Mary’s Latest Articles
Buying land and building a house lets you customize a home exactly the way you want it — but the process is a little different from buying an existing house. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, it took an average of ...
Best for good creditPenFed Credit Union offers a variety of mortgage products, including FHA, VA, conventional, and jumbo loans. Because PenFed’s credit requirements are a little stricter than some competitors, they’re a good f...
A VA home loan offers service members and veterans an affordable way to buy a home. Since the program’s creation, the Department of Veterans Affairs has guaranteed over 28 million loans. VA loans can be used to buy a new home, ...
A warranty deed is a type of deed used in real estate transactions to guarantee to the buyer that there is a clear title to the property. They’re used to transfer ownership of a property, and often a mortgage lender will requir...
When shopping for a home, you’ll want to understand the costs involved in paying for it, especially those associated with your mortgage. A $300,000 mortgage comes with many costs aside from the amount you borrow — not only upfr...
Most Americans take out a mortgage to purchase their home — a whopping 80% of buyers, according to a study from the National Association of REALTORS®. Knowing how to get a mortgage before you’re ready to buy a home will make th...
Mortgage interest rates can make a big difference in what you’ll pay for your new home or mortgage refinance. When mortgage rates are high, borrowers spend more in interest, but when mortgage rates are low, borrowing becomes mo...
Buying a home is an exciting milestone in life — but it can be nerve-wracking, too. It helps to know ahead of time whether you’ll be likely to qualify for a mortgage. In fact, mortgage rates continue to rise, exceeding 7% for t...
For a first-time homebuyer, the process of buying a home can be as nerve-wracking as it is exciting, but you’re not alone. The National Association of REALTORS® found that first-time homebuyers accounted for 32% of home purchas...
Looking for a fixer-upper home? The Washington Post reported that in some markets, a fixer-upper could be priced “5 to 10 percent below comparable homes.” A 203(k) loan, also known as a rehabilitation loan, is a mortgage backed...