Rates are rising. Is this the right time to refinance or a buy a house?

The Calm Truth about Rising Rates

Interest rates are rising.  House Hunters are watching those rates nervously, and they’re worried – quite sensibly – that rates will continue to rise.  But if you’ve been thinking about buying a home, all the recent news about rising interest rates and high home prices shouldn’t scare you off.  Just the opposite: Now is the […]

Top 5 Locations to Sell a Home in the Current US Market

As the housing market recovers—much to the relief of those of us who depend on that recovery—there are obvious shifts occurring throughout the country showing where the top sellers’ markets are.  According to Realtor.com’s most recently published data, there are five particular cities demonstrating a quicker turnover of inventory through low median time on the […]

Freddie Mac Publishes Latest Mortgage Trends Showing Upward Trajectory

Is the market looking up for you and your real estate business?  If not, it should be showing signs of improvement soon according to the latest report issued by Freddie Mac.  Although financing rates are certainly not at the lowest they’ve been in the past year, the good news is that the overall market outlook […]

The Reach and Scope of HARP

Since its inception, HARP has helped approximately 2.2 million struggling homeowners refinance their underwater mortgage under more favorable terms, leaving the state of America’s housing market in a much better condition than what it would be without the program.  Beginning in April 2009, the HARP program was initiated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) […]

Top 5 Changes in the Mortgage Industry for 2013

A lot of changes are happening in the mortgage industry for 2013, thanks to increased regulation and the lending industry tightening down on its rules.  Knowing about these changes will help you make the best decision whether 2013 is the year for you to apply/refinance.  Tip 1: Now’s The Time To Refinance Rates are expected […]

Changes Coming to FHA Mortgage Program in April 2013

After announcing a $16.3 billion deficit in November of 2012, FHA is on the verge of needing taxpayer bailout.  In order to avoid this, FHA mortgage programs are expected to undergo a series of changes over the next few months—changes that will assist in raising the Federal Housing Authority’s reserves.  Most significant among these changes […]

Qualifying to Maximize the Mortgage Insurance Premium Deduction

Image courtesy by @ zacks.com While the Obama administration has come under fire for raising taxes to avoid a “fiscal cliff,” there is a light at the end of the tunnel for taxpayers who are seeking to lower their taxes, and that light is home ownership.  Moving expenses, home equity debt, energy credits, home-office deductions, mortgage interest—the […]

Concerned About Tax Rate Hikes? Don’t Miss Out on a Significant Tax Deduction

The buzz over probable tax rate increases has put taxpayers on both sides of the political divide in a state of concern over how it will affect their income in the coming year.  The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was enacted into law on January 2, 2013 and represents a compromise measure that permanently […]

Why do I need to have a mortgage broker in the first place? Can’t just work straight with a lender?

Speed and Thoroughness of an Approval Letter is Key to Getting Your Offer Accepted

Image courtesy by JAMIE SKOJEC @ homesourcerg.com   Most realtors agree that the current state of the housing market is one that requires speed if you want to access the best deals.  With the rate of foreclosures and bank-owned properties still relatively high, the deals that are out there are certainly worth pursuing—although you have to be […]

What Aristotle Knew About Commitment to Excellence

Aristotle, the famous Greek philosopher, student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great, once wrote: “Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is […]