Blog

18
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Saving Up for Your First Home? Our Guide to Finding Ways to Save Your Down Payment Faster

If your goal is to purchase a home, you may find that it’s challenging to save up enough money for your down payment. While this is something that many first time home buyers struggle with, it is by no means insurmountable. By making a few simple changes you will be able to accumulate the funds you need for your down payment. Keep Track Of Your Spending One of the reasons why it can be difficult to save money is that you aren’t even sure of where your money is going. While you may be aware of major expenses such as…
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17
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – February 16, 2015

Last week's economic news included an index of labor market conditions provided by the Federal Reserve, a report on small business sentiment, and a report from the Labor Department on job openings. Weekly jobless claims, Freddie Mac's mortgage rates report and a report on Consumer Sentiment rounded out the week. The details: Labor Market Conditions, Small Business Index Reports Fall According to the January reading for a labor index report released by the Federal Reserve, labor market conditions declined from December's reading of 7.3 to January's reading of 4.9. This index is based on 19 economic indicators and January's reading…
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13
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Around The Home, ,

DIY Lovers: ‘Greenify’ Your Home with These Three Eco-friendly Home Improvement Projects

Are you a homeowner who is searching for ways to make your home a bit more eco-friendly? Equipping your home with "green" improvements can save a substantial amount of energy and money, especially over the long term. In today's post we'll explore a few projects that handy do-it-yourselfers can undertake in order to make a home a bit friendlier to the local environment. #1: Focus on the Windows Depending upon the time of year, windows have an impact on both heating and cooling costs. In the summer, older windows can drastically heat up a home causing cooling costs to skyrocket.…
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12
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Mortgage Refinancing: How to Ensure a ‘Re-Fi’ Makes the Most Sense for Your Financial Situation

Refinancing your mortgage can make good financial sense, as long as you are doing it for the right reasons. Before considering a refinance, it's worth spending some time to assess what your financial goals are. Lowering Your Interest Rate One of the most common reasons to refinance a mortgage is to take advantage of a lower interest rate. Because mortgages are long-term loans, even a slight drop in the interest rate on the loan can make thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars of difference over the life of the loan. Before refinancing to get a lower rate, you'll…
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11
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

Three Excellent Reasons to Buy a Home So You Can Get out of the “Renting Rut”

Renting a home is a good option for some, but buying a home just might be the best thing for you. When you rent a home, you send money to someone else every month in exchange for knowing that you can call on your landlord when the roof leaks, an appliance stops working or your bathroom faucet breaks. There are some big advantages to buying a house that will help you get out of your renting rut and focus more on your future. Build Equity Did you know that when you rent a home, you help someone else build equity?…
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10
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Freelancing in 2015? Three Tips for How to Secure a Mortgage if You’re a Self-Employed Entrepreneur

If you are self-employed, either as a freelancer or as the owner of your own business, your income can fluctuate greatly from year to year. That can make it difficult to get approved for a mortgage, although there are some things you can do to improve your chances. Here are three tips for securing a mortgage if you are self-employed. Make Sure Your Credit Score Is In Good Shape While your ability to pay back a mortgage is the most important factor in approval, your credit score is a close second, and that goes for every borrower, not just those…
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