How to Calculate a Payoff

How to Calculate a Payoff

With current home values being so low, many sellers are bringing funds to closing instead of receiving a proceeds checks.  Payoffs are being questioned, challenged, and double-checked, so it is important that sellers and their agents understand how a mortgage payoff...
What Is a Credit Score, Anyway?

What Is a Credit Score, Anyway?

We know it’s important, and it should be “high”, but what does that mean, anyway? Any why is that important? When purchasing a home and obtaining your new loan, the lender will look at your income (debt to income ratio) and credit score, among some...
Adding a partner to property title

Adding a partner to property title

The expectation used to be that people would wait until they married to buy a home, and then the couple would house hunt together. But today it’s more common for singles to own a home on their own. Of course, many of those singles then become couples and...

Credit DON’Ts when looking to get a mortgage or re-fi

THE DON’Ts: Don’t apply for ANY new credit or open new accounts unless absolutely necessary. Be careful applying for credit with department stores and gas companies. These are single purpose credit cards accepted only by the merchant who distributes them. As such,...

Should you Prepay your Mortgage?

To Pre-Pay or Not To Pre-Pay Some Important Things to Consider About Your Mortgage With so much economic uncertainty going on both here and abroad, it’s understandable that people are worried about the future. Some may even want to minimize their debt as much as...
Legal Tip: When should I get a survey?

Legal Tip: When should I get a survey?

Most lenders do not require their buyers to have a new survey done in preparation for closing.  The lenders have title insurance protection for survey problems.  Keep in mind that lenders also do not require buyers to get owner’s title insurance, but they do require...