Debt Ratios: The Difference Between Owning vs. Leasing a Car

Lenders today have multiple rules they must follow in order to be in compliance with federal and state regulations. One of those regulations can be found in the “Ability to Repay,” or ATR rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, back in 2014. Affordability was inserted after regulators discovered more and more […]

How Lenders Count Revolving Debt vs. Installment Debt

Mortgage lenders want to make sure applicants can afford a new mortgage payment, and this means looking at your current revolving debt and installment debt. This mortgage payment includes not just the principal and interest amount toward the outstanding balance but also includes a monthly amount for property taxes, homeowner’s insurance and mortgage insurance when […]

Why Working Virtually With Your Loan Officer is a Smart Move

Wondering how your new mortgage loan will be handled now that many of us have been officially considered “non-essential?” Well, for one, the mortgage industry is up and running regardless of any status. Yes, there are many who are currently in a work-from-home status and don’t have an official office to go to, at least […]

The Online Mortgage Business Just Got Personal

If you’re like many, you’re probably working from home these days. All so-called “non-essential” employees have been asked to stay home and work remotely. For some, this takes some getting used to. There are no other employees around, no office chatter and the communication between coworkers is done either by phone or via online meetings. […]

FHA Cash Out Refinance: What You Should Know

The FHA home loan program is by far the most popular financing option for first time buyers. Why? First, the low down payment is very attractive. FHA loans only need a down payment of just 3.5% of the sales price of the home. Second, qualifying for an FHA loan is a bit easier as credit […]

Should You Lock In Your Rate Now?

Are you getting ready to take the leap? Are you wondering if you should go ahead and lock in your rate now? Or maybe wait a bit to see what happens? We get that. But let me take some time here to provide you some suggestions as the best course of action for your situation. […]

It Might be a Great Time to Refinance. Seriously.

Let’s say that around the first of this month you checked mortgage rates to see if a refinance was in your future. Rates have been on a steady decline so far this year so it’s no wonder that you did make a quick check. And rates have fallen to the point in early March that […]

The Connection Between Oil Prices and Mortgage Rates

You’re surely been following the news and hearing or reading about the price of oil lately. If you haven’t, well, we’re at levels we haven’t seen in decades. Low levels. Currently, the price for a barrel of oil hovers around $30 with some even predicting prices to fall a bit more over time. Quickly compare […]

The Seesaw World of Mortgage Rates, Stocks and Bonds

If you’re like most people, you really don’t pay much attention to Wall Street on a daily basis. Sure, you’ll check your 401(k) when you statement comes in and peek at your IRA but in general, Wall Street is left for the so-called “experts” who buy and sell stocks every single day. But as you’re […]

VA Home Loan Changes for 2020

Perhaps the absolute best home loan option for those who qualify and want to come to the settlement table with as little out-of-pocket cash as possible is the VA home loan. The VA loan doesn’t need a down payment and is one of only two such government-backed programs with this feature. The other option is […]