Jim Hasek, Author at Adrian Willanger

07

Jan

Home Mortgage TipsHome Mortgage Tips, Mortgage Refinancing, Mortgages

It’s 2015! Get a Jump on Your Payments with Our Quick Guide to Paying Your Mortgage off Sooner

With the start of the New Year, it's common to set new resolutions. While there are many goals that are worthwhile, paying off your mortgage as soon as possible can significantly improve your financial position and is a great goal to aim for. With that in mind, let's take a quick look at a few helpful tips for paying your mortgage off sooner. Refinance To A Shorter Mortgage Term For example, switching from a 30-year mortgage to a 15-year will get your mortgage paid off in half the time it would have originally taken, and it will also lower the…

06

Jan

By Jim Hasek

Home Mortgage TipsHome Mortgage Tips, Mortgages, Mortgages and Credit

FICO Scores: How Does Your FICO Score Impact Your Mortgage? Let’s Take a Look

Most people have heard the term FICO score, but some remain confused as to what it actually is and if it affects them when they try to obtain a mortgage. A few questions can be answered to help people understand how it can affect the amount of interest you pay on your loan. What is a FICO Score? A FICO score is a credit grade of a borrower, based on credit history as reported to 3 separate credit reporting agencies. It is based on a number of factors, including the amount of credit a person has, payment history, late payments,…

05

Jan

By Jim Hasek

Market OutlookCase Shiller, Market Outlook, National Assoication of Realtors

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – January 5, 2015

Case-Shiller reported that home prices hit their lowest pace in two years. According to the Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index for October, home prices fell in 10 cities, rose in eight cities and were unchanged in two cities. In other news, pending home sales increased and weekly jobless claims rose. The details: Case-Shiller: Home Price Growth Lowest in Two Years According to its 20-City Home Price Index, Case-Shiller said that home prices dropped by 0.10 percent to a reading of 4.50 percent year-over-year as compared to September's reading of 4.80 percent year-over-year. Analysts expected home price growth to drop to…

02

Jan

By Jim Hasek

Around The HomeAround The Home, Home Maintenance, Upgrades and Renovations

Let There Be Light! 3 Easy Ways to Make over a Room by Adding New Light Fixtures

Light is an important design element that can be used to influence your interior decor in a number of ways. In fact, you can experience a major transformative change on the overall style and ambiance of a room by making a few simple lighting changes. Consider how these ideas can help you to improve the look of your space with great results, and think about ways that you can improve your space by making a few changes. The Addition of Spotlights If you have fine pieces of artwork, decorative display areas or other features that you want to illustrate with…

31

Dec

By Jim Hasek

Home Buyer TipsBuying a Home, Home Buyer Tips, Real Estate Investing

Looking for Luxury? How to Upsize Your Next Home Without Upsizing Your Costs

Size matters when you are buying a new home. Whether you plan to expand your family, need more room for your stuff, or are concerned with resale value, you want to get the most space for your money. Also, if you want to add a feel of luxury to your home, one of the best ways to do it is to create open spaces rather than cramming all your furniture in rooms so tiny you can barely walk around without knocking something over. Traditionally speaking, the larger a home is, the more it costs. If there are two newly built…

30

Dec

By Jim Hasek

Home Mortgage TipsHome Mortgage Tips, Mortgage Insurance, Mortgages

You Ask, We Answer: What is Private Mortgage Insurance or ‘PMI’ and How Does It Work?

For many homeowners, their mortgage payment contains more than just principal and interest. A little something called PMI could be representing a significant portion of that payment, and it's important for home buyers to understand this cost. What Is PMI? PMI stands for private mortgage insurance, or sometimes just mortgage insurance. However, it isn't intended to mitigate risk for the homeowner, but rather the bank. Statistics show that when a home buyer puts less than 20% down on a home, he/she is much more likely to default. So, requiring these buyers to carry PMI helps the bank hedge their losses…