18 Jul 2014
By Mark Feder

Buying a House or Condo? Why the Home Inspection Process is One You Won’t Want to Skimp On

Home Buyer Tips
Once you have found that perfect home with the right price and every little feature you were hoping for, it's important to keep in mind that the home has been presented in a way that accentuates its highlights and shadows any flaws. For this reason, it is crucial that you get a home inspection before completing a purchase. Many sellers also have inspectors investigate the home in order to determine its sale value. As such, they should be aware that a prospective buyer will want to request an independent inspection to verify the findings. Reasons For Home Inspections If you…
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15 Jul 2014
By Mark Feder

Three Ways That Your Credit Score Affects Your Mortgage (and Your Chance of Obtaining One!)

Home Buyer Tips
If you're thinking of buying a home, you've probably been thinking a lot about your credit score as well. Credit scores control so much of what we do in the world of finances, but what does your credit score really have to do with your mortgage? Here are three ways that your credit score could impact your mortgage application. Your Credit Score Affects Your Ability To Get A Mortgage The first thing your credit score tells a lender is whether they should lend to you at all. In some cases, if you have a very low credit score, you may…
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14 Jan 2014
By Mark Feder
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Should I Shorten My Mortgage Term, Important Factors To Consider

Home Buyer Tips
When you first bought your home a few years ago, perhaps you started off with a 30 year mortgage. Now, you are considering refinancing and changing it to a 20 year or even a 15 year mortgage. Shortening your mortgage term and refinancing can be a smart financial move, but before you make this decision there are a number of factors that you should consider. Switching to a shorter mortgage will mean that your monthly payments will be higher, but you will be 100% paid off much sooner and you will save thousands of dollars in interest rates. Here are…
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09 Jan 2014
By Mark Feder
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Dodd-Frank’s Latest Gift: The Qualified Mortgage Rule

Home Buyer Tips
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act's latest provision - the Qualified Mortgage rule - is going to effect on January 10, 2014. While, like many of Dodd-Frank's other features, its ability to protect customers remains to be seen, one of its impacts is already clear. Taking out a home loan just got harder. The QM rule contains a set of provisions that, if followed, may protect lenders from lawsuits. They will also make it harder for customers to qualify to borrow money to buy a house. Verifying Incomes Lenders now have to follow stringent procedures to verify that borrowers…
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