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3 Things Your Mortgage Broker Wishes You Knew

As the mortgage market has become more competitive, it has become a more common choice for many people to choose a mortgage broker to assist them with the lending process. While it's great to have someone to help you with the fine details, there are some important differences between what a mortgage broker does and what you might think they do, so here are some things to be aware of. They Can't Approve Your Mortgage Many people think that having a mortgage broker is a surefire way to obtain a home loan, but because brokers are a separate entity from…
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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – July 11, 2016

Last week's economic news included minutes from the most recent meeting of the Fed's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) along with several reports on private and public sector employment and the national unemployment rate. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released. FOMC Minutes: Committee Closely Monitoring Economic Developments The minutes of June's FOMC meeting indicate that Fed policymakers continue to be cautious based on low inflation and close review of domestic and global economic developments. Committee members acknowledged improvements in the housing market, but also noted that annual inflation remains below the Fed's two percent…
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4 Ways to Help Your Mortgage Transaction Close On Time

When you've finally found the home you're looking for at the right price, it's easy to think that the hard part is over; however, there's still a lot to do in order to ensure your purchase goes through without a hitch. If you're tying up the loose ends on your home purchase, here are some things you should do to avoid any unnecessary delays. Hire A Legal Professional However much research you may have done in regards to buying a home, there's still a lot of legal jargon in the closing documents that can be difficult for most people to…
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The 4 Most Common Mortgage Questions, Answered

Making the decision to purchase a home is one of the most significant investments most people will make in their life, and this automatically means there are a lot of questions that need to be answered before putting any money down. If you're considering making the leap, here are some insights into some of the common questions you might have. How Much Should You Put Down? While many homebuyers have the option of putting as little as 3% down in order to purchase a home, there are benefits to saving up for a down payment and putting in 15 or…
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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – July 5, 2016

Last week's economic events included S&P Case-Shiller's Housing Market Indices for April along with reports on Construction Spending and Pending Home Sales. Consumer Confidence was higher in June in spite of low wage growth and inflation well below the Fed's goal of 2.00 percent annually. S&P Case-Shiller: Home Price Growth Ticks Downward April home values grew by 5.40 percent in April on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis. Case Shiller reported a drop in momentum from the March reading of 5.50 percent according to the S&P Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index. While no city included in the 20-City Index reported lower home…
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Pay Off Your Home Faster with These Mortgage Tips

The monthly mortgage payment that goes into purchasing a home is frequently the most expensive cost per month that most people will incur, and that means that it can be helpful to know the tricks of the trade in squaring away this payment more quickly. If you're looking for some simple tips to get your mortgage paid off a little sooner, here are some pointers that will help you get to this goal. Make Bi-Weekly Payments It may seems like enough of an expenditure to pay your mortgage once a month, but making payments every two weeks can actually greatly…
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