Four Characteristics of a Jumbo Borrower

Mortgages are typically divided into two categories- conforming and jumbo. A conforming loan is one where the maximum loan amount is $484,350 for most parts of the country. In higher cost areas where the median home value is higher than the norm, the conforming limit rises as high as $726,525. Conforming loans are by far […]

Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) Explained

Real estate investors take time to properly determine whether a particular property is a good investment. There are multiple factors to consider when investing in real estate which is where the debt service coverage ratio comes into play. After all, real estate isn’t the most liquid of investments. Common Ways to Evaluate Property The first […]

Your Mortgage Broker and Secondary Markets

Real estate and the finance industry in general have key players throughout various segments which all play an important part. In the mortgage industry, that is especially so. But there are two key components that play an especially important part that many are not aware of. Mortgage brokers and secondary markets. Let’s take a closer […]

How to Finance a Mixed-Use Property- It’s Easier Than You Think

In real estate, a mixed-use property is one that contains both residential as well as commercial space within its interior walls. A commercial property is an income producing property and can be as varied as a gift shop to a doctor’s office. To finance a commercial property, a commercial loan is needed. These loans are […]

Student Loans and Home Loans

More and more students as well as parents are resorting to loans to pay for college. Public universities have had the ability to set their own tuition rates for years now and for many, attending college means going into debt just for the privilege. And that’s just the tuition, never mind the multitude of fees […]

What Are the Differences: Jumbo Loan vs. Conforming

Okay, the main difference between a conforming home loan and a jumbo loan is simply the loan amount. Conforming loans are labeled conforming because they conform to guidelines set by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. For most parts of the country the maximum loan amount to still be considered a conforming loan is $484,350. Anything […]

Applying for a Private Loan: How to Qualify

Qualifying for a private loan, sometimes referred to as a “hard money loan” might be easier than you think. Private loans are a critical part of the real estate industry. Without private lenders, many profitable opportunities would fall by the wayside as conventional lenders determine a particular project falls out of their lending guidelines. Private lenders […]

Are There Benefits to an Impound Account?

Impound accounts, also called escrow accounts in some parts of the country, are set-aside accounts used to pay property tax bills and insurance premiums when due. Each month when someone makes a mortgage payment and there is an impound account set up, 1/12th of the annual tax bill and 1/12th of the insurance premium are […]

What is a Guaranteed Loan: USDA, VA and FHA

Have you heard the term “guaranteed loan?” It’s possible, but it’s mortgage industry parlance that describes a specific feature of a mortgage program. There are three such programs and they’re all guaranteed loans to some degree by the government. It’s a government-guaranteed loan and there are three of them. The three are the VA, FHA […]

How to Know When to Buy and Stop Renting

Let’s face it, there are some very real advantages of renting instead of owning.  Most of those advantages are related to a change of scenery. When paying rent, you have a choice of where you want to live, how much you want to pay each month for rent and how long you want your lease […]