold, get an appraisal and present the appraisal to your lender. Be aware that your lender does not have a cho  More...

Terms of Use: The LTV ratio is the amount of money you borrow compared with the lower of the price or appraised value of the home you are purchasing. Each loan has a specific LTV limit. For example: with a 95% LTV loan on a home priced at $50,000, you could borrow up to $47,500 (95% of $50,000), and would have to pay $2,500 as a down payment. The LTV ratio reflects the amount of equity borrowers have in their homes. The higher the LTV ratio, the less cash homebuyers are required to pay out o  More...

Terms of Use: PMI stands for Private Mortgage Insurance. PMI is an insurance policy taken out by a mortgage company to protect the lender in case you are unable to make your mortgage payments and the lender forecloses. However, PMI does nothing to protect you, the borrower. When you took out the loan to purchase your home, the lender added the cost of this insurance to your monthly payment unless you made at least a 20% down payment. Once you pay off enough of the loan to meet this 20% th  More...

Terms of Use The Whys: To save money when market rates are lower than what you are paying. To pay off non-deductible consumer debt using some of the equity built up in your home. To change your present adjustable mortgage to a fixed rate or vice versa. To get cash for home improvements, college education, second home purchases and personal investments. The Whens: If you are refinancing your mortgage for the reasons defined in 2-4 above, then it really comes down to understanding how much you w  More...

Terms of Use When you've found the home to buy, it's time to make an offer. You will prepare a written offer, also known as a binder, to be presented to the seller. Typically there are forms that are filled out to make a formal offer. But if there are parts of the form that you don't agree with or would like to change, you can often make modifications to the form. When working with a real estate professional, unless you have a buyer's agent, always remember that the agent w  More...