The Blog
How to Make a Good Offer When Buying Your First House
You’ve done your homework and researched schools, neighborhoods, and amenities. Your credit is in good condition, and you’ve been preapproved for a home loan. Now, you’re ready to dive into buying your first house! Once you’ve found your dream home, you’ll want to put...
Ready to Downsize? Benefits of Borrowing a Veteran Home Loan
At some point in their lives, most people choose to downsize to a smaller home. Downsizing means less maintenance and cleaning as well as lower utility costs. All of this can provide you with extra time and money to put towards doing the things you love. Service...
Buying Your First Home in a Hot Housing Market
Buying your first home can be challenging because it’s a whole new experience. You’re not sure what to expect and the process may sound confusing at times. Add a hot housing market to the mix and you’ve got a whole new set of challenges. Increased competition, a...
Understanding Verification of Employment for Your VA Home Loan
Verification of Employment is one of the steps involved in the VA home loan process. Lenders perform this essential task because it assures you will be able to make your mortgage payments. If this is your first time purchasing a home with a VA loan, you may be...
2022 Guide to VA Mortgage Loans for National Guard Members
National Guard members didn’t always have access to VA mortgage loans. But in 1992, all of that changed when the U.S. government decided to extend VA loan benefits to Guard members with at least six years of service time. In 2020, eligibility was expanded, allowing...
VA Home Loans: 10 Things Most Borrowers Don’t Know
VA home loans are an exclusive benefit made available to qualifying service members, military Veterans, and their surviving spouses. These loans usually come with great terms that work out to the advantage of the borrower, such as low-interest rates and zero down....
How Lumber Prices are Affecting New Home Construction Loans
Building a home is a dream that many people have. Unfortunately, because of certain circumstances, building materials are in short supply. Supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and a particularly devastating wildfire season have resulted in a tremendous increase...
Applying for a Home Equity Loan? What to Consider First
A shortage of available homes, low-interest rates, and high demand has pushed home prices upward. Because of the increase in market value, many homeowners are sitting on large amounts of equity (about $185,000 on average). If you fall into this category, you may be...
The Future of HUD Home Financing & Emergency Relief Programs
The pandemic is changing the future of HUD home financing. Emergency mortgage relief programs were set into place in 2020 to help homeowners affected by the pandemic. Now, the Department of Housing and Urban Development is deciding which programs they will keep...
Buying a Home with a VA Loan When You Have Student Loans
Approximately 46 million Americans have some type of student loan debt. Student loans make it possible for many people to go to college, including military and service members. But when it comes to buying a home with a VA loan, can student loans cause problems? Here’s...
Why More Borrowers are Applying for a Home Loan
In February of 2022, experts saw an increase in the number of borrowers applying for a home loan. Though the number was lower than last year, mortgage applications to purchase a home increased 4% during the first week of February. This may sound shocking since...
Data Reveals How First-Time Homebuyers are Saving for Down Payments
Saving for a down payment can be tough. When you’ve got bills to pay and are trying to make ends meet, saving money to put towards a home can be difficult and stressful. Add a pandemic into the mix, and you wind up with a whole new set of challenges. But despite the...