24
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

Expanding Opportunities For Home-Buying In ‘Opportunity Zones’

Opportunity Zones were created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to encourage investors with capital gains on other investments to invest that money in low-income and undercapitalized communities. They get a reward of deferring capital gains tax. They avoid a portion of it altogether if they keep the investment for five years or longer.  What started with a trickle of a few Opportunity Zones scattered around the country is now a deluge with over 3,000 approved Opportunity Zones approved in just about every part of America. 4,700 more areas may also qualify. Opportunity Zones Expanded Dramatically The very…
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20
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

How To Crowdfund A Renovation Project

Crowdfunding came into prominence with the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act that President Obama signed into law during 2012 and subsequent enhancements. The JOBS Act made it easier for startups to raise money and for the first time allowed the legal ability to advertise the investments and accept small investors. Innovate And Renovate Crowdfunding is useful for many projects. The method raises money to create new products, make documentary films, and for many kinds of fashion items. Crowdfunding successfully raises money for real estate transactions.  Smaller investors participate in real estate projects that they would otherwise not have enough…
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26
Jun
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

Simple Tips To Pay Off A Home Mortgage Loan Faster

It is a major life decision to buy a home and yet many do not consider how much they will pay on the interest over the life of the loan. All they usually think about is if they can afford to pay the monthly mortgage payments. It is helpful to learn how different loan structures impact the amount of money wasted on the interest paid for a home loan. Here is a comparison of different loan lengths and payment options to show some helpful ways to reduce the total interest paid. Standard 30-Year Fixed Mortgage For a buyer who has…
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12
Jun
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

What Is A Reverse Mortgage?

A reverse mortgage is a way to use the equity value that built up in a home to improve the quality of life for those who have appropriate circumstances when they reach the retirement age of 62 or older. With a reverse mortgage, a person continues to live in their own home and retains the title to it but does not have to make any monthly reverse mortgage payments. A reverse mortgage may be helpful; however, not everyone qualifies for one. The benefits come with disadvantages as well. Here is a list of the advantages and the disadvantages for reverse…
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07
May
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

Can I Qualify For A Mortgage Without W-2 Income?

It's more common these days to have non-traditional income that doesn't fall into the W-2 category. Many people work in what is referred to as the "gig economy," where income might come from a variety of freelance sources. Other times, people don't have W-2 income because they are retired or have an independent source of wealth that generates interest income. Still other times, an individual may own their own business and take draws instead of a paycheck. In all these cases, it might seem impossible to qualify for a mortgage, since there's no W-2 income.  Lenders Are Understanding Thankfully, many…
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23
Apr
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

Finding ‘Hard Money’ Lenders Is Easier Than You Think

Are you the type of real estate investor that has an interest in a treasure hunt? A real estate investment strategy based on hard money is, at its core, a treasure hunt. There must be an underlying value, the "treasure," for a hard money opportunity to exist. Collateral For A Hard Money Loan Is Only The Property Hard money loans rely only on the value of the real estate property for collateral. The credit history of the borrower is not important. Usually, the limit for a hard money loan is a 60% loan-to-value. The hard money loan must be in…
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