Mortgage News
The latest real estate and mortgage industry news, digested. Look beyond the headlines to better understand what’s really happening.BoardRE Allows You to Go All Cash Even If You Need a Mortgage
A new startup by the name of “BoardRE” hopes to change the real estate game when it comes to all-cash home buyers and the rest of us. Even if you don’t have the necessary funds, you can still present yourself ... Read More »
A Startup Called ZeroDown Just Launched to Help Home Buyers Lease to Own
It’s starting to feel a little like 2006 again. Recently, we’ve seen mortgage lenders launching interest-only mortgages, 40-year mortgage terms, and now a company by the name of “ZeroDown” has launched in San Francisco. Before we worry that it’s the ... Read More »
Young Homeowners Are Having More Mortgage Regrets
While homeowners of all ages are mostly happy they purchased a property, younger borrowers seem to be regretting their mortgages more than the rest of the population. Per the semiannual survey titled, “Zillow Housing Aspirations Report,” Millennial and Generation Z ... Read More »
Redfin Direct: Buy a Redfin-Listed Home Without a Real Estate Agent
First Redfin brought us the 1% listing fee, which disrupted the traditional 2.5% to 3% listing agents charge(d) to sell a home. But that still meant the home seller was on the hook for 3.5% or so if they elected ... Read More »
Study: Open Houses Result in Faster, More Expensive Home Sales
Aside from tracking mud through your beautiful home, it turns out open houses actually lead to higher sales prices and less time on market, per a new analysis from Redfin. The real estate brokerage, which studied 2018 for-sale listings, noted ... Read More »
Zillow Home Loans Is Now Live
Following the announcement made last summer to acquire Mortgage Lenders of America, “Zillow Home Loans” is now officially open for business. The new division of Zillow, which is 300 employees strong and operating out of Overland, Kansas, complements the company’s ... Read More »
Chase Launches Free Biweekly Mortgage Payment Option
In an effort to make life a little easier for its mortgage customers, Chase has launched a new suite of “flexible automatic payments,” including a biweekly option. If you happen to have a home loan serviced by the banking giant, ... Read More »
2019 FHA Loan Limits Rise: Floor Climbs Above $300k
Following the release of the 2019 conforming loan limit, HUD announced the 2019 FHA loan limits, which like the former will move higher next year. Similar to conforming loans, FHA loans have loan amount limits set either at the floor, ... Read More »
2019 Conforming Loan Limit Will Be $484,350 for Mortgages Backed by Fannie and Freddie
As expected, the conforming loan limit for 2019 has increased thanks to an ongoing rise in property values, according to a news bulletin released by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) this morning. Beginning in 2019, the maximum loan amount ... Read More »
The Cash Out Refi Share Is Above 80%, But There’s a Catch
While it would appear that borrowers are using their homes as ATMs again, it’s a bit misleading. Yes, the share of home mortgage refinances that resulted in cash out rose above 80% in the third quarter, per Freddie Mac data, ... Read More »
