Categories

How to refinance mortgage if you cosigned for student loan

Sun Aug 29, 2010 05:08PM

Q: I wonder how to refinance my home loan. I owe about $150,000 on the mortgage and $30,000 on the line of credit. My house is worth conservatively around $250,000. I am only looking at the first mortgage. I...

Mortgage modification - 2% interest rate 30 year fixed

Mon Jul 26, 2010 09:07AM

One of my acquaintances just got his mortgage modified. Through some non profit organisation, somewhere in Chicago south side church, he managed to squeeze a 30 year fixed home loan, 2% interest rate for life. Some mortgage modification, considering that...

Medical bankruptcy and mortgage

Tue Jun 22, 2010 05:06PM

If you filed for a medical bankruptcy, you can get a mortgage within 1 year from the discharge, but only by getting an FHA mortgage. A bankruptcy that was due to extenuating circumstances which must be documented, is still a...

First time home buyer with low credit score

Mon May 10, 2010 11:05PM

Q: I am a first time buyer and my credit is low, around 640. I am about to to get married and my would be husband credit is excellent. His middle score is 750. We are looking for a...

Should I sell my house now or wait for the price increase

Mon Apr 26, 2010 12:04PM

Q: I am thinking if I should go ahead and try to sell my house right now. My girlfriend who is an office manager for local RE/MAX tells me to wait. According to her, the ongoing buzz in the office...

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Obama second mortgage plan can bring some relief but

Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:04AM

you must first see if your lender participates in this program. The second mortgage relief is always welcome and this program does call for some rather significant modification, but currently there are only 4 lenders that participate in Obama second...

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Getting mortgage after Short Sale

Sun Apr 18, 2010 01:04PM

Q: I am getting on with my life after recent short sale, and want to buy a house. Can you please shed some light on how to get mortgage after short sale. My banker has no idea and there...

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Obama mortgage loan modification lowers credit scores

Sat Mar 20, 2010 06:03PM

Many home owners who signed up for Obama mortgage plan - Making Home Affordable, apparently did not realize that participating in it, just like in any type of mortgage loan modification program, would lower their credit scores. Often by as...

Late mortgage payment, credit report, FICO score

Tue Feb 9, 2010 10:02AM

There is some confusion with late mortgage payments and how they affect credit report and FICO score. You have to understand that if a payment has not been received by the due date, mortgage is technically considered delinquent, but a...

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FHA mortgage down payment requirements and housing market

Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:01AM

The press is abuzz over the Tuesday's announcement by the U.S. Federal Housing Administration, the FHA, that it will raise the requirements for the minimum FHA mortgage down payment, required to secure an FHA backed loan for less creditworthy borrowers...

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Getting mortgage in 2010 - how to get the best mortgage

Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:12AM

2010 is almost here and while getting mortgage in upcoming year will be easier than in 2009, getting a good mortgage could be more difficult than you expect. One thing to get out of the way is the persistent rumor...

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Recourse mortgage loan means you are responsible for all debt

Wed Dec 23, 2009 12:12AM

Q: I am $75,000 upside down and seriously debating either, to just walk away or negotiate a short sale. My friend told me I may have a recourse mortgage, which I never heard of. Can you explain? I live...

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Home appraisal tips, process, cost

Fri Dec 11, 2009 04:12PM

It won't be an overstatement to say that home appraisal is more important in today's market than ever before. If you are looking to refinance, buy or sell a home, appraisal process is one you need to understand. What to...

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Mortgage escrow account, laws, requirements, interest

Thu Oct 1, 2009 10:10AM

There is a bit more activity in housing market these days and more questions are raised by readers every day. With majority being first time home buyers who know next to nothing and have little money to put down, the...

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Should I refinance with mortgage insurance?

Mon Jul 6, 2009 02:07PM

Q: I am currently paying the 30 year fixed mortgage at 6.25% interest rate. Bank of America just offered me a 15 year fixed rate mortgage at 5.00%. The problem I am having is the value of my Charlotte...

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Mortgage rates are going up. How high?

