So, you’ve found a house you love, been approved for a mortgage, and are just waiting to close on your loan. It can sometimes take a few days or even a few weeks to get from this point to your closing date when the transfer of the property takes place. And, […]

Paying extra on your mortgage can be a good idea. It can shave years off your home loan and save tens of thousands of dollars in interest charges. The one thing you should not do, however, is sign up for an accelerated payment plan from a mortgage service company that […]

Buying a home isn’t like buying a pair of shoes, or even a car. Rather than simply showing up with money, the process of purchasing real estate is a legal transaction as well as a financial transaction, and it takes weeks-if not months-to complete. But, when you find a place […]

While buying the perfect home can be a dream come true, paying for the mortgage that might come with it can be a very daunting task, especially if you need to settle hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of debt. Still, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to take […]

Mortgage rates have gone down in recent weeks, giving you an opportunity to refinance your home at an attractive rate, to lower your mortgage costs or tap some of the equity you’ve built up. But while there are plenty of excellent reasons to refi, exchanging your existing home loan for a […]

Every corner of the personal finance world seems to hammer home the same point: Debt is the wealth killer. Debt is the single greatest threat to your college savings, financial independence, and retirement planning. Except, as it turns out, one kind of debt defies these rules: mortgages. Paying money to […]

Mortgages are a lot like cars: Even those who have one don’t always understand what’s going on under the hood. Whether you’re dreaming of your first house or living in your third, mortgages can seem complicated and a little scary. That’s why thousands of people punch mortgage-related questions into their […]

To begin with, it’s a complex term! It means different things to different people. It is regarded differently in different contexts. It is often misunderstood concerning its importance in financial situations. And, to some, it seems to run contrary to popular assumptions about whether or not it’s a good thing […]

If you’re hoping to buy a house soon, one little number you’ll want to bring up to snuff is your credit score. Your credit score is a numerical summary of your credit report, a detailed document outlining how well you’ve paid off past debts—to your credit cards, college loans, and […]

When you begin looking for a house, you should also begin looking for all the paperwork you’ll need before applying for a mortgage. Here’s a checklist of what you’ll need, and it’s extensive — W-2s, pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns, brokerage statements and more. It’s never too early to […]