Mortgage 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 Article10-Year Mortgages vs. the 30-Year Fixed: Which Is Better?
It’s time for another mortgage match-up folks. Today, we’ll look at 10-year mortgages versus the 30-year fixed mortgage to see how these home loans stack up against one another. Before we get started,...
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 old one. For the record, some home builders refer to existing homes as “used,” which sounds kind of silly...
View Article7/1 ARM vs. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage: Pros and Cons
When shopping for a mortgage, it’s very important to pick a suitable loan product for your unique situation. Today, we’ll compare two popular loan programs, the “30-year fixed mortgage vs. the 7-year...
View ArticleRenting vs. Buying a Home: 55 Pros and Cons
It’s time for yet another mortgage match-up, so without further ado, here’s a biggie: “Renting vs. buying a home.” Or a townhouse for that matter… This is certainly an intimidating question, and one...
View ArticleLocking vs. Floating Your Mortgage Rate
To mortgage folk 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 panicked...
View ArticleCondo vs. Townhouse: Why It Matters
It’s been a while since I’ve done a matchup, so let’s talk about an important one if you’re in the market to buy real estate. Today, we’ll breakdown the similarities and differences of a condo vs....
View ArticleMortgage vs. Cash: Which Is the Better Option When Buying a Home?
It’s been a while since my last mortgage match-up, so let’s give it a whirl again: “Mortgage vs. cash.” Today, the focus will be on taking out a mortgage versus simply using cash when purchasing a home...
View Article15-Year Fixed vs. 30-Year Fixed: The Pros and Cons
It’s that time again, where I take a look at a pair of popular home loan programs to determine which may better suit certain situations. Today’s match-up: “15-year fixed mortgage vs. 30-year fixed...
View ArticleFHA vs. Conventional Loan: The Pros and Cons
It’s time for another edition of mortgage match-ups: “FHA vs. conventional loan.” Our latest bout pits FHA loans against conventional loans, both of which are extremely popular home loan options for...
View ArticleFixed-Rate Mortgages vs. ARMs: Which to Choose?
Mongoose vs. Cobra. Coyote vs. Roadrunner. Pirate vs. Ninja? And finally, “fixed-rate mortgage vs. adjustable-rate mortgage.” Yes, we’re talking about the greatest rivalries of all time. So what’s...
View ArticleMortgage Rates vs. Unemployment: Keep a Close Eye on the Jobs Report!
It’s time for another mortgage match-up: “Mortgage rates vs. unemployment.” When it comes to making (or for our purposes saving) money, everyone probably wishes they could predict the future. After...
View ArticleMortgage Insurance vs. Homeowners Insurance: Only One of Them Protects You
These days, it seems as if you can insure just about anything. Your car, your house, your dog, your phone, and maybe even your hair? At one time, there was a form of home down payment insurance, which...
View ArticleMortgage Rates vs. Home Prices: Is There Really an Inverse Relationship...
Mortgage Q&A: “Mortgage rates vs. home prices.” Today, we’ll take a look at the impact of both home prices and mortgage rates on your decision to buy a piece of property, along with the...
View ArticleMortgage Rates vs. Omicron
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated Omicron, formally known as B.1.1.529, a variant of concern. This news rocked financial markets nationwide amid concerns of another series of...
View ArticleCash Out vs. HELOC vs. Home Equity Loan: Which Is the Best Option Right Now...
Cash Out Your First Mortgage or Take Out a HELOC/Home Equity Loan Instead? If you already have a mortgage and need cash You’ve got two main options to access your home equity Either refinance your...
View ArticleMortgage Rates vs. War: The Silver Lining
Sadly, there’s another war taking place, this time Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine. While it doesn’t involve the United States directly, a dispute between Russia and effectively Europe has...
View ArticleMortgage Rates vs. Fed Announcements: No, the Fed Isn’t Raising Your 30-Year...
Tomorrow, the Fed is expected to raise the target federal funds rate by 0.25%, the first such increase since December 2018. The move has been telegraphed for months, if not longer, so it will come as...
View Article5/1 ARM vs. 30-Year Fixed: What’s the Better Choice and Why?
Now that mortgage rates have jumped, it might be time to consider alternatives to the 30-year fixed, such as the once-popular “5/1 ARM.” Everyone has heard of the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage – it’s far...
View Article7/1 ARM vs. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage: Pros, Cons, and How Much Cheaper Are They?
When shopping for a mortgage, it’s very important to pick a suitable loan product for your unique situation. Lately, I’ve been discussing loan programs beyond the 30-year fixed, now that interest rates...
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