The Difference between Gifts, Grants
& Down Payment Assistance
Down payments are one of the most daunting parts of the homebuying process. We all know, it’s a lot of money! Thankfully, you don’t necessarily have to drain your savings to come up with the sum. There are a few other ways to secure a down payment, including gift funds, grants and down payment assistance.
We’ve laid out all three so you can determine if any of these options are right for your financial situation. As always, the rules governing these forms of down payment assistance can vary by state and are subject to change any time.
Boost Your Credit Score
With 5 Simple Tips
Have you been thinking about purchasing a home sometime this year? As you prepare for that exciting journey, you’ll want to check your credit score. Your credit score, often referred to as your FICO® score, is calculated using your credit history on file with the credit reporting agencies. No matter what your score is, you can work on boosting it by following a few simple tips.
Holiday Decorating Safety with Pets
The holiday season brings with it excitement and decorations and lights – all of which can create excitement, or anxiety, or even danger for your pet. It’s important to think about what they can reach, as well as what can be toxic or dangerous.
Conforming Loan Limits Increase
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is updating the annual conforming loan limits for 2020. These apply to all mortgages delivered to Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac (conventional loans). This includes general loan limits and the high – cost are loan limits, with high-cost areas varying by county. Click more to learn about each Californian County.
Halloween Safety Tips
Halloween is a holiday that is loved by so many, and of all ages. Trick or treating is, of course, the highlight for many kids…what kid doesn’t love throwing on a costume, walking with their friends around the neighborhood while collecting loads of all your favorite candy? I loved taking my candy home, dumping it out to organize and categorize, in alphabetical order (doesn’t every kid do that?), and then trading with siblings and friends. Here are a few safety tips for kids, pets and adults to ensure the night is everything they have imagined and more!
A Renovation Loan Can Help Build
Your Dream Home
Home is what you create in the place that you live. It isn’t always a brand new updated house. Sometimes it means you put in a little sweat equity to turn a house into your dream home.
Whether it’s a huge remodel project or a light fixer-upper, there are renovation home loans that can help you with that!
Maximize Your Investment
One of the best things about owning a home is that you can make it yours, which is hard to do in a rental.
Don’t like that carpet? Rip it out! Hate the tan walls? Paint them whatever color you want. Don’t like the wall between the living room and kitchen? Tear it down (as long as it’s not load-bearing!).
Buying a Home with Student Loan Debt
Student loans can pose problems for many first-time home buyers trying to qualify for a home loan. This isn’t a news flash for most of us with student loan debt, but it also doesn’t have to mean the end of the road for the dream of homeownership.
There are several things that you can do to help ease the obstacles that having extra obligations can cause. We have an easy-to-use checklist to get you started, but here are some specific ways to get a game plan to help you buy a house, even with the extra debt.
