One Additional Mortgage Payment a Year There's a simple trick to significantly reduce the length of your mortgage and save you thousands of dollars. The trick is to make one extra mortgage payment a year and apply that payment toward your loan's principal. This is the method being used by "Bi-Weekly Mortgage Reduction Services" and "Bi-Weekly [...]
Things to avoid before buying a home Many new homebuyers make the mistake of rushing out to buy things to fill their home with as soon as the seller accepts their purchase offer and the lender pre-approves their loan. But there are still a few major hurdles to overcome before the keys are handed out. [...]
We should say that "working with us" is the first way! When you let us help you find the loan that's right for you, you truly are taking advantage of some of the area's best technology and expertise to get you a loan decision and funding on your loan quickly.But here are five "other" ways [...]
What are the advantages of fixed rate versus adjustable rate loans? With a fixed-rate loan, your monthly payment of principal and interest never change for the life of your loan. Your property taxes may go up and so might your homeowner's insurance premium part of your monthly payment, but generally with a fixed-rate loan your payment will [...]
Should you talk to a mortgage professional before house hunting? Absolutely! Even if you haven't so much as picked out houses to visit yet, it's important to see your mortgage professional first. Why? What can we do for you if you haven't negotiated a price, and don't know yet how much you want to borrow? [...]
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ABSORPTION RATE Back to top The ratio of the number of properties in an area that have been sold against the number available. Used to show the volatility of a market. ABSTRACTION METHOD Back to top This method of estimating the value of property uses similar properties available in the same market to extract the value [...]
To finalize the sale of the home a neutral, third party (the escrow holder, a.k.a. escrow agent) is engaged to assure the transaction will close properly and on time. The escrow holder insures that all terms and conditions of the seller's and buyer's agreement are met prior to the sale being finalized, including receiving funds [...]
Homeowner's Insurance This insurance covers replacement costs for damages caused by fire, wind or other disaster that might affect the value of the property. Typically, the insurance also includes personal liability and theft coverage. Flood or Quake Insurance Additional hazard insurance coverage that is required for homes located in a designated hazard zone as established [...]
Property Taxes This is the one closing cost that is often prorated between the buyer and seller. If the seller has already paid the annual property taxes, the buyer typically reimburses the seller for the period in which the buyer will be occupying the property. Likewise, if the taxes have not yet been paid, the [...]
Loan Origination Fee This covers the administrative expenses in setting-up and processing the loan. The loan origination fee may be a percentage of the mortgage amount.Points (optional) An option for the home buyer is to pay points to lower the interest rate at which the loan will be repaid. Each point equals 1 percent of [...]