11
May
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips,

How to Smartly Leverage Your Home Equity

So you've been a homeowner for some time. You've been faithfully paying off your mortgage for years, and you have a fair bit of equity built up in your home – and that makes you proud. But now, you're wondering what good equity is if you're not using it. How do you actually use home equity? And how do you leverage it to get a high return for low risk? Here are just a few options you may want to consider if you're looking for something to do with your equity. Use A Home Equity Loan Or HELOC To Pay…
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04
May
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips,

When is Refinancing Not a Good Idea?

Refinancing your home can be a great way to reduce monthly mortgage payments or interest rates – or even pay off your debt faster. And while it is a useful tool in budgeting for millions of homeowners, a home refinance may not necessarily be useful in every situation – in fact, there are some situations where refinancing can cost you a great deal of money. So when should you skip the refinance and simply keep with the original plan? Here's what you need to know. If You've Already Paid Off Much Of Your Mortgage When you first start paying a…
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03
May
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips,

How to Lower Your Mortgage Interest Rate

Mortgage interest rates are at historical lows right now, but they're expected to start rising soon. That's why savvy buyers are taking steps to ensure they get the best possible interest rates on the market and then lock those rates in for the long term. But even if interest rates are already low, that doesn't mean you can't reduce them further. So how can you save even more money on your monthly interest payments? Here's what you need to know. Buy Down Your Rate With Interest Points Interest points are a form of pre-paid interest that can help you to…
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28
Apr
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

The HARP Refinance Program Has Been Extended into 2016: Here’s How You Can Take Advantage

With the Home Affordable Refinancing Program recently being extended until the last day of December, 2016, many homeowners who have found their assets in a challenging situation have been given a second chance to apply and receive an affordable mortgage. By taking advantage of the HARP program, eligible borrowers can refinance to the current mortgage rates on their homes while avoiding paying for private mortgage insurance or putting down the principal. A Quick Primer On The HARP Refinancing Program With the economy in a strong downturn in 2008, the value of millions of American homes plunged and the owners found…
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26
Apr
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

You Ask, We Answer: 5 Ways That You Can Proactively Build and Improve Your Credit Score

If you're planning to buy a house or take out a business loan in the near future, you'll want to work hard to boost your credit score well ahead of time in order to improve your likelihood of getting the loan you need. A great credit score can also make you more desirable to employers and help you to negotiate lower car insurance rates. But what can you do in order to build your credit score over time? What are the best strategies for boosting that score as high as possible? Here's what you need to know. Dispute Errors On…
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19
Apr
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Understanding the CFPB’s New Mortgage Rules and How They Might Affect You

If you're getting a mortgage, you'll want to ensure you're well versed in all of the government regulations surrounding mortgages and how they affect you. One government agency that dictates a number of the rules surrounding mortgages is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB has several regulations that lenders need to follow, some of which have only recently come into effect. So how do the CFPB's new mortgage rules affect you? Here's what you need to know. Know Before You Owe: Mortgages Just Got Easier To Understand The CFPB's new Know Before You Owe mortgage disclosure rule has rolled…
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