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Housing Market Bottom?

Is a Housing Bottom Already In? The severe contraction in the US housing market over the past year looks like it may be coming to an end, and the bottoming-out is raising hopes that the country could avoid a recession altogether. That’s because historically, housing...

How Big of a Down Payment Do You Need to Buy a Home?

When thinking about buying a home, the biggest roadblock for most buyers is the down payment. How large of a down payment do you need? The answer is it depends on the loan, the lender, and your priorities. But don’t worry! The size of your home down payment may not be...

What Are Mortgage Discount Points & Are They Worth It

As you navigate through the process of buying a home and applying for a mortgage, you may have the opportunity to buy mortgage discount points. To understand if this is the right decision for you, let’s talk about what discount points are, how they work, and if...

Everything you need to know about the Florida Homestead Exemption

THE FLORIDA HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS JUST ANOTHER REASON TO MAKE THE SUNSHINE STATE YOUR HOME! Did you know? Though we may not have any control over the amount of taxes we pay to the Federal Government, Florida is a tax-friendly state. There are no state taxes, no...

WHAT’S IN YOUR BUCKET LIST? Hopefully a Living Trust!

Think of a Living Trust as your Bucket List.  It is filled with everything that you’ve worked hard for and were lucky enough to accumulate throughout your life.  You filled it with your money, property, and other assets - stocks, bonds  and perhaps even a boat or...

What Is Equity?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/swsmwlu198?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 Equity is the value YOU own in property such as a house. It’s the difference between what’s OWED and what the property is WORTH in the current...

What Are Real Estate Commissions?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/5vqdsef8xh?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 Like the video says - real estate agents aren’t paid by the hour!They’re paid a percentage of the purchase price in a successful real estate...

What Is “Prime”?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/h8ina3eyzq?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 The Prime Lending Rate - sometimes just called “Prime”  - is the interest rate that banks charge each other for overnight loans. Some consumer...

What Steps Need To Be Taken To Secure A Loan?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/g6tl2t0nti?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 You’ll see some pictures in this video to help you remember later, but the first step in securing a loan is to complete a loan application. To do so, you'll need...

What Are Discount Points?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/6u3yi2ieus?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 Discount points allow you to lower your interest rate. While this video simplifies things to help you remember, “points” are essentially prepaid interest...

What Is An Escrow Account? Do I Need One?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/rvx9htof1p?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 As we show you in this video, an escrow account is an account, established by your lender, to set aside a portion of your monthly mortgage payment to cover annual...

What Is A Mortgage?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/sdyklezahx?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 The original phrase “mort gage” translates as “death pledge”! But as this video explains, a mortgage is a loan obtained to purchase real estate....

What Types Of Mortgage Loans Are Available?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/c5dfu8zwsx?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 This video tells you about the most common types: Fixed Rate, ARM, Balloon and 2-Step. First, Fixed Rate Mortgages: Payments remain the same for the life of the loan...

Can I Pay Off My Loan Ahead Of Schedule?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/gpzvyqzq2f?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 Usually, Yes. Like the guy in the video says, by sending in extra money each month or making an extra payment at the end of the year you can accelerate the process of...

What Is Included In A Monthly Mortgage Payment?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/n2lq65amfk?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 The monthly mortgage payment mainly pays off principal and interest. But most lenders also include local real estate taxes homeowner's insurance, and mortgage insurance,...

How Does The Interest Rate Factor In Securing A Mortgage Loan?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/lxybpoyq0k?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 As you’ll see in the video, a lower interest rate allows you to borrow more money than a high rate with the some monthly payment. Interest rates can fluctuate as...

How Large A Down Payment Do I Need?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/y2rurucekp?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 There are mortgage options now available that only require a down payment of 5% or less of the purchase price. You’ll see some pictures in this video to help you...

What Factors Affect Mortgage Payments?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/rgqvpsvgfe?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 Well, as this story shows, the amount of the down payment the size of the mortgage loan, the interest rate the length of the repayment term and payment schedule will all...

Are There Special Mortgages For First-Time Homebuyers?

http://videotap.wistia.com/medias/se4tbyx4xo?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 Yes. Like the video shows, lenders now offer several affordable mortgage options which can help first-time homebuyers overcome obstacles that made purchasing a home...

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