Blog
Opportunity Can Disappear
In the last few years, some people who were unable to sell their homes, rented them instead. The market has improved in most places and the home may easily sell now and possibly, for a higher price. Most homeowners are aware that there is a capital gain exclusion on the profits of a principal residence... Read More
Retirement Funds for Home Purchase
For the person who has good credit and income but not enough money for the down payment on a home, their qualified retirement program could offer them some help. The rules are different depending on whether it is a 401(k), a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA. A risk in borrowing against a 401(k) comes... Read More
Choose a Lower Tax Rate
During campaign season, it is not unusual to hear a candidate criticized because they make a lot of money but pay little in income tax. While it might not seem fair, taxpayers are allowed to arrange their affairs so that they minimize the amount of tax paid. The profit on rental property enjoys the... Read More
Your home may be worth a lot more than you think
Real estate lost a lot of value during the recession but most areas have rebounded considerably. In some cases, the homes are worth more than they were before the housing bubble burst. Another reason many homeowners’ may have more equity is simply not staying current with what is going on in the market. In a... Read More
Temporary Buy Down
There is an infrequently-used mortgage program available that could be the solution to a buyer’s or seller’s problem. A 2/1 is a common buydown that the first year’s payment is calculated at 2% lower than the note rate and the second year’s payment is calculated at 1% lower than the note rate. The third through... Read More
Postponing a Purchase
You might be surprised how many people contact real estate offices because they want to buy a home but they don’t have the down payment or the credit to qualify. Occasionally, an agent will be working with someone who does have the down payment and credit but for whatever reason, decides to postpone the decision... Read More
Leverage – A Maximum Advantage
Leverage gives the user a maximum advantage whether it is physically lifting a large object or rapidly building equity in a home. In the case of the home, the high loan-to-value mortgage allows the profits made to be greater than simply the cash invested. It is estimated that homeowners have a 45 times higher net... Read More
Homeowner Advisory
Similar to an annual wellness physical, homeowners should consider an annual review of the financial elements of their home. It’s particularly valuable based on the fact that their home and its equity is generally, one of their largest assets. List of similar properties recently sold and currently available Information on challenging property tax assessment Refinance... Read More
It’s a Big Difference
Let’s say that you just won $8,750 on a lottery scratch-off ticket. You’ve decided to be frugal and invest the money and have decided on three alternatives: buying a certificate of deposit, a mutual fund or use the money as a down payment for a $250,000 home. To compare the three alternatives, let’s look at... Read More
Is Understanding Costing You Money?
People tend to fear what they don’t understand. Homeowners understand fixed rate mortgages and remember the horror stories of people who lost their homes because they could no longer afford them when their adjustable rate mortgages went up. Interest rates on fixed-rate mortgages have be so low for enough years, that borrowers haven’t even given... Read More