Key Terms to Know When Buying a Home
Turn your dream of home ownership or moving up into a reality, but do it right. The real estate market is a difficult one, and should not be entered casually. There are so many legal/real estate terms, contracts, listing agreements, disclosure statements, title documents, etc. Getting as much good ... more...

Pay No Closing Costs for Refinancing - The Advantages of a No Closing Cost Loan
If you hear the term "Absolutely No Closing Cost," you would assume that there are no closing costs (lender, escrow and title) involved in the loan. But actually this is really just a creative way of marketing or selling this type of loan. Is there really a absolutely no closing cost loan?No, there ... more...

Bad Credit? No Credit? No Money? No Problem!
Have you ever walked into a bank or mortgage brokers office to apply for a mortgage loan and was told, Your credit doesnt meet our guidelines? Or even better, you dont have enough money for the down payment. How about, You dont have a long enough credit history for us to tell if you are a viable ... more...

RESPA: The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act
The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) is a consumer protection statute, first passed in 1974. One of its purposes is to help consumers become better shoppers for settlement services. Another purpose is to eliminate kickbacks and referral fees that increase unnecessarily the costs of ... more...

Lawsuit Loans - Caveat Emptor!
If you have been injured in an accident it is quite likely that you have been financially stressed as a result, and are in need of an advance against your insurance claim, lawsuit or other legal action. If you are looking for someone to lend you money based on your future settlement, BEWARE! There ... more...

Mortgage Glossary - A Glossary of Mortgage Terms You Should Know
Acceleration Clause A clause in a mortgage defining that the entire outstanding balance can become due and payable should mortgage default occur. If the entire balance is not paid, the property will be foreclosed.Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Mortgage with interest rates that may be adjusted by ... more...

What You Need to Know About Mortgages
Business stuff can be downright confusing especially when confronted with rates, numbers and the banking jargon that seem alien language to you. Still, you do not really have much choice as loans, interest rates and mortgages are words that you can either understand and study or risk losing the ... more...

Understanding Home Loan Refinancing Costs
Because of declining mortgage rates, many homeowners are choosing to refinance their home loan. If your home was purchased when rates were much higher, you may benefit from a new mortgage. Although refinancing is an attractive mortgage feature, it is not always the best option. Before ... more...

FHA Mortgage: What's the Best Way to Show an Underwriter that You're Ready to Buy a House?
Mortgage underwriters can be a suspicious bunch. If you have bruised or even bad credit, you have your work cut out for you. Many loan programs have guidelines that set a minimum FICO score of 620. FHA does not allow lenders to reject a loan based solely on FICO scores, but if yours is less than ... more...