My Blog
Extra Principal Payments: A Smart Move for Your Mortgage?
Wondering how to pay off your mortgage faster? Extra principal payments might be the answer. Here's a breakdown of how it works and if it's right for you. How Extra Principal Payments Work What are they? Extra principal payments are additional payments you make on...
Should I Delay Buying A Home To Avoid PMI?
Why Waiting to Save 20% for a Down Payment May Not Be the Best Strategy In the past, the conventional wisdom in the home-buying world was to save up a 20% down payment to avoid paying private mortgage insurance (PMI). However, in today's market, waiting to save a...
Decoding Closing Costs
Decoding Closing Costs: What to Expect When Buying a Home in Oregon or Washington So, you're ready to buy your dream home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest? Congrats! As a mortgage broker, I get to help people navigate this exciting process all the time. But let's be...
What Is A Down Payment Assistance Program?
Down Payment Assistance: What Is It And How Can It Help? Buying a home is a major milestone, but coming up with a down payment can often feel like the biggest obstacle. Fortunately, there's a potential solution you might not know about: Down Payment Assistance (DPA)...
Can You Buy A Home With Zero Down Payment?
Yes - with some conditions. Dreaming of owning a home but don't have a mountain of cash for a down payment? No problem! You might be surprised to learn that there are actually ways to buy a house with zero down payment. Yep, you read that right – ZERO! Here's the...
The Mortgage Application Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
Pre-Approval Why it's important: Pre-approval gives you an estimate of how much you can afford to borrow, making you a more serious buyer to sellers. How to get pre-approved: Contact a mortgage broker (like us!) and provide them with your financial information,...
Can Overtime Earnings Help Me Qualify For A Mortgage?
Overtime Income and Your Mortgage: Decoding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Guidelines Planning to buy a home and rely on overtime income to beef up your qualifying amount? It's crucial to understand how mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac view this extra cash....
Is Now a Good Time to Buy Your First Home?
Buying your first home is a big deal – it's exciting, but also a little scary. One of the biggest questions right now is: is it a good time to buy? With mortgage rates higher than they've been in a while, it's natural to wonder if it's better to wait and see if things...
What Is An Assumable Mortgage?
Navigating the World of Assumable Mortgages: A Homebuyer's Guide When it comes to buying a home, the financial aspects can be as complex as they are critical. One option that might not be on every buyer's radar is the assumable mortgage. This financial tool can be a...
Mortgage Rates Decreasing
Mortgage rates have been on a bit of a roller coaster this year, and if you're trying to keep track without getting lost in the jargon, you're not alone. Let's break it down into plain speak. First off, mortgage rates started the year on the high side, but they've...