VA Home Loan Advantages

The Department of Veteran’s Affairs was first established back in 1930. Implementing and overseeing multiple programs and benefits to those who have served in the Armed Forces. One of the more popular programs is the VA Home Loan Benefit. This financing option provides multiple benefits that other mortgage programs simply cannot provide. For those who […]

Refinancing? Better to Close Sooner vs. Later

To understand how refinancing works when the loan closes, it’s important to understand how a purchase loan closes first. By comparing the two different processes, Home Purchase: How it Works on Closing Day The final settlement date for a purchase is listed directly on the sales contract. Once the contract is executed by both parties, […]

Tip Income: How to use it for Qualifying Income

For those in the service industry, getting tips certainly helps the overall pay. Most people who do earn tips work in a restaurant, hotel or similar industries. But can tip income be counted when helping to qualify for a new mortgage? We recently spoke about various types of income but getting tips is a bit […]

The Importance of Non-QM Mortgages

Yes, they’re not only important but necessary in the mortgage world. What are non-QM mortgages you ask? Non-QM is short for Non-Qualified Mortgage. To understand what that means and the importance of a non-QM loan, we first need to understand what a Qualified Mortgage (QM) loan is. Qualified Mortgage (QM) Loan Explained The Consumer Financial […]

How to Get a Divorced Spouse off the Mortgage

When two people decide it’s time to buy a home together, in today’s environment and in many markets it takes two incomes in order to qualify for the home they really want. That means both will appear on the same mortgage application. Unfortunately when the decision is made to get divorced, there are a lot […]

Paying Off Credit Card Balances vs. Closing the Accounts

With While mortgage lenders review a loan application, affordability is determined. Affordability can sometimes be a moving target as different loan programs may have different acceptable levels of debt. Paying off credit card balances might seem important, but lenders look at things differently. There are two primary types of debt, installment and revolving. Installment debt […]

Financing New Construction vs. Existing Homes: Pros and Cons

Believe it or not there are some differences between financing new construction and financing an existing property. Yes, they’re certainly both financing options for a residential mortgage but there are some key differences and you might be surprised at the available options. Popular Loan Options for Financing an Existing Property Let’s first look at the […]

Impound Accounts Explained

Impound accounts, sometimes referred to as Escrow accounts in other parts of the country, are funds set aside to take care of property taxes and insurance when due. Some loans require impound accounts while others leave them as an option. Let’s take a further look at these accounts and what they accomplish. Impound Accounts Explained […]

Short Term Loan vs. Long Term Loan? Why Your Choice Matters

Deciding on which home loan to take is usually a matter of choosing an interest rate. But for those who have never financed a home before, there are many more things to decide on besides the rate. You might be surprised at the array of loan choices available to you, including short-term loans and long-term […]

The Dangers of Trying to Prequalify Yourself

Sometimes the term ‘prequalify’ is used incorrectly in the mortgage world. It can be a bit disconcerting, especially with multiple non-lender sites that ‘prequalify’ someone without even speaking with an experienced loan officer. Trying to fly solo in this area can mean someone who in fact can qualify for a home loan could be told […]