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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...
Lifestyle Benefits of Owning Your Home
A home is more than just a roof and walls. The financial benefits of being a homeowner are easy to calculate. However, homeownership also has lifestyle, health, and social benefits for the homeowner, their extended family, and the community. Gain a community...
Financial Benefits of Owning Your Home
The decision to buy or rent your home can be challenging. Homeownership has traditionally been an important way to build wealth. A view held by the majority of Americans: 84% believe that buying a home is a good financial decision.1 Here are four reasons why...
How to File for Homestead Exemption in Your State
Homestead exemption can protect a portion of your property's equity from certain creditors if you file for bankruptcy. In many U.S. states, it can also help you save on your property taxes. While some states provide both the property tax deduction and equity...
10 Ways to Prepare to Buy a Home
Nationwide, cities are low on inventory for starter homes, and this situation is expected to remain the same in 2023. It is important to get organized for your home purchase now, so you'll be prepared to make an offer when you find the right home. Many of these...
Tips to Save Some Green While Making Your Home Greener
Finding areas to save money in an already over-committed budget to put towards a down payment and closing costs is one of the biggest challenges for many first-time home buyers. Start implementing these energy-saving tips to see savings on your utility bills....
10 Ways to Get Your Finances Back on Track After Holiday Season Spending
By now, your credit card bills are arriving, and you see just how much over your budget you went during the holidays. All is not lost! You can take back control of your finances and make a fresh financial start by implementing these simple and practical tips. 1-...
Giving and Receiving Gift Money for a Down Payment
If you are saving to purchase a home, receiving money to put towards your down payment and closing costs can help make your homeownership dreams come true sooner. If you receive a check towards your down payment, you might assume that you can simply bank the check...
6 Tips to Protect Your Data During Financial Transactions
When applying for a mortgage or auto loan, a lot of personal and financial information is transmitted between the borrower and lender. As November 30 is Computer Security Day and Cyber Monday this year, and many people are shopping Holiday sales online, we thought...
Learn Mortgage Lingo
While nearly all industries have lingo and jargon, not all industries are as likely to impact your life as is the mortgage industry. Basically, if you want to buy a house, you will likely need a mortgage. Knowing a bit about the common acronyms and jargon of the...
When to use a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
A Home Equity Line of Credit is a loan that establishes a line of credit (amount you can borrow) based on the equity in your home. You borrow the amount you choose for the purposes you choose when you choose to, with no impact on your current first mortgage. Many...
8 Reasons to Refinance Your Mortgage
There are many reasons to refinance your mortgage, some obvious and some a bit obscure. Some of the situations are complete opposites of one another and will depend on your unique financial goals and/or risk appetite. Here are the most common reasons homeowners...
Understanding Your VantageScore Credit Score
A credit score is designed to help lenders gauge how likely you are repay the money you want to borrow. A good score may mean you have easier access to more credit, possibly even at lower rates. But the real key to improving your score is to focus on managing...