Congratulations on finding a house! You now have ten (10) days from when you signed the purchase and sales agreement to have a home inspection. Chances are your real estate agent made the offer contingent upon a satisfactorily home inspection and obtaining mortgage financing. What Is A Home Inspection? According to Wikipedia, a home inspection […]
Important Factors To Consider When Getting Financing On A Foreclosure, Short Sale or New Construction
Short sales, foreclosures and new construction homes all have caveats that need to be considered when pursuing financing. If the guidelines and potential pitfalls are not properly understood, you could face delays in closing or potentially even a denied loan. Short Sales & Foreclosures – Short sales and foreclosures are everywhere. They often represent great […]
Top Five Market Factors That Influence Mortgage Rates
Timing the market for the best possible opportunity to lock a mortgage rate on a new loan is certainly a challenge, even for the professionals. While there are several several generic interest rate trend indicators online, the difference between what’s advertised and actually attainable can be influenced at any given moment by at least 50 […]
What’s The Difference Between Interest Rate and Annual Percentage Rate (APR)?
The difference between APR and actual note rate is very confusing, especially for First-Time Home Buyers who haven’t been through the entire closing process before. When shopping for a new mortgage loan, you may notice an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) advertised next to the note rate. The inclusion of an APR is actually mandated by […]
How Are Mortgage Rates Determined?
Many people believe that interest rates are set by lenders, but the reality is that mortgage rates are largely determined by what is known as the Secondary Market. The secondary market is comprised of investors who buy the loans made by banks, brokers, lenders, etc. and then either hold them for their earnings, or bundle […]
How Do Mortgage Rates Move When The Fed Lowers Rates?
NEED PHOTO Lower mortgage rates is a common misconception that is perpetuated by the mainstream media perpetuates when the Fed makes an announcement of lowering rates. However, when the Fed cuts interest rates, mortgage rates tend to increase. Fed 101: According to Wikipedia: The Federal Reserve System (also known as the Federal Reserve, and informally […]
Why Do I Need To Pay A VA Funding Fee?
The VA Funding Fee is an essential component of the VA home loan program, and is a requirement of any Veteran taking advantage of this zero down payment government loan program. This fee ranges from .5% to 3.3% of the loan amount, depending upon the circumstances. For most veterans, on a $150,000 loan, that’s an […]