Mortgage Tips

This was the first category I created when this website was created in 2006.

And it’s really why I launched the site to begin with. To educate prospective home buyers and existing homeowners.

Simple guides and practical mortgage tips can help you better understand and prepare for the home loan process.

Same goes for answering mortgage questions and brushing up on the latest mortgage lingo.

Sometimes home buyers focus exclusively on the real estate piece while ignoring the home loan part.

This can result in some bad decisions when it comes to getting a mortgage. Or simply overpaying because of missteps (or a lack of shopping around!).

Learn how to get a mortgage, refinance an existing loan, and discover the many different loans programs available today.

You’re not financing a TV, or a car for that matter. It’s a big purchase and it deserves a lot more time and attention.

Arm yourself with knowledge early on and you’ll likely enjoy a better outcome.

Why You Might Want to Skip the Starter Home

Some 45 million Americans are expected to reach the typical first-time home buyer age in the next decade, which is a fresh 34 years old.… Read More »Why You Might Want to Skip the Starter Home

More fun and exciting mortgage Q&A: “What does a monthly mortgage payment consist of?” Have you ever been curious what you’re paying each month to… Read More »PITI: Find Out All That Goes Into Your Mortgage Payment

In yet another effort to push mortgage lending firmly into the 21st century, loanDepot has debuted its proprietary “mello smartloan” technology, an end-to-end digital mortgage… Read More »loanDepot’s Mello Smartloan Can Shorten Mortgage Closing to Just 8 Days

It’s that time again when we fret about the viability of the 30-year fixed mortgage. This last occurred in 2014 when Dick Bove warned that… Read More »Is the 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Going Extinct?

There have been a lot of unpleasant headlines regarding the state of the real estate market lately. Earlier this week, Redfin noted that only 1… Read More »Is the Real Estate Market Going to Crash in 2019?

Buying your first home can be pretty nerve-wracking. Regardless of what you pay, whether it seems like a little or a lot, there are going… Read More »What Is a Good Price for a First-Time Home Buyer?

As home prices continue to flirt with record highs nationwide, the cost of property taxes and hazard insurance can be the tipping point. For example,… Read More »The Cost of Property Taxes and Hazard Insurance

Getting a mortgage can be pretty exciting, especially if it’s your first time. It can also be a very daunting process fraught with the potential… Read More »15 Things to Do After Your Mortgage Funds Besides Buy New Furniture

If you’ve been doing some mortgage shopping/research lately and happened to come across the phrase “non-conforming loan,” you might have some questions. At first glance,… Read More »What Is a Non-Conforming Mortgage Loan? And How Does It Affect You?

Just like that another year has passed, well almost, so it’s time once again to look forward to what the next 365 days might bring.… Read More »2019 Mortgage Rate Forecast: We Could Be in for a Big Surprise