Should I Pay Back Debt or Start Saving?
To pay back debt, or start saving: that is the question. Common advice and some simple math will probably lead you to believe that paying off debt is always the best option; however, this might not always be the case. Generally, there are two common positions...
Renting vs Buying: What’s Better for You?
Renting vs Buying ... When it comes to deciding whether to buy or rent, everyone seems to have a different opinion. Obviously, there are many factors to consider when deciding to purchase or rent a home, but ceteris paribus, is one option better than the...
Put More Money in Your Piggy Bank with a Piggyback or LPMI Loan
If you haven’t done any research on the mortgage process, private mortgage insurance (PMI) has no meaning to you. PMI is required on all loans that have less than 20% down. The insurance is a safety net for the lender in case you are unable...
Understanding Hidden Costs of Homeownership
By no means should this article discourage you from homeownership. In fact, in the vast majority of the country, buying a home is actually cheaper than renting one. However, it’s important that new homeowners are well educated on some of the “hidden” costs of homeownership....
Top 10 Benefits of VA Loans for Veterans and Active-Duty Members
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 21 million veterans and service members live in the U.S. today but only about six percent of have purchased a home using a VA home loan in the past five years. Because there is such a surprisingly...
How and When Do I Refinance My Home?
If you’re considering a home refinance, you might find yourself drowning in questions: What are the risks of loan refinancing? How does my credit score affect the refinancing process? What does it even mean to refinance a home? Simply put, refinancing means replacing your current mortgage with...
Clearing Misconceptions: Understanding VA Mortgage Loans
The VA mortgage loan is a program designed to help veterans, active duty military members, and their families purchase a home without having to deal with as many bureaucratic guidelines and requirements. However, there are a few VA loans misconceptions about the program that often...
Exploring Mortgage Options for Medical Professionals
Like many college graduates, medical students are buried in debt. In fact, the Association of American Medical Colleges reports that physicians leave school with a staggering average of $189,165 in the red. While student loan debt may not “directly affect” your chances of getting approved for a mortgage,...
Could the Theft of Equifax Data Affect My Mortgage Application or Existing Mortgage?
Much of how the Equifax data breach actually happened is still unknown. What is known however, is that this cyber-attack has the potential to cause potential and current homeowners some serious headaches. According to the Federal Trade Commission, 143 million American consumers had their personal...
What Should I Do To Prepare My Yard For Winter?
I’m sorry to say it, but fall and winter are upon us again. There are some great elements to autumn, though. All the pumpkin spice addicts can come out of the wood work, Halloween and Thanksgiving are nearly back to back, and yard work finally...