Interest Only Loans
These days, as people scramble for new and more creative ways to finance buying a home, the interest only mortgage is becoming more common and well known. An interest only mortgage is one in which you have the option of paying only the interest (or just the interest and a portion of the principal) ... more...

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
If your down payment on a home is less than 20 percent of the appraised value or sale price, you must obtain private mortgage insurance, known as PMI, with your lender. This will enable you to obtain a mortgage with a lower down payment because your lender is now protected against any default on ... more...

The U.S. Postal Service Delivers Frustration
There it was - an envelope from my insurance company. It seemed like I had just paid my semi-annual automobile insurance bill last month. I opened it up only to find a letter demanding immediate payment of my insurance bill that was due at the end of last month or my insurance would be cancelled! ... more...

Fixed Rate Mortgage or ARM? Which is Better?
The fixed rate mortgage offers the certainty of a constant monthly payment, but an adjustable may seduce you with its lower payment. Security or affordability? Which do you choose? Just what is a home buyer to do?Which loan you eventually choose may depend more upon your personality than a careful ... more...

How to Understand Credit Report
Now that you have obtained your credit report, the first thing you need to do is read through it and understand what it all means. Don't feel bad if you don't understand what the credit report is saying to you. Most credit reports are coded because it allows shorter time for the computer to ... more...

Mortgage Info You Can Actually Understand!
This is a great time to Refinance Your Home or Buy a New Home -- the Mortgage Rates are so low, these days! It's always worth a shot to find out what the costs of switching over to a new mortgage would be, to see if that's the right move for you.Whether you are building your own house, buying a new ... more...

Credit Card Debt: How to Get Rid of It
This method is simple, but requires some discipline.First, you have to stop any new spending on your cards.Second - you'll need to examine all of your spending. You'll need to know how much extra money you'll be able to put towards paying off your cards.Credit card companies generally determine the ... more...

Mortgage Calculator How to Calculate Your Monthly Mortgage Payment
Just starting to shop for a new home? Do you want to know how to figure what your monthly payment would be based on a certain priced home? No problem, there are plenty of mortgage calculators on the web you can use free of charge (click here for an example of one). All you need to know is the ... more...

Escrow Accounts Are You Paying Too Much?
Money in escrow is "dead money". It doesnt earn interest for you and it doesnt reduce your mortgage interest payments. Therefore every cent in your escrow account is costing you money. Make sure there is no more tied up in escrow than there needs to be!Here is a brief summary of what lenders can ... more...