8 Questions Every Homebuyer Should Ask Their Real Estate Agent

How Long Have You Been a Real Estate Agent? Knowing how long your real estate agent has been working is important. While being new to the industry doesn’t mean they’re not skilled, it can mean that t...

Can I Buy a House Without a Real Estate Agent?

The Pros and Cons The Pros: Potential To Save Money This is the biggest reason why buyers may choose to go solo. For some savvy buyers, the savings may be all the convincing they need. Typically, the ...

Real-Estate Agents Say Government Shutdown is Starting to Impede the Housing Market

A new study from the nation’s leading real-estate agent advocacy group shows how the partial federal government shutdown is curbing economic activity. The National Association of Realtors surveyed its...

Buying a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Home

Question: If a property is For Sale by Owner, can I finance the purchase with a traditional mortgage? Answer: Yes! Even if a property is FSBO it can be financed with a mortgage loan. Question: Do I ne...

What is Title Insurance and Why Do I Need It?

Titles and the homebuying process Since titles are part of the legal process of transferring ownership, before the title can be transferred, it must be “cleared” before the buyer can have it. Your len...

Sharp Drop in Rates Spark Jump in Applications

The combination of lower mortgage rates and an unusually slow end to 2018 caused mortgage applications to surge to start this year. Overall volume jumped 23.5 percent last week from the previous week,...

What is a Commitment Letter?

What Does the Letter State? A commitment letter specifies the type of mortgage being obtained, the amount of money being borrowed, the terms or length of the repayment period, and the mortgage interes...

Understanding Special Purpose Credit Programs: Empowering Homebuyers to Reach Financial Success

Homeownership is a dream for many Americans, and it can be out of reach for some homebuyers who have limited financial resources or who have been traditionally denied mortgage approvals. Given the rec...

Freddie Mac BorrowSmart® Program: What to Know

So, What is BorrowSmart? This program is designed for low- to moderate-income borrowers and offers up to $1,500 in down payment and/or closing cost assistance, based on eligibility criteria. The best ...