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A Guide to Understanding Homebuyer Agent Agreements
Navigating the real estate market as a first-time homebuyer can be challenging. Recent changes resulting from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) settlement have added complexity to the process, even for experienced homebuyers. To help you prepare for the...
How to Buy a Home in a Competitive Real Estate Market
Despite higher interest rates, the current real estate market has a surplus of buyers, and even more are sitting on the fence waiting for interest rates to drop into the 5% range. To secure victory in this competitive real estate market, prospective buyers need a...
How to Avoid Derailing Your Home Purchase at the 11th Hour
Buying a home is an exciting experience, especially near the end when you’ve got all the elements lined up like neat dominoes, ready to fall in place at the closing table. But like a string of dominoes, a single misplaced tile breaks the chain, taking you back to...
Steps to Take Now to Get a Head Start on Filing Your 2023 Income Taxes
The 2023 tax filing season, which starts on January 29, 2024 and concludes on April 15 (unless you file an extension), is when we are required to file our personal income tax return. While taxes are a simple process for many workers, it’s better to give yourself...
How Increased FHA Loan Limits Benefit First-time Homebuyers in 2024
a Great news for first-time homebuyers who want to purchase a home with a lower down payment and credit score requirements. Starting January 1, 2024, the new FHA floor loan limit will be $498,257 for a single-family home in most parts of the country. In high-cost...
Homebuyer Guide to 2024 Conventional Conforming Mortgage Loan Limits
In response to escalating home prices in 2023, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has announced a 5.5% increase to the baseline (conventional) conforming loan limit for mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2024. As of 1 January 2024, the base...
Jingle Bells and Juggling Bills: First-Time Homebuyer’s Holiday Survival Guide
We are officially entering the holiday season, and we totally get it – you want to enjoy the festivities without losing sight of the prize - getting yourself to a place of financial preparedness to buy a home. We're here to keep you on track so you can navigate the...
6 Tips to Manage Your Money Wisely
Do you have confidence manage your money, or do you find it difficult to budget and plan how to spend and save your income wisely? If it’s the latter, you’re not alone. According to the Financial Health Network, 70% of individuals struggle to achieve financial...
Documents Homebuyers Need to Provide for a Mortgage Loan Application
When you apply for a personal loan, auto loan, or mortgage, your lender will want to verify your identity, employment, income, credit, and assets. Being prepared with the documents that demonstrate your creditworthiness will not only help you to complete the...
Who Gets the House? How to Protect Yourself Financially in a Divorce.
Going through a divorce is a life-altering change that often leads to emotional stress as you and your spouse grieve the end of a marriage. Furthermore, financial anxiety can transpire when you and your spouse have to make significant decisions about the division...
How the Fed and Higher Interest Rates Can Affect Your 2022 Financial Plans
The cost to borrow money is getting very expensive. In an effort to reduce inflation, on July 27th, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raised the federal funds rate for the fourth time this year. Just like the previous interest rate hike on June 15th, this...
4 Ways to Increase Home Equity Faster
Building equity through homeownership is the primary way most people build wealth to achieve financial stability and security. Each monthly mortgage payment that pays down the principal of your home loan adds equity. The more equity you have in your home provides a...
6 Tips to Improve the Effectiveness of Your Online Home Search
Hooray! You have finally determined how much house you can afford, have obtained your mortgage pre-qualification letter, and are ready to shop for your new home. If you have decided to begin your home search online, you made a wise decision. According to a 2022...