How to Use a Mortgage Calculator to Determine Your Monthly Payments, Interest and More

Are you thinking about using a mortgage to buy a new home? Buying your own piece of local real estate is a major financial investment and one that can require some pretty complex math to fully understand. In this blog post we'll discuss mortgage calculators and how to use one of these tools to determine your monthly mortgage payments, interest charges, amortization periods and more. Determining Your Principal and Down Payment Amounts To get started with a mortgage calculator you'll need to know how the price of the home and how much you intend to contribute as a down payment.…
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Trying to Save on Your Closing Costs? Here Are Three Tips That Can Help Lower Them

Whether you're about to close on a lovely new house for your growing family or a stylish beachfront condo so you can retire close to the ocean, one thing is certain: you're going to face a variety of closing costs. Insurance, taxes, financing fees, title fees, attorney fees and other costs will need to be paid, and if you're a savvy buyer you'll do everything you can to save on them. In today's post we'll share three quick tips that can help you reduce your closing costs when you buy your next home. Tip #1: Include Closing Costs in Your…
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Recent College Grad? Learn How to Successfully Juggle Student Loans and a New Mortgage

If you recently graduated from college and are about to become a homeowner, you're in a somewhat unique position. You're about to embark on a great journey, but at the same time, you're also taking on an awful lot of debt. That said, it is possible to successfully manage a high debt load if you're careful. So how can you make sure you can pay your mortgage, your student loans, and your mortgage expenses – all without losing your mind? Here's what you need to know. Make Sure You Have An Emergency Fund Managing a high debt load isn't necessarily…
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Understanding the Reverse Mortgage and How to Best Use This Unique Financial Tool

If you've studied the real estate market recently, you've probably heard about the reverse mortgage. This unique tool is a financial arrangement designed for senior citizens who have limited incomes and want to use the equity in their homes to meet their everyday expenses. And although it's becoming increasingly popular, few homeowners truly understand it. So how does a reverse mortgage work, and when is it appropriate for a homeowner to get one? Here's what you need to know. What is a Reverse Mortgage? A reverse mortgage is a loan that uses your home equity as collateral - essentially, you…
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