Mortgages & Home Loans

When obtaining a home loan, you’ll receive two important documents from your lender: a loan estimate and a closing disclosure. On the surface, these documents are very similar, but they both serve different purposes. Here’s what you need to know abo...

When making an important financial decision like buying a home, discussion of your income, expenses and how you manage your money all come into play. Disposable income is money you have for spending and saving after taxes and other expenses have been...

Seller concessions are contributions given to the buyer by the seller to use towards closing costs, repairs or even to buy down the interest rate. There are separate expenses related to buying to home other than your mortgage, and seller concessions ...

As a homeowner, it’s common to have questions regarding your mortgage. For example, there is conflicting information out there regarding the benefits of prepaying your mortgage and how it affects your overall payment and home financing; namely prepay...

If you own property, it’s essential that you plan for the future, as in, answering the tough question of what will happen to your assets when you die? You can (and should) have a will in place that will spell out your wishes and how assets should be ...

Your home is your castle, and if you suddenly can’t make your payments, it’s a good idea to have a way to take the financial pressure off your family. One of these options is what’s known as mortgage protection insurance (MPI) ...

Looking to upgrade your home for your growing family? Or maybe you’re an empty nester wanting to downsize. Whatever the case may be, buying a new home can be stressful enough without adding on the sale of your current one. ...

If you are self-employed and looking to buy a home, you may have heard that it is more difficult to get financing. That isn’t necessarily the case. The truth is that lenders consider the same criteria for each borrower. They will still ask for your w...

Getting your mortgage application denied is dispiriting, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of the race. When you know why your application was denied, you can take steps to remedy it. ...

Private mortgage insurance (PMI) is usually required for conventional loans when you put down less than 20% of the home’s purchase price. This is designed to protect the lender if you stop making payments. ...

When starting to research the best mortgage loan for your needs, it’s important to understand your options. Simply put, two main types of loans you will come across are government-backed and conventional. Each offers their own benefits to borrowers. ...