While manufacturers and wellness gurus often tout natural as the best choice, you don’t have to dig deeply into the dictionary to find evidence that even natural substances can pose a danger to your health. After all, both asbestos and arsenic are naturally occurring substances that have been linked to cancer and other maladies. Radon …
Setting Up an Escrow Account
When you buy a house, setting up an escrow account is part of the process. It’s not particularly glamorous or exciting, but it is easy and essential to protecting your interests. What are escrow accounts? How are they used in the real estate world?
Benefits of an FHA Loan
It’s a fairly safe bet that if the discussion turns to home loans for first-time buyers, FHA loans will be mentioned. In fact, the association is strong enough that some people mistakenly believe that the FHA’s loan program is only for novice buyers. In reality, the FHA loan program is used by a wide array …
How to Save for a Down Payment
If you’re thinking about buying a home, you’re probably also thinking about how to save for a down payment. For many Americans, it can be a scary prospect. How much do you really need to save for a down payment before making a home purchase? What steps can you take to successfully set aside funds …
First-Time Homebuyer Tips
If you’re prepping to purchase your first home, first-time homebuyer tips are practically required reading. But if you’ve owned a home or two in the past, why would you want to spend time reading advice for beginners? First, it never hurts to brush up, and if it’s been awhile since you made a home purchase, the …
How to Improve Your Credit Score to Buy a House
It’s always worthwhile to have a solid credit score, but there are a few times in life when it really matters. One of those times is when you’re preparing to buy a house. After all, a higher credit score enables you to choose from better home loan offers and can result in substantial savings on …
Changing Jobs After Mortgage Approval
Typically lenders prefer to deal with borrowers who have a record of steady employment. Because they receive consistent paychecks on a regular basis, borrowers with stable, full-time jobs are more likely to have the funds needed for their monthly mortgage payments. So what happens if you’re laid off while you’re in the process of securing …
What Is a Balloon Mortgage?
For people with globophobia, the thought of encountering a balloon, especially as it pops, can be terrifying. When you add in associations with horror movies and creepy clowns, balloons make some people downright nervous. Fortunately for aspiring homebuyers, balloon mortgages don’t involve rubber, helium, or spine-chilling jesters. Still, many prospective borrowers are wary of this …
The Pros and Cons of USDA Loans
When the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) comes up in discussion, people tend to think of agribusiness concerns instead of home loans. That might be why the USDA Rural Development Guaranteed Loan program is often referred to as one of the best-kept secrets of the mortgage market. Could a USDA loan be the tool that …
Buying a Home with Student Loan Debt
If you’re interested in buying a home but carrying a heavy load of student loan debt, the statistics can be disheartening. As CNBC reports, roughly 45 million Americans are bearing the financial burden of student loan debt. When asked why they haven’t bought a house, more than 80 percent of adults between the ages of …