The No. 1 challenge for most first-time home buyers? Coming up with enough of a downpayment. That's where the FHA home loan program comes in. It's one of the most popular mortgage programs available today for first-time home buyers with modest down... (Read More)
When financing a home, you have a lot of choices, including the term of the loan. It's estimated that 80 percent of all home buyers elect to take out 30-year fixed-rate home loans. It's a popular option because of the low monthly payments.
Less... (Read More)
Moving into a new home is a happy — and hectic — time. There's so much to do! We know your to-do list is overflowing in the days and weeks after purchasing a home. But we wanted to share with you two tasks that you'll want to put at the top of... (Read More)
Are you getting ready to make an offer on a home? You'll need to decide how much money you're going to offer the seller, of course. And you'll also need to figure out how much to offer in earnest money. The earnest money deposit is an important part... (Read More)
Are you getting a tax refund this year? According to the IRS, the average U.S. tax refund is nearly $3,000, with some families getting thousands more. A large refund could be a nice addition to a downpayment savings fund. If you haven't started... (Read More)
If you are a member of the military on active or reserve duty or a veteran, there's a special type of financing designed for you. The VA home loan program is an incredible benefit designed to help members of the military —past and present —... (Read More)
The VA home loan program is one of the most flexible and attractive ways to finance a home today. There's no set downpayment requirement*, no private mortgage insurance and rates are lower compared with some other types of loan programs. It's also... (Read More)
It's estimated that millions of Americans could save money by refinancing their homes but instead stick with higher-rate mortgages they obtained years ago. Why? Research shows that many homeowners believe a number of refinancing myths — they think... (Read More)
Many people today believe that in order to purchase a home, you need a 20 percent downpayment. Studies show it's one of the most enduring home buying myths. In reality, the median downpayment among all home buyers is only about 10 percent. For... (Read More)