Refinancing Mortgage Loan Costs - Are They Tax Deductible?
Not only are your mortgage interest payments tax deductible, but so are your refinancing costs. Points can be deducted over the life of your loan. However, there are some restrictions with this program.Deducting Refinanced PointsWhen you originally take out a mortgage, you can deduct the points ... more...

How to Make a Purchase Offer on a Home for Sale by Owner
Many home buyers want to purchase a home directly from the seller to cut out the middle man, but when it comes time to make a formal offer it is often the case that neither buyer or seller knows what to do. Without the aid of a professional real estate agent, making an offer to buy a home that is ... more...

Was That House A Good Investment? The Answer May Not Be So Obvious
I am surprised how many people dont know the difference between enterprise value, which is the sales price of a home (debt plus equity), and equity value, which is what is left at the end of the day when you sell your home and pay off the mortgage. In determining whether this was a good investment ... more...

Expense List for Buying a Home
There are many expenses that come with buying a home. The following list is a good example of what to expect:Down payment - A minimum of 20% of the homes purchase price is usually required for the best loan terms and to avoid paying private mortgage insurance (see below), but its entirely possible ... more...

Real Estate Investing Myths That Steal Profits From Your Pocket
One of the things that distresses us about our industry is the amount of wrong or incomplete information available to investors. Some myths block what otherwise would be a great deal, while others would have you believe that a bad deal is actually great. For example, we encourage purchasing homes ... more...

Plan Your Budget Before Investing on a Property
Owing a property gives a person financial security but before buying any type of property be it home, land, or some commercial property its very important to estimate your budget.Pre-qualification is a very essential step in going for a property deal. There are various ways of pre-qualifying but ... more...

Questions Investors Should Ask When Buying and Selling Investment Property
If you're a real estate investor, here are several questions to consider when looking at investment properties. Providing sound answers to these questions will greatly increase your profits:Why do homeowners sell for bargain prices?There are many factors that can prevent owners from being able to ... more...

What's Missing on Most Home Buyer's Checklists?
In a search for "Home Buyer's Checklist," I found articles, spread sheets, and tips with differing advice. Some of this advice includes:1. Know your location2. Negotiate price3. Check for amenities and compare to other homes4. Inspect the house for defectsIt seems that the real estate websites want ... more...

Do You Speak Real Estate?
Anyone interested in real estate should be able to talk the talk. Here is a list of common phrases and words with a short explanation. Use it as a reference:Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM). A type of mortgage loan whose interest rate changes periodically up or down, usually once or twice a year ... more...