Periodically, many homeowners will receive a rather sizable amount of extra cash. This may be from a bonus from your employer, a refund on your tax return, a financial gift from a relative or something else altogether. While there are many things that you could do with your windfall, you may be wondering if paying down your mortgage balance is a wise idea. Before you make your decision about how to spend your money, consider what impact your lump sum payment will have on your mortgage. Reduction … Continue reading...
3 Easy Ways to Put Aside a Bit of Extra Cash So You Can Pay off Your Mortgage Faster
If your personal budget is similar to many other people's budgets, your home mortgage payment is by far the largest expense that you pay for each month. In fact, this payment may easily account for 20 or 25 percent or more of your take-home income. Understandably, you may be focused on trying to pay this expense off early. By focusing on this payment, you can build equity and may be able to achieve financial security more quickly. You simply have to find a way to put aside a bit of extra cash … Continue reading...
Saving Up for Your First Home? Our Guide to Finding Ways to Save Your Down Payment Faster
If your goal is to purchase a home, you may find that it's challenging to save up enough money for your down payment. While this is something that many first time home buyers struggle with, it is by no means insurmountable. By making a few simple changes you will be able to accumulate the funds you need for your down payment. Keep Track Of Your Spending One of the reasons why it can be difficult to save money is that you aren't even sure of where your money is going. While you may be aware of … Continue reading...
Freelancing in 2015? Three Tips for How to Secure a Mortgage if You’re a Self-Employed Entrepreneur
If you are self-employed, either as a freelancer or as the owner of your own business, your income can fluctuate greatly from year to year. That can make it difficult to get approved for a mortgage, although there are some things you can do to improve your chances. Here are three tips for securing a mortgage if you are self-employed. Make Sure Your Credit Score Is In Good Shape While your ability to pay back a mortgage is the most important factor in approval, your credit score is a close … Continue reading...
Three Tips for Reducing Your Closing Costs if You’re Looking Forward To Buying a Home in the Spring
Spring is aproaching fast and it is usually the busiest time of the year for home buying. After a long and cold winter, many people are ready to enjoy the nicer weather and begin to shop for a new home. Spring is also the perfect time for home buying for families with children because it allows them to move during the summer without interrupting school. Home buying has costs associated with it other than the mortgage itself. Known as closing costs, these fees are a part of the home buying … Continue reading...
Buying a Home with a Mortgage? A Quick Guide to Closing Costs and What to Expect
Whether you're just starting to shop for a new home or you've already found the perfect new house and you're ready to submit an offer, if you're taking out a mortgage loan to cover some of the home's purchase price you should be aware of the various closing costs you may encounter. In today's blog post we'll share a quick guide to closing costs and what you can expect to pay when you buy a new home. What Closing Costs Do Buyers Typically Pay? As you move forward in the home purchase process … Continue reading...
How to Use a Mortgage Calculator to Determine Your Monthly Payments, Interest and More
Are you thinking about using a mortgage to buy a new home? Buying your own piece of local real estate is a major financial investment and one that can require some pretty complex math to fully understand. In this blog post we'll discuss mortgage calculators and how to use one of these tools to determine your monthly mortgage payments, interest charges, amortization periods and more. Determining Your Principal and Down Payment Amounts To get started with a mortgage calculator you'll need to know … Continue reading...