Learning Center
Title Insurance Shopping: The Often-Missed Way to Save Thousands on Your Home Purchase
Most homebuyers know to negotiate purchase price and hunt for the best mortgage rate, but there's another way to save thousands at closing that most people miss: shopping around for title insurance. This required closing cost can vary dramatically between providers...
5 Common Home Buying Myths Busted
There is so much to consider when buying your first home. Advice often pours in from well-meaning parents and friends, which can contradict what you’ve read in your online research and received from your mortgage lender and real estate agent. What we do know is...
10 Ways to Save for a Down Payment on a Home
,Saving for a down payment is one of the major hurdles most first-time homebuyers face on their journey towards homeownership. However, with a clear savings goal, a solid savings plan, and adopting a few savings strategies, you’ll be well on your way to saving for...
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...