Blog

30
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Home Building Tips

Case-Shiller Home Price Index: National Home Prices Reach Pre-Recession Level

According to the Case-Shiller National Home Price Index for June, Seattle, Washington continued to lead home price growth for the tenth consecutive month with a June reading of 13.40 percent growth year-over-year. Portland Oregon held second place for home price growth in the 20-City Home Price Index in June but trailed Seattle by 5.20 percent with 8.20 percent year-over-year home price growth. Dallas Texas held third place with a year-over-year home price growth rate of 7.70 percent. The 20-City Home Price Index increased by 5.70 percent year-over-year and was unchanged from May's reading. Case-Shiller's National Home Price Index reported a…
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29
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Closing Costs 101: Expert Tips for Keeping Your Costs Down When Finalizing Your Mortgage

Are you thinking about buying a new home? If you are going to make use of mortgage financing, you may be wondering about some of the costs attached. As you may have heard, all mortgages have a number of fees and other costs that are assessed at the "close," or when you finalize the loan. Let's take a look at a few expert tips that will help you to keep your closing costs to a minimum when you take out your next mortgage. Aim For Zero-Closing-Cost Options If Possible One question that you will want to ask your potential mortgage…
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28
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage Rates

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 28, 2017

Last week's economic news included readings on sales of new and previously-owned homes, Weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released, along with coverage of Fed Chair Janet Yellen's remarks at a conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Home Sales Lower in July According to the Commerce Department, new home sales fell to a seven-month low in July; 571,000 new homes were sold on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis in July.  This reading fell short of the expected sales rate of 608,000 new home sales and June's reading of 630,000 sales. This was unwelcome news for home builders,…
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25
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

First-time Buyers: Boost Your Chances of Mortgage Pre-approval With These 4 Tips

Buying a home for the first time? If you plan on taking out a mortgage, you will likely want to know just how you can get pre-approved for enough financing to get the home of your dreams. In today's post, we will share four tips that will help you to boost your chances of a successful pre-approval when you apply for a mortgage. Polish Up Your Credit Score It should come as no surprise that your credit score is one area every mortgage lender is going to inspect. Order a copy of your credit report and be sure to go…
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24
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Around The Home, ,

5 Surprisingly Stylish Ways to Improve Your Living Room’s Look Using Wallpaper

From a sophisticated couch to a stunning art print, there are plenty of ways that you can dress up your living room and instantly change its vibe. You may not realize it, but wallpaper is back in fashion and becoming another popular way to instantly revamp a room. If you're contemplating ways that wallpaper can benefit your space, here are some options you may want to try out. Add An Accent A brightly colored accent wall may have been a popular trend a few years ago, but a way to bring your wall into current fashion can be to add…
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23
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Graduating From College? 3 Things You Need to Know About Mortgages and Student Loans

Are you thinking about buying a new home using a mortgage loan? If you've just graduated from college, you're probably wondering how your student loans will impact a mortgage and what your options are. In today's post we'll share three things that you need to know about mortgages if you're still working on paying off your student loan debt. #1: Yes, Your Student Loan Will Affect Your Application You might as well embrace the fact that your outstanding student loan is going to cause some questions to be asked during the mortgage application process. Mortgage lenders have a responsibility to…
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