Saving for a home doesn’t require extreme budgeting or giving up everything you enjoy. It comes down to understanding your numbers, building a few solid habits, and being realistic about what “affordable” actually means. Start with your real numbers: Before setting a savings goal, look at your last few months [...]
Buying a new home is an exciting and often stressful task. It involves figuring out what size house you want, how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need, how large the lot should be, whether to pick a one story or two story house, and hundreds of other little features about [...]
You’ve decided to go for it. Buying a home can be thrilling and nerve-wracking at the same time, especially for a first-time homebuyer — it’s difficult to know exactly what to expect. The learning curve can be steep, but most of the issues can be resolved by doing a little financial [...]
Here are some practical things to consider when getting a home loan. Say NO to “easy money.” Beware if someone claims that your “credit problems won’t affect the interest rate.” If an offer is really appealing, get it in writing and then seek a second opinion. Shop around. Always talk [...]
Buying a house is a little bit like dating. You don’t want to fall in love only to realize you can’t have the home of your dreams. Consulting a mortgage lender should be the first step in your home buying journey because it establishes reasonable expectations and provides proper financial [...]