Blog – Page 648 of 796

16 Jun 2015

An Insider’s Look at Mortgage Closing Costs and How to Minimize the Amount You’ll Pay

Home Mortgage Tips

When buying a new home, you may be focused on finding a mortgage program that has a down payment requirement that is manageable for you. However, some home buyers will overlook the costs that they are responsible for at closing. These costs can vary, but it is common for home buyers to pay between two to three percent of the loan amount in closing costs, if not more. This can be a hefty sum of money that you will need to budget for. The good news is that there are some steps that you can take to keep these costs…

15 Jun 2015

By Mark Feder

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – June 15, 2015

Market Outlook

Retail Sales, Consumer Confidence Up Retail sales rose for the third consecutive month. May sales increased at a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.20 percent according to Commerce Department data. Auto and gasoline sales led the charge to higher retail sales, but analysts said that most retail sectors posted gains. Upward revisions of March and April's retail sales provided evidence of stronger economic conditions. Consumer sentiment jumped nearly four points from May's reading of 90.7 to 94.6 in June. This appears to be great news compared to the year before the recession, when consumer sentiment averaged a reading of 86.9. Weekly…

12 Jun 2015

By Mark Feder

Hunting for the Best Local Schools? Here Are 5 Checklist Items You’ll Want to Look For

Home Buyer Tips

There are numerous factors that you may review when choosing a new place to live. If you have children, the quality of the schools and the level of education that your kids will receive in the schools is important. However, you may not be certain how to determine if a school is good or not. When you are looking at schools, use this helpful checklist to guide you in making a great decision. Achievement Data One of the easiest factors for you to research about different school districts and individual schools is achievement data. This may include the percentage of…

11 Jun 2015

By Mark Feder

The Pros and Cons of Using Spare Funds to Pay Your Mortgage Down Faster

Home Mortgage Tips

A home mortgage payment can be a large or even the largest expense in a person's budget, and not having this payment any longer can be a life changing experience. Because of this, you may be dreaming about the day when you no longer have to make this payment. Some people may even actively make extra payments to their mortgage in order to pay the outstanding balance off more quickly. These may be funds from an IRS tax refund, cash received from the holidays or a birthday or some other windfall. Before you make the decision about whether to use…