Home Ownership
Tapping Into Equity to Improve or Maintain Your Property
When the housing supply is tight and interest rates are on the rise, you might just choose to just stay put and enlarge or enhance your existing home until the market is more favorable. While renovations can be planned, the longer you stay in your home, the greater the chance that a significant home-related expense will pop up unexpectedly. When paying cash is not an option, consider tapping into the equity you've built in your home.
Mortgage Rates Wax and Wane: When do you seize the moment?
Buying a home in a rising rate environment can be tough. Will they keep climbing? Will they ever go lower? Is now the right time, or did I miss my chance? And will we have to win a bidding war to get a contract? Follow these guiding principles for any market environment.
How to Keep Cool in a Hot Mortgage Market
It’s hot out there in the housing market. New construction and current inventory are low. Demand is high following the safer-at-home orders of 2020, due in part to the transition of many jobs to a virtual office environment. Buyers outnumber sellers, and many are making cash offers, sometimes even above the asking price--and prices are skyrocketing. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) data shows house prices are rising at the fastest pace since 2006. As a prospective buyer, how can you keep a cool head and succeed in this harried housing pursuit?
Using Equity in Your Home to Accomplish Your Goals
The recent low-rate environment and tighter housing supply have created a strong sellers’ market, which can be a good thing for your home equity. Third quarter 2020 data shows that about one in every four homes is considered “equity rich,” according to ATTOM Data Solutions, a real-estate data firm. Home equity is the difference between your mortgage balance and the value of your home. Owners of homes that fit the “equity rich” definition hold 50% or more equity in their properties.
Navigating Your Home Buying Experience
A mortgage is likely to be the largest and longest loan of your life. As a home buyer, you’ll want to be in the best financial shape possible to qualify for a good rate and get the right loan for your needs. It can be hard to know where to get started, but we’ve got you covered. Here are three ways to make sure you get the best possible mortgage.
Making Your Refinance Work Hard for You
A lower rate is only the beginning. There are ways to make a refinance work harder for you. It just takes a little planning and consideration for your personal situation and your goals. Below are some hypothetical scenarios to show how homeowners can refinance their homes to create more stability or to open up opportunities.
COVID-19 Pandemic Relief for Renters and Homeowners
With “Safe at Home” orders across the country and businesses closing, Americans who have lost wages or business income due to the pandemic are finding it hard to pay for their housing. What should you do if you can’t currently pay -- or anticipate becoming unable to pay -- your rent or mortgage?
Forget shopping around. Answer these questions when you look for a mortgage.
Buying a house is a decision you’ll have to live with for years – maybe decades. So when the time comes to buy a new house or refinance the one you have, it’s worth taking the time to get it right. It’s possible, however, to find the right mortgage without a lot of hassle. To make it simpler, answer these questions first.
Buying or Refinancing? Specialized Home Loans Could Help.
Your home is likely the biggest purchase you’ll ever make and the biggest single piece of your overall financial picture. Whether buying or refinancing, some people may wonder if they’re quite ready to take that step. No one should take the decision lightly, and it’s worthwhile to look at all your financing options before shopping around.
How the New Tax Law Could Affect Your HELOC
Homeowners should pay particular attention to how the new tax law affects certain kinds of loans - and how another change could help.
