| 181. | A 15-year Mortgage Yields Faster Returns but Payments Rise
Everything is fast in our society. We have instant messaging, one-hour dry cleaning and fast food...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, August 30, 2004 |
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| 182. | How to Get a Mortgage If You Don't Have Credit History
Some people can't get a mortgage because they have a poor credit history. Others can't get one because they have no credit history at all...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, August 23, 2004 |
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| 183. | Forget Maine or Montana. Here's How To Get a Mortgage in Marrakech
At one time or another, we all have probably dreamed about having a vacation home or cabin in a beautiful or exotic location. It could be by a lake or near the ocean, in the desert, or in the mountains--whatever each of us finds the most appealing...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, August 16, 2004 |
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| 184. | Homebuyer Education Helps You Find the Right Home and Home Loan
Most of us took some sort of driver's education or training before we got our licenses, swimming lessons before we dove into the pool, and at least looked at the instruction manual before setting up our first computer. Shouldn't we learn about mortgages before buying our first house?It's not that buying a house is complicated...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, August 02, 2004 |
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| 185. | A Pointed Look at Points, Points and Points
The single most important point to remember about points when you are shopping for a mortgage is that there is more than one kind. There are actually three different meanings for the term " point" and you have to understand exactly which point your lender is talking about when discussing your loan...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, July 26, 2004 |
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| 186. | AmeriDream Helps People Buy and Keep Their Homes
In today's uncertain economy, wouldn't it be comforting to know that your monthly mortgage payment would be made if you were injured or laid off from your job? Well, now you can rest assured. You can buy your house through AmeriDream and have a guarantee that both injury and unemployment will be covered for the first five years—free...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, July 19, 2004 |
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| 187. | Energy Efficient Mortgages Can Lower Cost of Home Ownership
When most of us look for a new home, one of the last things we tend to think about—if we think about it at all—is how much it will cost to keep that house running: cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and with all the hot water and electrical power we need. A question that even fewer of us ask is: How can we get a mortgage that will reduce whatever those costs might be?Energy efficiency is especially important today...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, July 12, 2004 |
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| 188. | Even in Short Term, Buying a Home Can Be a Good Investment
One of the most common arguments people use against buying a home is that they will be living in it for only a few years. They argue it wouldn't be worth the time, money or aggravation involved in buying a home and getting a mortgage...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Tuesday, July 06, 2004 |
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| 189. | Reverse Mortgages are Becoming a Major Source of Retirement Income
There are well over 100,000 active reverse mortgages in the U.S. today and that number increases every year, along with the average age of the American homeowner. Reverse mortgages have been around since the late 1980s, so while many still ask, " What are they?" more and more ask, " Are they for me?" For those still asking " what are they?" the answer is: it's a mortgage that lets homeowners who are 62 or older borrow money against the equity in their paid-for home...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, June 28, 2004 |
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| 190. | Some Manufactured Housing Mortgages Require Only 5 Percent Down
If you're in the market for a doublewide trailer, or any other type of manufactured housing, it could be a bit harder to qualify for a mortgage than it was a year ago. But you'll probably end up with a mortgage you can really afford and a home that you will be able to keep...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, June 21, 2004 |
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| 191. | Frequent-flyer Miles with Your Mortgage? They Might be an Option
One of the first lessons every homeowner learns is that you have to buy things for your house. In fact, at times it seems you buy more " gifts" for your house than you do for your family...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, June 14, 2004 |
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| 192. | There Are Still Good Mortgage Deals—Even When Interest Rates Inch Up
When mortgage interest rates are low, homes are more affordable. That’s a given...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Tuesday, June 08, 2004 |
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| 193. | Down Payment Assistance Plans Help Thousands Get First Home Mortgage
The difference between being able to afford monthly mortgage payments and being able to buy the house that goes with the payments is often a few thousand dollars--or less. It is the money needed for the down payment and closing costs...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Tuesday, June 01, 2004 |
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| 194. | Check Your Credit Before Checking Out a New House
We all know that before we look for a house the smart thing to do is figure out exactly what we want in terms of location, size, style, and cost. What some of us forget is that when it comes time to shop for a mortgage, the smart thing to do is figure out exactly what the loan company needs to know before lending us money...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, May 24, 2004 |
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| 195. | Comparing Apples to Oranges When Looking at Builder’s Incentives
If you think comparing apples to oranges is difficult, try comparing marble floors in the foyer or upgraded wall-to-wall carpeting in the living room to a one-eighth, one-quarter or one-half percentage point difference in a mortgage rate. These are comparisons you might have to make if you are shopping for a home in a new subdivision where the builder offers its own financing package...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, May 17, 2004 |
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| 196. | Is Paying Off Your Mortgage Early Really A Good Idea?
