Buy vs. Rent
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! What a wonderful and exciting time for both of you. Since you’ve begun planning your important day, now is the ideal time to consider where you will live as you start your life together. One big decision is the choice between renting versus homeownership. If you need help deciding which …
7 No No’s when Applying for a Home Loan
Buying a home can be so exciting but there are 7 things you should NOT do when you have applied for a mortgage!!! Don’t buy or lease an auto!! Lenders look carefully at your debt-to-income ratio. A large payment such as a car lease or purchase can greatly impact those ratios and prevent you …
Financial Planning & Home Comparison
Weddings are such a wonderful occasion. We love working with people to help them reach their financial goals. Sometimes you need a little more help than I can provide. Your home loan is probably the largest financial commitment that you will make in your life. It is critical that you understand how your home financing …
Planning and Budgeting
The wedding is getting closer and it sure is an exciting time! A lot of things to prepare, to get ready, and to think about, But we want to remind you, your wedding is just the beginning of a lifelong commitment that will require discipline from both of you. Let’s talk for a minute about …
What is PMI?
Do you know what mortgage insurance is? Many people confuse mortgage insurance with mortgage life insurance, mortgage disability insurance, or even homeowners’ insurance. These are all very different types of insurance – no wonder there is such confusion! Mortgage insurance is generally required when the down payment on a home is less than 20%, and …
Why Buy Now?
HOMES ARE BEING SOLD AT BARGAIN PRICES Over the last 5 years, the real estate crisis has led to a variety of distressed property on the market. What sold for much higher prices now sell for a discount in this troubled market. Foreclosures, default properties, bank-owned homes, and short sales make up this new category …
Honeymoon Travel Checklist
The Big Day is just around the corner. Wedding bells are dancing in your head. The excitement and anticipation must be building as you get closer and closer to your wedding date. The wedding bells quickly turn into doorbells. You still have some concerns about the loan process, so we thought you might find this …
Rates, Fees, and Reputation (Borrower’s Golden Rule)
“Don’t judge a loan by its interest rate alone.” Finding the right lender isn’t as simple as calling the company that posts the lowest rate on the Internet. True, the interest rate is an important piece to the puzzle, but it’s not the only criteria you should use in making the right choice for your …
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How to Pick a Real Estate Professional
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions Planning a wedding is a big job. As you may already know, it can be a very trying, yet wonderful experience. Finding a professional is just as important. The decision to buy a home is one of the most important financial decisions most people make, yet many give little thought to finding …
Buying a Home Saves You Money
Did you know that buying a home can SAVE you money? Here’s how! First, you’ll save on taxes because your home purchase will give you what will most likely be your biggest tax deduction – the interest on your mortgage. Second, you can save big on interest payments by taking advantage of little-known differences among …
Location Location Location
Buy in the Right Location You’ve probably heard the saying Location, Location, Location many times before in regards to Real Estate. What does it mean?? Well, typically people are talking about purchasing in areas that are prime for appreciation and not likely to lose value, which is no doubt important. Here are a few …
Getting a new Driver’s License
Changing your name on your Driver’s License isn’t difficult, but you do have to go in personally to change it. They will also take a new picture of you for your new license. You can find the closest DMV office by doing a quick Google Search for DMV Office. I personally like the Driver license …
Changing your Name
How to change your last name In order to change your name with the social security office, you will need to fill out the form SS-5. The nice part about this one is that you don’t have to go into the SS office, you can do this all by mail. You can find a local …