Blog
7,
2016
Water is the foundation of life on earth, and the average household uses a lot! In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the average home of four uses 400 gallons of water per day (and spends $1,100 per year in water costs). With the ongoing drought in much of the United States, it’s […]
6,
2016
Buying your first home is one of your biggest life decisions, and it’s important to be prepared. Here are some things you can do to get ready: Make sure you have good credit To secure a low interest rate on your first mortgage, you’re going to need good credit. This means you should always pay […]
5,
2016
Are you thinking about retirement? Or do you have retired family members? If either answer is yes, then affordable housing and a low cost-of-living are important issues. GoBankingRates.com recently analyzed cost-of-living indexes and consumer expenditure data to rank America’s cheapest cities to retire. Here are the five most affordable cities, in descending order: 5. Mobile, […]
1,
2016
Are you ready to take the next step toward applying for a reverse mortgage? Congratulations! Reverse mortgages let Americans 62-and-up convert part of their home equity (wealth) into cash, a monthly check, or a line of credit. This can provide a financial nest egg for retirees to help meet unexpected costs, such as medical bills […]
30,
2016
Whether you’re selling your home or refinancing your mortgage, your home’s value plays a big part. And in most cases, home values are determined through appraisals from state-licensed appraisers. While some home characteristics assessed by appraisers are out of your control (such as your view, and the price of recently sold similar homes in your […]
29,
2016
Thanksgiving has come and gone, and December is nearly here. As temperatures drop and snow begins falling in many US regions, home utility bills are about to rise. In fact, the U.S. Energy Information Administration is predicting a 22% increase in energy bills this winter. To lower this cost that none of us enjoy paying, […]
23,
2016
It’s been a busy few weeks when it comes to mortgage-related news. Here are some highlights: President-elect Trump vs Mortgage Rates You might have heard, we just had an election! President-elect Trump’s economic policies will have a powerful impact on the mortgage industry. This article analyzes some mortgage industry predictions and scenarios that could happen […]
22,
2016
Thanksgiving is upon us (and Christmas is a month away), bringing us into America’s busiest travel season. With AAA predicting 43.5 million Americans will travel over 50 miles to celebrate Thanksgiving (the highest amount since 2007), many Americans will be leaving their homes unoccupied. Here are some tips to help secure your most valuable possession […]
21,
2016
Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for what we have. And it’s wonderful showing loved ones how much we appreciate them. But if you’re like most Americans, you’re trying to to get through the end of the year with your pocketbook intact! For Americans wanting to buy a house in 2017, it’s even more important to […]
17,
2016
Before the mortgage bubble burst in 2008, there was a saying in the industry: “All you need to get a mortgage is a pulse.” Sounds suspect, no? The mortgage industry pre-2008 was the wild west of the lending frontier. Credit scores and debt-to-income minimums might as well have been suggestions, rather than guidelines. Even worse, […]
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