For many people, buying a home of their own is part of the American dream. What about actually owning it and not having to make any more mortgage payments? Wouldn’t that be an even better dream? Maybe yes...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, April 26, 2004 |
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| 197. | New HUD ARMs Program Opens Door to More Buyers
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has added a number of Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) to its list of mortgage products. Officials estimate the new ARM program will allow 40,000 more people to qualify for a home loan every year...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Tuesday, April 20, 2004 |
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| 198. | APR: What is it? Does it affect your mortgage loan?
We’re all used to hearing the term Annual Percentage Rate (APR) applied to credit cards and car loans, but this term also is used with mortgage rates. When it is, however, it gets complicated...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, April 12, 2004 |
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| 199. | ARMs Can Build Equity Faster than Conventional Loans
Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) are usually chosen by people who know they will be moving in a few years, and by those who are willing to gamble on what mortgage rates will be when the ARM adjusts. What few people think about, however, is that an ARM also lets you build equity in your home more quickly than you would with most fixed-rate loans...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Wednesday, April 07, 2004 |
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| 200. | A Vacation Home Mortgage Could Provide Tax Benefits
Picture yourself and your family in a cottage, cabin, boat, recreational vehicle, timeshare or any other sort of vacation home, but don’t picture it as a rental. Picture it as a second home...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, March 29, 2004 |
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| 201. | Mortgage ABCs from a Ph.D.
You don’t really need a Ph.D...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Monday, March 22, 2004 |
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| 202. | A Biweekly Mortgage Can Shorten the Life of Your Loan-and Save You Money
A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is designed to be paid off in 360 equal monthly payments. If you add a little bit extra to any mortgage check, you knock some time off the life of the loan and reduce the total interest you will pay...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Thursday, March 11, 2004 |
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| 203. | Mortgage Borrowers Should Be on the Lookout for Fraud
Whenever money and property are involved, you`ll find many people ready to participate. There are a few to watch out for as you purchase or finance your home...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Wednesday, March 10, 2004 |
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| 204. | Analyzing the Paperwork Involved in Getting a Mortgage Loan
If your pulse starts racing at the thought of all the paperwork you`ll have to produce when you sit down and apply for a loan, relax. You`re not alone...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Wednesday, March 10, 2004 |
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| 205. | Financing Undeveloped Land Requires Creative Solutions
Most people are familiar with financing homes and small apartment buildings, but not land and lots. These loans usually aren`t available from mortgage brokers and mortgage bankers...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Tuesday, March 09, 2004 |
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| 206. | Borrowers Have A Number of Mortgage Options
When it comes to financing a home purchase, a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is the industry standard, but there are alternatives. As you consider the alternatives, you might also want to consider how much security and peace of mind you want...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Tuesday, March 02, 2004 |
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| 207. | Getting Name Off the Title Doesn`t Free You From Making Mortgage Payments
A divorce can change many things. It can remove your wedding ring and also your picture from the family album...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Tuesday, February 24, 2004 |
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| 208. | Buying and financing second homes
Financing a second or vacation home has a lot in common with financing one`s primary residence, but there are also some subtle differences of which you need to be aware and to which you need to pay special attention. One of the first things that requires your attention is the fact that lenders sometimes see second or vacation homes differently than year-round homes...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Tuesday, February 17, 2004 |
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| 209. | You Don`t Have to Be an American to Dream the American Dream
We often talk about owning our own homes as being part of the American dream. You don`t, however, have to be an American citizen to have that dream come true...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Tuesday, February 10, 2004 |
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| 210. | Choosing Between PMI and a Second Mortgage Loan
While everyone talks about how to use an 80-10-10 loan, or one of its clones, to get out of having to pay Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), there are times when it just might pay to live with PMI for awhile. PMI is the main reason you can go out and buy a home today with 5 percent down...
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| Article XML Feed | | - Tuesday, February 03, 2004 |
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