Debt, Credit & Paperwork

Home buyers today are navigating one of the most competitive real estate markets in history. With home values rising over 17% year over year, home buyers have learned they need to come in with their best offer if they want a chance at winning a home. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as making an offer...

There are many possible paths to becoming a homeowner. In some cases, especially if you’re a first-time home buyer, you might consider a “rent to own” program, often referred to as a lease purchase agreement. Depending on your current financial and personal situation, a lease purchase agreement might help you eventually buy a home that...

If, like more and more Americans, you’ve embraced working from home, you may be wondering if you can write off your home office on your taxes.  The answer depends on a lot of factors, including how you use your home for work, whether you have a dedicated space for your home office and whether you...

Chain of title is the history of ownership of any real property. Each time a property is sold or transferred from one owner to the next, the title, or ownership, of that property is transferred. The record of all those transfers establishes a chain of title. The concept of chain of title is also used...

The home buying process may have you wading through unfamiliar waters, including the navigation of legalese. And one of the terms you may come across during this process is “fee simple.” Whether you’re deep into your buyer’s journey or have only gotten as far as casually scrolling through real estate websites, it’s helpful to know...

You’ve found it – the perfect home. From the molding to the skylights, it’s everything you’ve ever wanted. Just as you’re getting ready to put in an offer, the listing changes. Now it’s listed as “under contract.” Is this the end of your real estate romance, or is there a chance you and your dream...

If you’ve been saving up money in your 401(k) for years and you want to purchase a home, you might be wondering if you can use your retirement savings to buy your dream home. Yes, you can use your 401(k) to help fund the purchase of a home, but it’s a strategy that comes with...

“Title” and “deed” are the Fred and George Weasley of the real estate world (we see you, “Harry Potter” hive). And like the identical twin wizards, “title” and “deed” get notoriously mixed up all the time.  You wouldn’t be at fault if you thought that title and deed are the same thing. Both are related...

Investments are a valuable way to plan for your future. And if you’re planning on buying a house, they can be particularly valuable assets now. You can use these assets for a mortgage application. If your main source of income isn’t enough to qualify for a mortgage loan or you’re wondering if you can qualify...

Picture this: You’ve settled into bed in your new home, only to be woken up at 2:00 a.m. by the persistent drip of water on your forehead. After investigating, you discover that the roof has major, long-standing defects that will cost a lot of money to fix.  A Seller’s Disclosure – sometimes referred to as...

Ready to buy a house? Well, besides finding a property you like, you’ll need to acquaint yourself with the mortgage process so you can get a good home loan. One of the first things a mortgage lender will ask you at the start of the preapproval process is, “What is your credit score?” It’s an...

You may be done with school, but you’re still getting graded. Say hello to your credit score! It’s the financial world’s way of grading how reliable you are with the money you borrow. If you’re looking to buy a car, apply for a credit card or buy a home, you’ll want to make sure your...

If you’ve gone through bankruptcy and aspire to own a home, you are likely wondering if you’ll be able to get your finances back on track and fulfill your homeownership dreams. In this regard, you’re not alone. In 2020, more than 500,000 people filed for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. So, while bankruptcy can...

Although we set out looking for the perfect house to buy, we may come to realize that ours just isn’t out there – yet.  That’s why, as a home buyer, it’s so important to make sure you work out a real estate purchase agreement that lands you the best deal you can swing with the...

No pain, no gain. To turn a house you love into your very own home, you’re going to have to put in some serious time and effort to get it. It’s usually a faster process for first-time home buyers because they don’t have to sell a house while they’re trying to buy their next one....

You can go online right now and buy a car – boom, done – so why not buy a house online, too? More people than ever are buying homes online. Sure, there’s more involved in the home buying process than there is for a car. But if you know what you’re looking for in a...

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you’ll need to do some serious research before you make any major decisions – especially if you have federal or private student loan debt. Before you hit the panic button, we want you to know that student loan debt doesn’t have to be an obstacle to buying a...

Learn why paying extra on your monthly mortgage payments and reducing your principal early may not be a good idea.

Buyers are taken much more seriously when they are pre-approved. Learn how that pre-approval status can be lost so that you can prevent it from happening to you.