Tawnya King

07 Oct 2022

Current Servicemember or Veteran? 4 Reasons Why a VA Home Loan Is an Excellent Choice

Home Mortgage Tips

Are you current or former member of the US military service who is looking to buy a new home? If so, you will be pleased to know that there are some special mortgage programs that are open to you. Let's take a look at five reasons why a mortgage backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs is an excellent choice when buying your new home. You Can Borrow Up To 100% Of The Home's Value You read that correctly! VA-backed mortgages are available to you even if you choose to put no money towards your down payment. This can be…

06 Oct 2022

By Tawnya King

What Are Conditional Approvals?

Mortgage

As you take a look at potential houses for sale, what does it mean if you see a house with a conditional approval? Does that mean you can swoop in and purchase the house with a better offer? Even though a conditional approval doesn't mean that the sale is guaranteed to go through, it does mean that an agreement is in place. An Overview Of A Conditional Approval A conditional approval is an informal acknowledgement that an agreement is in place between a buyer and the lender; however, the lender typically has to collect additional financial information to show that…

05 Oct 2022

By Tawnya King

Using Your Equity To Buy Another House: What To Consider

Mortgage

Buying a home is a dream that many people want to make come true. At the same time, many people dream of buying a second home. Perhaps you are looking for a rental property. Maybe you are looking for a vacation home. Regardless, you might be wondering how you can come up with the necessary cash to finance this dream. You might even be thinking about tapping into the equity in your current home to make that happen. It could be your down payment for your second house, but what do you need to know? How To Get A Home Equity…

04 Oct 2022

By Tawnya King

How Your Home Equity Can Help You Reach Your Retirement Goals

Mortgage

If you plan on retiring soon, you are probably looking at a few options that can get you over the hump. You are probably excited to start a new phase of life. With a record number of people closing in on their retirement age, many are starting to assess their resources to make sure they have enough money to last them for the rest of their lives. If you already own a home, you might be able to tap into your home equity to help you fuel your retirement. Your Home Has Probably Gone Up In Value Your house is…

03 Oct 2022

By Tawnya King

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 3, 2022

Financial Reports

Last week’s economic news included readings on home prices, pending home sales, and inflation. The University of Michigan released its monthly reading on consumer sentiment and weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also published. S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices: Home Price Growth Slower in July According to S&P Case-Shiller’s national reading for July home prices, home price growth slowed by -2.90 percent in July as compared to +3.00 percent growth in June. This reading supported analysts’ expectations of a cooling housing market after months of rapidly rising home prices in many areas. The S&P Case-Shiller 20-City Home…

30 Sep 2022

By Tawnya King

DIY Home Projects: Creating a Study Space That Will Help Your Children Stay Focused

Around The Home

If you're a parent of school-aged children, you've likely been concerned with their study habits at some point. Sitting down in front of the television or at the dinner table to crack open the books is going to be less efficient than doing so in a quieter, more productive work space. Let's explore how to create a study space that will help keep your children focused and on task. Ask The Kids What They Need To Be Productive Before you get to work on creating a new studying space, it's a good idea to have a chat with those will…

29 Sep 2022

By Tawnya King

Case-Shiller Home Price Indices: Home Price Growth Slows in July

Financial Reports

The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices for July showed a sharp slowing in home price growth from June to July. National home price growth slowed from June’s reading of 18.7 percent year-over-year growth to 16.10 percent home price growth in July. This reading translated to an 0.20 percent loss in month-to-month home price growth. The S&P Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index fell 0.40 percent in July after increasing by 0.40 percent in June. This was the first time since March 2012 that the 20-City Home Price Index posted a decreasing pace of home price growth; all 20 cities posted slower…