17
Nov
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Refinancing Tips: 5 Questions to Ask Your Lender to Ensure You’ve Done Your Homework

If you're looking to refinance your home, you're likely going to benefit from lower mortgage payments. But lower mortgage payments aren't the whole story with a refinance. A refinance plan may change several key terms of your mortgage agreement – which may work for or against you. Before you refinance, you'll want to ask your lender these five key questions – it'll help you ensure you're getting a deal you can afford. How Long Does It Take To Close? Closing a refinance isn't always straightforward, and in some cases it can take some time before your refinance is approved. For…
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12
Nov
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Understanding the Principal Limit on a Reverse Mortgage and What Happens if You Reach It

If you're considering applying for a reverse mortgage, you'll want to ensure you understand certain critical factors. One such factor is the principal limit. The principal limit will have a strong influence on your finances, which is why you'll need to ensure you know – before applying for your reverse mortgage – what your principal limit is. So how does a principal limit work, and how can you find out what yours is? Here's what you need to know. Principal Limit: The Maximum Amount You Can Borrow Simply put, the principal limit is the maximum amount of money that you…
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10
Nov
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Did You Know? Why a Mortgage Pre-qualification Meeting Might Be Your Best Use of 5 Minutes

If you're in the market for a mortgage, you may want to set up a pre-qualification meeting with a mortgage professional. Even if you're not 100% sure who you'd like to apply for a mortgage with, pre-qualification can still be a valuable step to take. And given that it only takes a few minutes, it's something every potential homeowner can do. So why should you go to a mortgage pre-qualification meeting with a mortgage lender? Here are just a few reasons why it's a great idea. It'll Give You A Good Idea Of How Much House You Can Afford A…
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05
Nov
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

What Are the Advantages to Paying off Your Mortgage Early? Here Are a Few That Might Entice You

If you're looking into fixed term mortgages, you might be wondering whether there's any reason why you should take the full term to pay off the loan. In a lot of cases, paying off a mortgage before it comes due is a great decision. If you're considering paying off your mortgage early, you'll experience a variety of benefits – here are just a few of them. You'll Save Thousands In Interest Payments By and large, the single biggest advantage of paying off a mortgage early is the money you'll save in interest. The longer you take to pay off your…
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03
Nov
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Looking to Close Faster? Follow This Easy Guide to Speeding Up the Mortgage Process

If you're buying a home, you'll want to try to get your mortgage processed as quickly as possible. Improperly filed mortgage applications are one of the biggest reasons why home sales get delayed, and if you have a hard move-out date already set, it's critical that your mortgage process goes smoothly. With careful planning, though, you can shorten the mortgage process and get your financing approved faster. Here's what you need to do to speed up the approval. Get Your Paperwork in Order Before You Apply One of the biggest reasons why mortgages get delayed is because the applicant is…
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27
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Mortgages 101: How to Calculate How Much You Will Need for Your Down Payment

If you're planning to buy a home in the near future, you're probably already in the process of saving up for a down payment. But if you haven't seen a mortgage advisor or started looking at properties yet, you probably don't have a good idea of what a down payment will cost you. Different mortgages have different down payment requirements, and you'll need to figure out ahead of time how much of a down payment you need to put forward. Following are some general guidelines. Be sure to speak with a knowledgeable, local lender to get the best advice for…
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