Mon Jun 8, 2009 04:06PM

How high mortgage rates are going to go in 2009 isn't as important as the mere fact that they are going up. Even .50% increase will threaten not only the housing market but the overall economic recovery and the...

How credit score affects your mortgage rate

Wed May 20, 2009 04:05PM

Q: I am told that with a higher credit score I can get a better interest rate on a mortgage. If this true then by how much. I am looking into a FHA loan. A: Credit score affects your...

HOPE for Homeowners - should you refinance with H4H?

Mon May 4, 2009 10:05AM

The HOPE for Homeowners or H4H government sponsored program that we mentioned in Obama Mortgage Plan article is something you certainly must be aware about, and I will leave you at that with regards to my opinion on it. You...

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Mortgage loans with Combined Loan To Value of 110 percent are here

Sat May 2, 2009 01:05AM

According to what I hear, Wells Fargo will begin to underwrite refinance mortgage loans for up to 110 percent in Combined Loan To Value (CLTV). That means that if you add all the mortgages and lines of credit against your...

Obama mortgage plan - Making Home Affordable

Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:04PM

Q: Heard about Obama mortgage plan from a friend. Is that the same as Hope for Homeowners? Who qualifies? I am facing foreclosure ... likely, need to do something and fast. A: What is called Obama mortgage plan is...

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FHA loan requirements and qualifications

Fri Apr 24, 2009 03:04PM

Q: I want to get FHA loan. With all the recent events with banks and mortgages, it is hard to understand what the FHA loan requirements are. I tried talking to a few loan officers who worked for FHA...

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See us at Carnival of Personal Finance

Mon Apr 6, 2009 07:04PM

Edition #197 at Four Pillars blog....

Pay off mortgage early - should I be paying off mortgage sooner

Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:03AM

The short answer on the question - should I pay off my mortgage early is NO. In the current real estate situation paying off your mortgage sooner is completely insane. Faster isn't always better. I don't care what all the...

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Credit score for FHA loan and mortgage insurance - can you get a loan with no FICO score?

Wed Mar 4, 2009 11:03PM

Q: What is the credit score needed to qualify for FHA loan? I am looking to buy and see all kinds of numbers as low as 500, while many sites claim that no credit score is needed whatsoever. I...

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How much house can I afford? The right question should be -

Wed Feb 25, 2009 01:02PM

how much house do I need? That is correct, most of you often need much smaller home than the one you would afford, according to all Housing Affordability Calculators you can find on Internet. Actually the very "how much house...

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What credit score do I need to buy a house in 2009?

Mon Feb 16, 2009 03:02PM

Q: Can you advise on what credit score I must have to buy a house in 2009. My understanding is that criteria changed completely with this credit mess. Mine are 653, 676 and 697, and I am trying to...

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Renegotiate mortgage terms to lower monthly payments

Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:02PM

If you sense that you are about to fall behind on your mortgage or is already behind, you can try to renegotiate mortgage terms to lower monthly payments. With Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase announcing moratoriums on home mortgage foreclosures...

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Investment property loans - real estate investment financing

Wed Feb 11, 2009 07:02AM

has just become a bit easier. At least with the latest Fannie Mae changes, an investor with excellent credit scores can now have 10 investment properties on his or her name/social security - up from 4 investment property mortgage loans...

Short sale hardship letter sample

Sat Feb 7, 2009 01:02AM

This is the short sale hardship letter sample. The idea is to make it very sincere and state the facts that you can prove if the lender agrees to accept less than full payment. Why many tell you that the...

Refinancing mortgage questions - few important refinance facts

Tue Feb 3, 2009 12:02AM

Before you start asking yourself a question, should I refinance my mortgage, you should see if you qualify. Besides paying closing costs, worrying about locking the interest rate and so on, check three following questions - 1. How much equity...

Property tax escrow account

Tue Jan 27, 2009 03:01PM

Property tax escrow account is generally required on loans with Loan To Value of more than 80%, e.g, buying a house and putting less than 20 percent down. Having an escrow is disadvantage for borrower and basically a rip...

