Blog

09
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Self Employed and Seeking a Mortgage? How to Ensure That Your Lender Knows You’re Able to Pay

Whether you're a freelance web designer who spends their days working from a coffee shop or a small-business entrepreneur with a team of staff, if you're a self-employed individual and you're thinking about buying a new house you may face some difficulty getting approved for a mortgage. In today's blog post we'll share how you can provide paperwork and other evidence to show your mortgage lender that you're a quality applicant who has the ability to make their payments. Have Your Accountant Prep Your Paperwork As a general rule of thumb, if you're in business you should invest in the…
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08
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

Closing Costs: Understanding What It Costs to Close on a Home and What You Can Expect to Pay

If you're in the process of buying a new home, you've likely heard the term "closing costs" in regards to the many different fees and taxes that you'll be required to pay during the purchase process. In this post we'll look at a number of these closing costs and what you will be expected to pay when you buy that next dream home. Taking out a Mortgage? There Will Be Fees Attached If you're taking out a mortgage to finance the cost of buying your home you'll end up incurring a variety of fees. Nearly all lenders will charge a…
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07
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Shopping Around: How to Compare Mortgages from Different Lenders or Underwriters

Buying a home is a major financial transaction, especially if you're going to need mortgage financing to help cover the purchase cost. The only way to know if you're getting the best deal on a mortgage is to shop around, but with so many different lenders vying for your business it can be very tough to choose which mortgage is the best fit for your own situation. In this post we'll share how you can compare mortgages from different lenders or underwriters so that you can get the best possible deal on your mortgage loan. Start By Comparing Interest Rates…
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06
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 6, 2014

Last week's economic news included multiple reports on housing and the labor sector. The good news is that job markets appear to be stronger, with new jobless claims and the national unemployment rate lower. Unfortunately, housing continues to struggle in its recovery. Pending home sales slumped in August and the S&P Case-Shiller Housing Market Index reports for July showed slower growth in home prices with 19 of 20 cities posting lower gains than for June. Mortgage rates were mixed, but remained relatively steady. Housing Reports Show Slower Price Gains, Suggest Falling Demand The National Association of REALTORS® released data for…
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03
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Around The Home, ,

Looking for a Value-adding Upgrade? Why Residential Solar Panels Are Becoming a Popular Renovation

If you're looking for a home upgrade that can add resale value to your home while paying itself off over time, look no further than a solar panel setup. In the past few years, the cost of installing residential solar has declined while the efficiency of the panels has increased. This combination has made home solar one of the best investments that a homeowner can make - provided they live in an area that receives a good deal of sunshine. Solar Adds Immense Value To Your Home While solar panel installations are not inexpensive, in almost every case they add…
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01
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Setting Your Budget: How to Analyze Your Finances to Determine How Much Mortgage You Can Afford

Whether you're buying a home for the first time or you've decided it's about time that you upgraded to a larger, more expansive house, if you're making a real estate purchase you'll need to be aware of how much you can reasonably afford to borrow in a mortgage. In today's post we'll take a look at a few ways that you can analyze your financial situation to help decide how much mortgage you can truly afford. Prepare An Honest Monthly Budget The first step in understanding how much of a monthly payment you can afford is to create an honest…
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