Glossary of Common Terms Used During the Mortgage Process
APR - This stands for Annual Percentage Rate. It enables you to compare the full cost of the mortgage. Rather than just being an interest rate, it includes up front and ongoing costs of taking out a mortgage. The formula for calculating APR is set by Government Regulations and therefore enables ... 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...

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...

Stop Foreclosure - 7 Tips to Save Your Home
Faced with the threat of a foreclosure on their home, with all the weight of the mortgage industry and its army of attorneys against them, the average homeowner might feel like David facing Goliath.But David defeated Goliath !David had a sling and some pebbles.You have an armory of tactics and ... more...

How to Pick the Wrong Lender
One day, youre interested in getting a loan. Your plan is simple: Call a number of lenders and see who has the lowest rate. You call the first lender. He asks you when you plan on getting your loan. You tell him in a couple of months. He gives you a low rate quote. And, after a number of calls, you ... more...

A Critical Guide to Home Loans: Your Options and How They Affect Your Future
Understanding Mortgage Loans-An Insiders GuideThere was a time in the not-so-distant past when financing the purchase of a home was relatively uncomplicated. You went to your local savings and loan and signed up for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage loan. Those days are gone, probably forever. Today, ... more...

Mortgage Loans
A mortgage is a device used to create a lien on real estate by contract. The mortgage is an instrument that the borrower (called the mortgagor) uses to pledge real property to the lender (called the mortgagee) as security for a debt, also called hypothecation. The mortgage, as a rule, consists of ... more...

Escrow From a California Homeowner's Perspective
The Escrow ProcessBoth Buyer and Seller deserve the assurance that no funds or property will change hands until all of the instructions in the Purchase Contract have been satisfied. The Realtor submits Buyers and Sellers signed documents and Buyers deposit money to be held by an independent ... more...

Deciding Upon a Refinance Lender
Finding a good lender to refinance your mortgage can be almost as important a decision as the actual mortgage you choose. In order to make a wise selection of a refinancing lender you should make sure that you do the following four things.Know the objective of your mortgage refinanceDo you want to ... more...