The Quick and Easy Guide to Determining How Big of a Mortgage Your Family Can Afford

Are you shopping around for a new house or apartment? One of the key considerations you will need to make is figuring out how much you want to invest in your new home. Below you'll find our quick and easy guide to determining just how much "house" you can afford. Let's get started! Start By Making A Proper Budget The first thing you'll want to do is sit down and get a full budget put together. The easiest way to get the process started is to begin with two lists: income and expenses. For the income list, write down the…
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Understanding Your FICO Score and Why Small Credit Mistakes Can Cause Huge Headaches

Many people all over the world are dealing with issues involving debt or poor credit history, but most aren't necessarily aware of what exactly makes up their credit score. Unfortunately, it might seem like it's the big stuff that counts when it comes to credit, but little things can have a significant impact on your financial health. If you're looking to improve your understanding and your finances, here's what you need to know about small mistakes and your FICO score. Making Late Payments The due date on your bills might seem like an advisory, but whether we're talking about a…
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Understanding the Principal Limit on a Reverse Mortgage and What Happens if You Reach It

If you're considering applying for a reverse mortgage, you'll want to ensure you understand certain critical factors. One such factor is the principal limit. The principal limit will have a strong influence on your finances, which is why you'll need to ensure you know – before applying for your reverse mortgage – what your principal limit is. So how does a principal limit work, and how can you find out what yours is? Here's what you need to know. Principal Limit: The Maximum Amount You Can Borrow Simply put, the principal limit is the maximum amount of money that you…
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Call in the Pros: 4 Ways That Using a Mortgage Professional Will Save You a Lot of Money

It may seem better to go it alone when it comes to acquiring a mortgage, but there are many benefits associated with using a mortgage professional that can make finding your dream home a lot easier. If you're currently getting prepared to hit the market and are weighing your options, here are some reasons that a professional who knows the neighborhood will save you money. Strong Market Knowledge Many homebuyers can take a look at the MLS listings to find the price of properties selling in the area, but a mortgage professional will know the market without having to look…
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Save Money On DIY Projects Around The House

It is not exactly a secret that inflation is a significant issue. With inflation continuing to increase the cost of living all over the world, there are many people who are looking for ways to save money. Home improvement and renovation projects have been popular during the past few years, but many homeowners are starting to put them on hold because of how expensive everything has gotten. What are some of the ways you can save money on your home repair and renovation costs? Know What You Can Do Yourself First, you need to think about home repairs that you…
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3 Tips for Planning Your Monthly Mortgage Payment

Once you've purchased a home and decided on a move in date, it may seem like a lot of the hard stuff is over, but you still have one of the most important things relating to such a large purchase to think about: the payments! If you're looking for a few tips on ways to approach your monthly payment, the following will steer you in the right direction so you can broach your mortgage schedule successfully. Set Up A Payment Schedule Many people have been in the situation of neglecting their phone or credit cards by forgetting about the payment…
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Understanding Automated Underwriting and How It Impacts the Mortgage Application Process

Whether you're embarking on the process of obtaining a mortgage for the first time or just preparing yourself for the advances in the industry, the implementation of automated underwriting in recent years has significantly changed the application process. From the time you'll have to wait to the documentation that is required, here are some of the details on what you can expect when dealing with an automated underwriter. Reduction In Document Requirements In the past, most homebuyers submitting mortgage application documents were required to go into their backlogs to provide the paystubs for the previous 2 months pay, as well…
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