Financing a Home - Houseopedia, LLC

Should You Wait Until Interest Rates Drop to Buy a House?

Today’s mortgage interest rates are a good bit higher than those of a few years ago, and that’s keeping many...

Creative Mortgages in Times of High Interest Rates

Today’s higher interest rates are squeezing would-be home buyers. Less than three years ago, rates were below 4 percent. Now...

Understanding Your Property Taxes

Paying property taxes is an unavoidable part of homeownership. But why are you charged these taxes, and what determines how...

Don’t Be Blindsided by FHA Minimum Property Requirements

The Federal Housing Administration’s accommodating lending standards help financially challenged Americans achieve the dream of homeownership. But buyers may be...

Homeownership Incentives for First-Time Buyers

Owning a home is an essential part of the American dream for most people. Did you know that federal and...

Hope for Homeownership After Bankruptcy

Significant financial misfortune may lead you to do the unthinkable: file for bankruptcy. You may fear that this means the...

What Are the Differences Between Distressed Properties?

When a homeowner is forced to give up a home because of financial hardship, the house is referred to as...

Buying Your First Home in Your 20s

If you’ve recently graduated from college and are just getting established in your career, you may think you’re destined for...

Buying a House with Your Significant Other

Sometimes unmarried couples want to buy a house together. Homeownership is a great goal, but before you take the plunge...

Single Women Making Their Place in the Housing Market

Women still face hurdles when it comes to equal pay and job opportunities. Even so, sales to single women home...

What is the Role of the Mortgage Underwriter?

The loan processor you work with when you apply for a mortgage isn’t the person who decides whether you qualify...

Purchasing a House at a Property Auction

If you’ve wanted to buy real estate as an investment, you might consider buying a house at a foreclosed property...

Should You Buy a House with a Tax Lien?

When buying a house you expect to spend money beyond the sales price for some repairs or remodeling. Buyers don’t...

Bank Statement Loans for Self-Employed Homebuyers

Whether you are self-employed, a freelancer or have a variable income stream, you’ll face special challenges getting a typical mortgage...

Should You Pay Mortgage Points?

One strategy for lowering your mortgage interest rate and the overall cost of your loan is to pay mortgage points...

Financing the Construction of a New Home

Building a new home is far different from purchasing an existing house. While you may be familiar with typical purchase...

Veterans and Active Military: Home Buying Help

As a thank you for their service, veterans and active military are eligible for special benefits when purchasing a home....

Millennials: You CAN Save For a Home Down Payment

Saving enough money for a home down payment is a challenge for every generation, but millennials face extra hurdles. The...

How to Build a Strong Credit History in Four Steps

Securing a good interest rate and qualifying for a home require a good credit report. That’s easier said than done,...

Down Payment Assistance Programs

When thinking of buying a house, a first question is often How much do I need for a down payment?...

How to Purchase a Home With No Down Payment

The trend in home buying has moved away from large down payments. In fact, today’s average down payment is just...

Should You Pay All-Cash for a Home?

Nationally, about a quarter of homes are sold in all-cash transactions. If you have sufficient cash to purchase outright without...

It’s Getting Easier to Obtain a Mortgage

The housing crash of 2008 led to a tightening of mortgage lending standards. Now rules are loosening again. What can...

If You’re a First-Time Home Buyer, Don’t Panic, Get Help!

Buying a first home is a rite of passage. After crunching the numbers, receiving preapproval for a mortgage and finding...

What You Need to Know About Real Estate Commission Rebates

Real estate commission rebates can be a great tool to help clinch a deal. What exactly is a commission rebate?...

When to Lock In — Or Float — a Mortgage Rate

When applying for a mortgage, one of the first decisions a buyer must make is whether to lock in an...

What are Green Mortgages and How Can They Benefit You?

If sustainable living is an important part of your lifestyle, you might be a candidate for a “green mortgage” when...

Tap Into Little Known Sources for Down Payment Help

Accumulating down payment money for a house is important, but can be challenging, especially for millennials bogged down in massive...