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Piggyback mortgage loans and rates are things of the past and what that means to you

Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:01PM

Piggyback mortgage has served as good alternative to one loan with private mortgage insurance for borrowers who can't afford a 20 percent down payment. Before the year of 2007, piggyback mortgage was the only tax deductible alternative for conventional...

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Is PMI tax deductible in 2008?

Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:01PM

Q: I have been paying PMI on the mortgage since I bought my duplex in July of 2007. I didn't write anything off. I understand that I could, but my accountant missed that. Is PMI paid in 2008 tax...

Interest Only loan allows to pay principal too

Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:01PM

Yes you can or shall I say, may. Too many borrowers mistakenly think, that Interest Only mortgage or home equity line of credit allows them to pay interest only, while any principal payments are prohibited. This misunderstanding prevents many from...

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How much equity needed in reverse mortgage?

Thu Jan 15, 2009 12:01AM

Q: How much equity needed in reverse mortgage? What is the percentage I can borrow? A: The amount of funds you can get with reverse mortgage, depends on your age or the age of the youngest spouse in the...

Home equity line of credit rates and calculators

Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:01PM

Q: What are the best home equity interest rates now? Where can I find a calculator for home equity line of credit? How much equity in my home do I need to get a line of credit? Any help...

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Home equity line of credit with bad credit

Fri Jan 9, 2009 03:01PM

You can get a home equity line of credit with bad credit, as long as you have three other qualifying parameters in order. How low can your credit scores go, how much you can borrow and interest rates vary greatly...

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Make it 2-for-2, BCA is at Carnival of Real Estate

Mon Jan 5, 2009 06:01PM

- first 2009 edition, hosted by real/diaBlog - under real estate market category. ...

How much equity do I have in my house

Sat Jan 3, 2009 12:01AM

The answer could be as simple as one to the question - how much my house is worth? In the most straight forward case which applies to average home owner, equity in your house is equal to the difference between...

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How much equity I need to refinance at best mortgage rate?

Wed Dec 31, 2008 03:12PM

Q: How much equity do you need to refinance to get best mortgage rate? I was hoping you could give me some clues as to what look out for. Thanks. A: How much equity you need to refinance, depends...

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Should you refinance now or do loan modification

Sat Dec 20, 2008 06:12PM

That is a serious question if should you refinance now or do something else. I would recommend to check with your lender for home loan modification scenario. No I am not talking about that mortgage modification - done by homeowners...

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Should I refinance my mortgage - interest rates are lowest since 1960s

Thu Dec 18, 2008 12:12AM

Should I refinance my mortgage? With the Federal Reserve cutting its target for the federal funds rate to somewhere between 0 percent and 0.25 percent, and promising to keep it there for some time, whatever that means, this was a...

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Mortgage modification program doesn't work

Mon Dec 8, 2008 01:12PM

The much touted mortgage modification program apparently doesn't work as planned and the Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan is quite surprised to the fact, that more than half of loans modified in the first quarter of 2008 fell...

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Co signing a mortgage

Mon Nov 3, 2008 12:11PM

Q: I am seriously thinking of co signing on a mortgage for my sister. Her credit is actually better than mine - 693, 702, 719 vs. 674, 685, 733, but her income is a bit short to qualify. The...

Underwater mortgages will bring another wave of foreclosures

Wed Oct 22, 2008 02:10PM

For those who haven't heard this term, an underwater mortgage is a colorful description of today's commonplace problem - the market value of a house is way below of what homeowner owes to the bank. Basically your Loan to Value...

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Mortgage hardship letter sample

Fri Oct 3, 2008 11:10AM

This hardship letter sample helps to explain your situation with the lender. Whichever entity holds your mortgage, be it a bank, a credit union or a mortgage company, this letter may help you to get the terms adjusted and get...

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The lethal Ninja loan - I guess I missed the name

Mon Aug 18, 2008 06:08PM

I wrote about ninja loans before, only never called them that. Your typical ninja loan - no income, no assets, no job verification mortgage was the peak of mortgage industry stupidity. Instead of giving money to any street bum, lenders...

