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Do you need a mortgage pre-approval letter to make an offer on a house? You know you need to get your ducks in a row before looking at homes, but does that include securing a pre-approval letter from the bank?The truth is, getting pre-approved can actually improve your chances of falling into the...

Closing costs are the fees you pay when finalizing a real estate transaction, whether you’re refinancing a mortgage or buying a new home. These costs can amount to 2 to 5 percent of the mortgage balance so it’s important to be financially prepared for this expense.What are closing costs?Closing c...

High home prices and mortgage rates are serving as a wake-up call to potential home buyers this spring that their budgets just aren’t going to go as far as they would have a year ago. In the first quarter of this year, 81% percent of consumers said they could afford less than half the homes for-s...

Foreclosure starts and bank repossessions are at their highest numbers in the last two years. Most pandemic-initiated moratoriums have lifted by now and lenders are starting to resume foreclosures. Still, foreclosure activity remains well below historical levels.The number of properties with a fo...

With this super-simple breakdown of loan types, you won’t get overwhelmed — you’ll find the right mortgage.When it comes to buying a house, most people know what they prefer: a bungalow or a condo, a hot neighborhood or a sleepy street.Mortgages, too, come in many styles — and recognizing which t...

About half of homeowners with a mortgage have a rate under 4%. That is significantly below today’s rate of 5%.Such enticing rates could incentivize homeowners to stay put in their homes longer. They may not want to give up an ultra-low rate—many of whom may have snatched up a rate over recent yea...

When applying for an FHA loan to buy a home, you’ll need more than just 3.5 percent of the purchase price as a down payment. As you budget, it’s important to make sure you factor in FHA closing costs, too. What are FHA closing costs?The closing costs on FHA loans are the fees charged by the mortg...

If you’re struggling to make your mortgage payments due to COVID-19, relief options are available. If you are a homeowner experiencing financial hardship directly or indirectly related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) and your mortgage is owned by Freddie Mac, contact your loan servicer (the company lis...

With mortgage rates on the rise, the opportunity to save money with a refinance is shrinking, but it can still make sense for some homeowners. When it comes to refinancing a mortgage, though, home equity matters.How much home equity do I need to refinance my mortgage?Home equity is the cash value...

IRVINE, Calif. – April 14, 2022 — ATTOM, a leading curator of real estate data nationwide for land and property data, today released its 2021 property tax analysis for almost 87 million U.S. single family homes, which shows that $328 billion in property taxes were levied on single-family homes in...