10 Ways to Help Repair Your Credit History

Do you have bad credit? While legitimate credit repair services can help improve your credit scores, you can do the...

What is a Jumbo Loan and Do I Need One?

If you’re in the market for a home with a hefty price tag -- we’re talking a half-million dollars or...

Financial Tips For Buying A Fixer-Upper

If your dream home is a fixer-upper, but cash is tight, a 203 (k) program offered by the Federal Housing...

How to Be a Good Buyer

When shopping for a home, potential buyers can make things easier on themselves -- and sellers -- by following certain...

Tax Benefits of Homeownership

For most people, their home is their biggest investment -- and their biggest tax benefits. As always, it’s best to...

What You Need to Know About Points and Origination Fees

When buying your first house, the terms and conditions of the mortgage process can be confusing. Here’s a primer on...

Primary and Secondary Mortgage Markets: What’s the Difference?

When you buy a home, your mortgage is sold to you by a banker or broker on the primary mortgage...

An Inside Look at Your Monthly Mortgage Payment

Each month you send off a hefty chunk of money to your mortgage company. If you’re like most people, it...

Path to Homeownership: What is the Equal Credit Opportunity Act

Homeownership is the dream of millions of Americans, and should never be denied because of an applicant’s race, color, national...

What Exactly is the Dodd-Frank Act and How Does It Help Consumers?

The financial crisis of 2008 started with shoddy mortgage-lending practices. Congress answered this problem with the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, which...

Simplified Loan Statements Make Choices More Clear

If you haven’t bought a home in recent years, the paperwork you’ll be confronted with will look a little different...

Free Help for Consumers: ‘Know Before You Owe’

In the often-confusing world of finance, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a valuable source of free information for...

Choosing the Best Mortgage for You

Shopping for a home also means shopping for a mortgage. If this is all new to you, the multitude of...

My Mortgage Was Sold — Now What?

It seemed like the ink was barely dry on your closing papers when you received notice that your mortgage had...

Don’t Be Surprised By Private Mortgage Insurance

Buyers who put less than 20 percent down on a home might find themselves with a higher-than-expected monthly payment. The...

Do Online Mortgage Lenders Offer the Best Deals?

Mortgage lending is yet another industry that has undergone massive change by the internet. Online lenders advertise fast and easy...

Smart Homebuyers Keep Tabs On the Federal Reserve

The financial world hangs on the mere hint of a possible interest rate increase by the Federal Reserve. But what...

Find Out If You Qualify for Government Help with a Mortgage

When searching out home-financing opportunities, it’s worthwhile to see if you qualify for government programs that offer attractive terms. The...

Two Big Money Moments for Homebuyers

Homebuyers must make two large payments when purchasing a house. One is the earnest money paid upon execution of the...

Appraisers a Key Player in Home Sales

How much is a home worth? That’s the crucial question asked by home buyers and their lenders in a sales...

Before the House Hunt Begins, Fix Your Credit

When buying a home and applying for a mortgage, a good credit score is critical. A home can be purchased...

Home Mortgage Process: Do This, Not That

The mortgage approval process is rigorous. Since the housing bubble burst in 2008, federal regulators have ratcheted up their standards....

Buyer Beware: Protect Yourself From Predatory Lenders

Despite the mortgage-lending reforms that followed the 2008 economic crash, it’s your job as a consumer to be on guard...

What You Need to Know About Lease Purchase Options

What exactly is a lease-purchase option and how does it work? It’s a different breed of real estate transaction with...

How to Shop Around for the Best Mortgage

It’s important to shop for the perfect place to call home, but don’t forget to shop around for the best...

Six Hidden Expenses that Surprise New Homeowners

You’ve sacrificed, scrimped and saved for the down payment on your first home. But have you saved for the whole...

Prequalified or Preapproved: What’s the Difference?

One of the most important steps in the home-shopping process is for buyers to have an initial assessment of their...