The novel coronavirus found a new way to disrupt lives: starting this week, home buyers applying for a new mortgage with JP Morgan, the nation’s fourth-largest mortgage lender, will need a credit score of at least 700 and will have to make a down payment equal to 20% of the home’s value. This is just one lender’s new policy; traditional FHA,…

To lock or not to lock? If you are shopping for a home loan or refinancing a mortgage, your mortgage lender will require you to lock your rate on the amount borrowed no later than five days prior to closing. Locking a rate guarantees the interest rate for a set period of time. The decision to lock or not is a…

It is impossible to predict the future and certainly the same can be said for predicting mortgage rates. However, if you know how to watch the indicators, you will have some advantage, and it may help you decide whether to borrow funds or wait until rates drop. Here are a few things to consider to make a more reliable mortgage…

One of the most frequent questions we receive is, “What lender should I use?” Having been in the real estate industry for over nearly 20 years, we’ve worked with many excellent lenders, and plenty of not-so-great ones, as well. The following are the most important qualities when selecting your lender. – Does your lender have great communication? – Real estate transactions have…

Securing the best mortgage for your home may seem challenging, particularly for those who are first-time homebuyers. Here are three tips that you can use to get the best mortgage rate at any time: Find Ways to Improve Your Credit Score. Your credit score likely will influence your mortgage rate. However, those who track their credit score closely can improve…

If you have seen your latest credit score and feel like you’re less than financially fit, don’t fret. There are plenty of reasons why people end up with bad credit. There are also plenty of things that you can do to amend and work with your bad credit. The Factors Mortgage lenders look at a variety of factors when it…

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned homeowner, the mortgage terminology can be confusing. Since buying a home is such a huge financial decision, you’re going to want to make sure you understand every step of the process and all of the conditions and fees along the way. Below are some of the common terms you might come across…

Your credit score is a 3-digit number that can have a huge impact on many things that you hope to accomplish in your life. One of the biggest reasons that you need a good credit score is for buying a home. As many people rely on credit cards to fund their expenses, they consequently end up in debt. This doesn’t…