Blog

May 28, 2019

Don’t believe it if someone tells you that an entrepreneur or small business owner can’t get approved for a mortgage—there are plenty of self-employed borrowers enjoying their own homes. But like any life change, it’s important to approach the mortgage process with your eyes wide open, and you should plan to come prepared to mitigate […]

May 23, 2019
vacation home

For most people, a lot of brainpower goes into buying a home—especially if it’s your first. So it’s tempting to go in search of an easy, clear-cut “rule of thumb” that tells you what you can afford, like a price-to-income guideline. This may have worked in the past (when many assumed you could afford a […]

May 21, 2019

A credit score doesn’t tell a lender everything about a person’s finances, but it does help paint a picture to determine if you’re a safe credit risk. And, as we’ve written before, your credit rating impacts both your ability to get a mortgage and the mortgage rate offered. If you’re a first time home buyer, […]

May 16, 2019

AUSTIN, Texas, May 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Open Mortgage, a multi-channel mortgage lender dedicated to empowering the dream of home ownership, has acquired Premier Home Mortgage, a lender that specializes in financing homes in rural and small-town America, in a deal that’s expected to add $300 million in loan value to the company. The acquisition also adds offices in Iowa, Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming in […]

May 16, 2019

For first-time homebuyers navigating the market, the Federal Reserve report (released this past February), can be difficult to decipher. Not only is the report full of financial jargon, it also requires a good deal of reading between the lines to understand its impact. To help explain the recent Federal Reserve report and what it might […]

May 14, 2019

Mortgage interest rates recently reached a 15-month low, with economists predicting they will hold steady. That’s excellent news for homebuyers, but what does it mean for current homeowners? Well, it may be a good time to consider refinancing. Refinancing can help you lower your monthly payments, eliminate mortgage insurance premiums, or pay off your home […]

May 9, 2019

Twenty-three percent of Americans are worried that they will run out of savings in retirement, according to a Bankrate survey. Rising healthcare costs, increasing debt and uncertainty about Social Security benefits don’t help matters. Stressing about the future is not how anyone wants to spend their retirement years. Fortunately, finding ways to supplement your income […]

May 7, 2019

According to a recent study from Merrill Lynch and AgeWave, retirees are expected to create an $8 trillion surge in giving over the next two decades. This “Longevity Bonus” will be a fundamental shift in philanthropy and is being driven by the convergence of several factors. Most notable is the growing number of baby boomers […]

May 2, 2019

Given the stakes, selling your home and buying a new one is traditionally a cautious and deliberative process. Preparing your home for sale and choosing the right realtor takes time. Finding the neighborhood and schools that fit your needs is too important to rush.   But what happens when time becomes a luxury you can’t […]

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