Turned Down for a Mortgage? What to Do if You are Declined – and How to Get Second Opinion

If you have been declined for a mortgage, you may think that buying that new home is out of reach. However, there are ways to turn a rejection into an approval and to find a more accessible loan. Here are just a few steps you can take to learn about your loan options and get the mortgage that works for you. Find Out Why The Mortgage Application Was Denied The first step to getting a second opinion is to find out why your mortgage application was denied. Banks commonly deny mortgages for reasons like a low credit score, a high…
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Looking to Pay Back Your Mortgage Faster? Three Reasons to Consider Switching to Bi-weekly Payments

While there are differing schools of thought when it comes to whether or not a person should pay off a mortgage before the loan term ends, there may be some benefits to making payments on a bi-weekly basis as opposed to monthly basis. What are some of the reasons why it may be beneficial to make two payments a month instead of one? Here are three reasons why you should ditch the monthly fees and make payments once every two weeks. You'll Make An Extra Payment Per Year If you're looking to pay off your mortgage ahead of schedule, making…
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Children Leaving the Nest? 3 Pieces of Sage Advice You Can Share About How to Manage a Mortgage

When your children are about to step out into the world on their own, you want to help them on their way. This especially holds true when it comes to buying a house. As your sons or daughters prepare to take the plunge into home ownership, make sure they follow three crucial tips that will help them during the mortgage process. Don't Bite Off More Than You Can Chew One of the biggest mistakes that homeowners make is choosing a home that is beyond their price range. Your children need to remember that they are going to be paying for…
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Applying for a Mortgage? Three Questions Your Lender Will Ask You – and How to Prepare Your Answers

Before approving a mortgage, your lender is going to have to do his due diligence to ensure that you can afford a loan large enough to pay for a house. That means your lender will be asking you several questions about whether or not you can afford a mortgage. Here's how you can prepare to answer these questions in a way that will increase your likelihood of approval. How Stable Is Your Income? Your lender is going to want to know that your income is going to be stable over the life of the loan. This means that you should…
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Separation Anxiety: How to Deal with a Joint Mortgage Loan in the Event of a Divorce

During the course of a marriage, it is common for the couple to acquire property together. This is what is referred to as joint or community property. When a couple divorces, it is up to the parties involved to determine what happens to this joint property or let a judge use applicable law to determine how property is to be split. What Happens To The House? A couple of options are available when deciding what to do with a house where both partners are listed on the mortgage. First, the couple may decide to simply sell the home and split…
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Scam Alert! Three Mortgage Modification Scams to Watch out for (And How to Avoid Them)

As if homeowners who are facing foreclosure don't have enough to worry about, a multitude of loan modification scam artists have invaded the internet, public files and even foreclosure notices in newspapers in hopes of targeting their next victim. By identifying the top three modification scams and learning how to avoid them, at-risk homeowners can protect themselves (and their homes). Never Pay For Mortgage Modification Assistance Many desperate homeowners fall victim to scam artists who offer to provide them with assistance in the loan modification process for an exorbitant fee. Many times the scam artist who promises to provide assistance…
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