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Freddie Mac, foreclosures, loans, losses, second quarter

Wed Aug 6, 2008 03:08PM

Freddie Mac posted $821 million loss in second quarter - more than 3 times larger than Wall Street expected. The main reason of these losses is a huge number of borrowers with Alt -A mortgage loans - given to borrowers...

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Alt A mortgages is next much bigger wave of loan defaults and foreclosures

Tue Aug 5, 2008 09:08PM

Of course we mentioned Alt -A mortgages long ago and warned that these Alt A mortgage loans presented much larger issue than much maligned subprime mortgages. Obviously, no one talked about those alternative -A loans until now including lenders. ...

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Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and how we did get here

Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:07PM

A very nice and easy to read article from Justice Litle, Editorial Director of Taipan Publishing Group. ...

Can't get a mortgage with good credit and 10 percent down payment

Sun Jul 13, 2008 06:07PM

Here is reader's email I am posting almost with no changes except few non-essential things. This is a glimpse of what is coming. Read and weep. I am looking for mortgage in Ft. Lauderdale area and so far can't get...

FBI arrests 400 for mortgage fraud and

Thu Jun 19, 2008 02:06PM

mortgage rates are at the highest since last September. Two Bear Sterns managers of two hedge funds related to sub prime mortgage fiasco are indicted. What a joke, then everyone involved in sub prime mess should be arrested too. And...

No money down purchase is still possible

Tue Jun 3, 2008 01:06PM

Q: Is that still possible to buy a house with no money down? I would like to take advantage of current prices, but don't want to come with down payment. My credit scores are 691, 713 and 745. I...

If you can't verify your income, no jumbo loans for you

Mon May 19, 2008 02:05PM

If you are looking for or currently have a jumbo loan, that is the one over $417,000 unless you live in some very expensive areas, which you probably do not, where this mortgage limit is over $700,000, and your income...

Refinancing with bad credit

Mon May 12, 2008 04:05PM

Q: I am trying to refinance and I have first and second mortgages, with 60 days late on my first mortgage and 120 days late on my second. Had some problems that didn't let me keep up with my...

Some lenders increase Debt-to-Income ratio to 60 percent

Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:04AM

In an effort to find borrowers who can pay their mortgage loans and will not walk away or get foreclosed, the debt to income ratio has gone up to 60% with certain lenders. To qualify you must at the...

Deed-in-lieu of Foreclosure

Mon Apr 7, 2008 04:04PM

The deed in lieu of foreclosure is the procedure where the borrower conveys all interest in a real property to the lender to satisfy a mortgage that is in default and avoid foreclosure proceedings. This deed instrument immediately releases...

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Stop foreclosure by filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy

Sat Apr 5, 2008 12:04PM

Let me state right away that IMHO, having Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is way better for the credit report than having a foreclosure. So it is another way to stop foreclosure and far from the worst one. Chapter 13 is...

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Short sale is the last resort to stop foreclosure

Fri Apr 4, 2008 11:04PM

Before the ongoing real estate crisis, short sale would normally take place after property didn't sell on the auction. Then it went back to the lender which put it for a short sale. Such properties often called REO or...

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Forbearance agreement

Thu Apr 3, 2008 10:04PM

Normally when you loan is delinquent for more than 90 days, the lender files a Notice of Default, starting a foreclosure proceeding. Many states allow you around 30 days to enter into forbearance agreement with the lender. Typically you...

Stopping foreclosure - Mortgage Modification

Thu Apr 3, 2008 09:04PM

The key is to start working on stopping foreclosure before it starts. Once the mill start milling, there isn't often much what you can do. The best way is to work with your lender on to modify your mortgage...

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Bank of America further tightens lending requirements

Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:03PM

Bank of America has just announced that as of March 1, it offers Stated loans to self employed borrowers only. W2 wage earners are no longer eligible. What it means is that if you are W2 computer programmer or...

Foreclosure bail out mortgage - a hard money loan - saving your house?

Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:03AM

I have to state right here that in my humble opinion, a foreclosure bail out mortgage is suicidal, and if you are looking for one, you may be better of to look for other alternatives, which we will cover...

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High income and bad credit scores

Tue Mar 4, 2008 01:03PM

Q: My husband and I make about $58,000 each. My credit scores are in mid 700, while his are in low 500 range. Can we use his income when applying for a mortgage without using his credit scores? A:...

Credit Suisse catches subprime virus

Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:02PM

That is the story from Yahoo, but you have to understand that if a bank like Swiss Credit Suisse, which supposedly has one of the very best risk management teams in the banking industry, has to take such an...

Foreclosure freeze - 30 day reprieve

Tue Feb 12, 2008 01:02PM

If you are more than 90 days and about to get foreclosed, you may be in luck, as long as your mortgage is with either - Bank of America, Citigroup, Countrywide, J.P. Morgan Chase, Washington Mutual or Wells Fargo -...

Higher FICO, Lower Mortgage Payments

Wed Jan 30, 2008 01:01PM

You already know that your FICO score directly affects your mortgage interest rate and, accordingly, your monthly mortgage payments. So it is important to continue repairing your credit history to improve your FICO score. The higher your FICO, the...

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Foreclosure refinance - can you refinance foreclosure at all

Mon Jan 28, 2008 09:01AM

You can refinance foreclosure and you can not - much depends on the state laws you live in, your credit history, why you are in foreclosure, and equity in your house. The WHY question is important. How much equity...

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Conforming loan limit as high as $725,000?

Thu Jan 24, 2008 02:01PM

As the part of stimulus package, to address the mortgage crisis, the package also raises the limits on Federal Housing Administration loans and home mortgages that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can purchase to as high as $725,000 in...

With sub prime lending gone, Alt A loans have followed

Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:01AM

and with that, the home prices will be depressed even further. Chase just announced that it is eliminating the entire suite of Alt A Products. You have to understand the implications of this decision as other lenders will follow without...

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Can't refinance: property value went down

Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:12AM

Q: We have a big problem with our adjustable rate mortgage. We bought this house 3 years ago and paid $160,000 with 10% down payment, getting a 3 year interest only ARM from a mortgage professional who explained every...

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Freddie Mac, Countrywide and the rest

Tue Nov 20, 2007 04:11PM

Freddie Mac reported it lost $2 billion in the third quarter and warned it may need to decrease its business unless it can raise new capital. As you undoubtedly aware of, Freddie Mac together with its big sister Fannie Mae...

Sub-prime mortgage is officially dead - bad credit borrowers hit rough times

Mon Nov 5, 2007 04:11PM

If you have bad credit, you really have nowhere to go. I don't know how I missed that in August, but Lehman Brothers said Wednesday that it's shutting its subprime-mortgage unit BNC Mortgage LLC and firing 1,200 people, becoming the...

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As lenders tighten lending guidelines, credit repair alone will not do it

Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:08AM

You need a down payment, and a large one. We wrote about how important was to repair credit or establish credit in March. With all the mortgage woes going on and likely getting worse, banks and mortgage companies have...

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New 50 year mortgage in - is that a good idea?

Sat Jun 2, 2007 05:06PM

While sub prime mortgage market struggles mighty, the lenders are looking for new products to sell to you as well as to their investors. The latest mortgage program is Fully Amortized 50/30, offers lower monthly payments during the first 10...

Sub Prime Mortgage meltdown means lower rates for borrowers with good credit?

Sat Apr 21, 2007 05:04PM

As the the foreclosures hit even luxury segment, the sub prime mortgage is basically thing of the past. Those lenders like Countrywide, HSBC and Wells Fargo, that have had a very large sub prime presence, are fighting among themselves for...

Banks to the rescue: new mortgage loans to save you from foreclosure!

Wed Apr 18, 2007 03:04PM

New mortgage loans to save a day, and you from foreclosure - first banks created the problem, now they are the saviors? First mortgage lenders were busy creating loans to make a million dollar home affordable for almost anyone. They...

