Mortgage vs. Income
It’s been a while since I’ve done a mortgage match-up, so let’s look at the age old question, “mortgage vs. income.” Consider the Entire Housing Payment When determining how much house you can afford,...
View ArticleShort Sale vs. Foreclosure: What’s the Credit Score Impact?
Mortgage match-up: “Foreclosure vs. short sale on your credit report.” It’s been a while since I’ve come up with a mortgage match-up, but there’s been a lot of fuss about short sales and credit scores...
View ArticleLocking vs. Floating Your Mortgage Rate
To mortgage men and women across the country, it’s an age-old question: “Lock or float?” It’s a question loan officers and mortgage brokers get asked on a daily basis, often over and over again by...
View ArticleMortgage Insurance vs. Homeowners Insurance
These days, it seems as if we can insure just about anything. While this may be perceived as “great news!” by overzealous insurance agents, for individual consumers it’s just more money down the drain....
View ArticleRenting vs. Buying: 55 Pros and Cons
It has been far too long since I’ve written a mortgage match-up, so without further ado, here’s a biggie: “Renting vs. buying.” This is certainly an intimidating question, and one that’s difficult to...
View ArticleMortgage Impounds vs. Paying Taxes and Insurance Yourself
If you’ve been researching mortgages, or are in the process of taking out a home loan, you’ve probably come across the term “impounds” or “escrows.” When you hear these seemingly scary words, the loan...
View ArticleDeed in Lieu of Foreclosure vs. Short Sale
It’s time for another mortgage match-up, with the latest in the series pitting the lesser known deed in lieu of foreclosure vs. the popular short sale. Nowadays, there are plenty of options to get rid...
View ArticlePay Off the Mortgage or Invest Instead?
It’s been a month and change since I last posted a mortgage match-up, so without further ado, here’s the latest installment. There are likely thousands of articles that deal with this subject, all with...
View ArticleMortgage Rates vs. Unemployment
When it comes to making or saving money, everyone wants to be able to predict the future. After all, if you know what’s coming next, there are plenty of great ways to capitalize. For homeowners, good...
View ArticleMortgages vs. Inflation
While inflation has been kept mostly in check lately as the economy has limped along, many economists expect it to rise significantly in coming years as things get back on track. At the moment, both...
View ArticleMortgage Rates vs. War: The Silver Lining
Over the past week or so, there have been hawkish rumblings of a U.S.-led military strike in Syria, whose government allegedly used chemical weapons on its own people. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel...
View ArticleMortgage vs. Cash: Which Is the Better Option When Buying a Home?
It’s been about eight months since my last mortgage match-up, so let’s give it a whirl again. Today, the focus will be on taking out a mortgage versus using cash when purchasing a home. Buying a Home...
View ArticleMortgage Rates vs. the World Cup
Happy World Cup opening day everyone. I like soccer (and mortgages) so I tried desperately to come up with a way to combine both subjects. After a little bit of thought, I decided to track mortgage...
View ArticleShould You Buy a New Home or an Old Home?
It’s time for another match-up, this time we’ll compare buying a new home versus purchasing an existing one. For the record, some home builders will refer to existing homes as “used,” which sounds kind...
View ArticleHome Prices vs. Gas Prices
With mortgage rates hitting 2015 highs last week, one might worry that the housing recovery will lose steam. The 30-year fixed climbed to 4.08% per the latest survey from Freddie Mac, up roughly half a...
View ArticleCash Out vs. HELOC vs. Home Equity Loan
Cash Out Your First Mortgage or Take Out a HELOC/Home Equity Loan? It has been nearly a year since my last mortgage match-up, so without further ado, let’s discuss a new one: “Cash out vs. HELOC vs....
View ArticleBrexit vs. Mortgage Rates: How Low Might They Actually Go?
Bye Bye Britain Well, the unthinkable happened early this morning (or late last evening depending on where you live). The UK voted to leave the European Union, agreeing to Brexit instead of Bremain, as...
View ArticlePresident-Elect Trump vs. Mortgage Rates
You may have already read the headlines. Things like Trump-fueled Treasury surge and the so-called Trump Effect, all driving mortgage rates higher. And it’s not just fodder, it’s true. Since the...
View ArticleMortgage Rates vs. Presidential Inaugurations: Is There a Correlation?
Let’s get political – just kidding. Let’s talk about data that involves presidential elections and mortgage rates, more specifically, what happens to rates during an election year and the subsequent...
View ArticleMortgage Rates and Fed Announcements
File this one under “no need to panic,” despite constant warnings of a Fed move impacting mortgage rates. You can’t blame them (the media) – it makes for a good headline, but much of what is thrown out...
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