12 May 2016
By Mark Feder

5 Uncommon Mortgage Terms You Need to Know

Home Mortgage Tips
When it comes to finding a new home, there are lots of complex ratios, terms, and contracts that you'll encounter - and at times, it'll feel like you're trying to navigate a minefield. Here are five mortgage terms you may not encounter regularly that you'll need to know when buying a home. Escrow: Money Held In Trust To Pay Taxes An escrow account is a bank account that your lender maintains on your behalf. When you close your mortgage, you'll need to deposit a certain percent of your annual property taxes into the escrow account, which your lender will hold…
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11 May 2016
By Mark Feder

How to Smartly Leverage Your Home Equity

Home Mortgage Tips
So you've been a homeowner for some time. You've been faithfully paying off your mortgage for years, and you have a fair bit of equity built up in your home – and that makes you proud. But now, you're wondering what good equity is if you're not using it. How do you actually use home equity? And how do you leverage it to get a high return for low risk? Here are just a few options you may want to consider if you're looking for something to do with your equity. Use A Home Equity Loan Or HELOC To Pay…
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04 May 2016
By Mark Feder

When is Refinancing Not a Good Idea?

Home Mortgage Tips
Refinancing your home can be a great way to reduce monthly mortgage payments or interest rates – or even pay off your debt faster. And while it is a useful tool in budgeting for millions of homeowners, a home refinance may not necessarily be useful in every situation – in fact, there are some situations where refinancing can cost you a great deal of money. So when should you skip the refinance and simply keep with the original plan? Here's what you need to know. If You've Already Paid Off Much Of Your Mortgage When you first start paying a…
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03 May 2016
By Mark Feder

How to Lower Your Mortgage Interest Rate

Home Mortgage Tips
Mortgage interest rates are at historical lows right now, but they're expected to start rising soon. That's why savvy buyers are taking steps to ensure they get the best possible interest rates on the market and then lock those rates in for the long term. But even if interest rates are already low, that doesn't mean you can't reduce them further. So how can you save even more money on your monthly interest payments? Here's what you need to know. Buy Down Your Rate With Interest Points Interest points are a form of pre-paid interest that can help you to…
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