Fixed 5-year mortgage rate at 6.375% is not bad - new Payment Advantage ARM from Countrywide Mortgage

Tue Jan 2, 2007 01:01PM

Countrywide Mortgage has just introduced a new mortgage program, sure to make even those you, timid and indecisive, a bit more comfortable. Almost normal ARM program that gives payment options. It's called the Payment Advantage ARM. While the payment...

Mortgage insurance is going tax deductible, so WHAT?

Fri Dec 15, 2006 01:12PM

A lot has been made from the tax bill that was passed by 109th congress in its very last hours. One of the provisions is that private mortgage insurance will be tax deductible for 2007 - only for the purchase...

Paying mortgage origination points

Wed Dec 6, 2006 05:12PM

Q: Should you pay mortgage points? There are many sites and books showing you complicated calculations, helping to decide on, should you pay or not? I have seen many publications advocating paying mortgage points for a slightly lower interest...

If the house was listed on MLS, can I refinance?

Sat Oct 21, 2006 08:10PM

Normally conventional lenders don't have any issues in such a case, if the house has been off the Multiple Listing Service for at least 6 months. Anything less than 6 months requires some additional work and cost. You would...

Soft prepayment penalty vs. hard prepayment penalty

Thu Oct 5, 2006 10:10PM

Q: What is the difference between soft and hard prepayment penalties? A: Hard prepayment penalty penalizes if you either refinance or sell. Soft prepayment penalty only penalizes in case you refinance....

How can I borrow on my home if I have credit score below 600?

Mon Sep 25, 2006 08:09PM

Q: There are a few questions I want to ask. How can I do a mortgage refinancing now when I have a real bad credit score, it is below 600 and I have been in default lately with my...

How to refinance second mortgage

Wed Sep 6, 2006 04:09PM

Q: I want to refinance second mortgage I have on my house. I bought this house a year ago with 10 percent down for $350,000. I had a rather bad credit with the scores at 608, 615 and 627....

Changing mortgage loan amount to reduce payment

Tue Aug 8, 2006 11:08AM

Q: I refinanced my house in March, 2003. I took 5 year adjustable rate mortgage at 3.875%. The mortgage loan amount was $150,000 and the monthly principal and interest payment has been $705.36. I've been making additional principal payments...

Washington Mutual mortgage question

Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:07PM

Q: I am buying my first house and the mortgage broker I am working with, told me that she would cover all closing costs up to $2,000, and in the worst case, I would only pay few hundred dollars...

Reverse mortgage

Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:07PM

Reverse mortgage is rather hot topic these days. Several readers have asked questions about reverse mortgage and we are going to try our best to explain this mortgage product. As housing market has significantly cooled off, and will likely slow...

Mortgage insurance

Mon Jul 3, 2006 10:07AM

Q: What can you advise on mortgage insurance. We recently bought our first house, the mortgage is about $300,000. Letters soliciting mortgage insurance have been coming every week. We got offers on disaster mortgage protection, mortgage accidental death coverage,...

Rising interest rates, adjustable rate mortgages, bad credit, low home equity and debt

Fri Jun 23, 2006 09:06AM

That is a long title, I know, but we actually should have made it longer. You see, all these factors - rising interest rates, adjustable rate mortgages, bad credit, low home equity and debt, plus more stringent lending criteria by...

Comeback Credit mortgage

Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:06AM

Comeback Credit home loan is the Fixed Rate Mortgage that helps borrowers with bad credit lower their interest rate. As mortgage interest rates have gone up, no borrowers were hit harder than those with large debt and bad credit. Sub...

Bad credit mortgage can be harder to get

Thu Jun 8, 2006 03:06PM

If you obtained bad credit mortgage few years ago, chances are you have a high rate that has been fixed for 2 or 3 years, as vast majority of bad credit mortgage loans were 2/28 or 3/27 adjustable rate mortgages....

Option ARM advantages

Tue Jun 6, 2006 10:06AM

Option ARM's the main and only advantage is its flexibility. You, the borrower must understand exactly how this mortgage product is structured. There are few cases where Option ARM has a clear cut benefit for a buyer. First, it is...