What to Look for in a Realtor
In the grand homebuying scheme, there are two people who are going to make or break your experience: the lender and the real estate agent. Everyone has an opinion on which is more important, negotiating the best deal on the purchase price or finding the best financing, but no one will tell you that both […]
What to Look for in a Lender
So you’re in the market for a new house, you’ve met with a Realtor, and have begun a cursory look at houses online based upon your assumption of what you can afford, but need to get a preapproval to get the process moving. Your local bank has rates posted in their lobby, and likely a […]
Are Multifamily Properties Good Investments?
Clients will often ask me my opinion on thing relating to the mortgage industry and homeownership in general. These questions will, usually, lead to a conversation around the worthiness of property as an investment. And while I am pretty straightforward in my belief that owning properties is seldom a bad thing, there is a small […]
Buying a Condo in Michigan
When clients come to me expressing an interest in buying a condo here in Michigan, I usually run down a few important points. First, I discuss the various types of condos available. Determining what type of condo you want will help you to find the right community. Next, we discuss what it means for a […]
How Long Does it Take to Buy a House?
If you are currently renting or looking to relocate, understanding the time it takes from start to finish to buy a new home can be extremely important. You don’t want your lease to come due before you have a house to move into and you don’t want your first day of work in the new […]
Should I Buy a House or Build a House?
With all of the new construction here in Michigan and all around the nation, the question that keeps coming up is: should I buy a house or build one? And while the answer is, of course, dependent upon your individual situation, I can give you some general ideas of the pros and cons of each. […]
Difference Between Mortgage Banker and Mortgage Broker
When clients contact me for the first time, I am often asked what, exactly, I do. People understand what a bank is, and they understand, to some extent, what a mortgage broker is. But a Mortgage Banker is a strange term that isn’t in the standard lexicon of most people. So when I’m asked, I […]
Using a Mortgage to Consolidate Debt
There is a common adage which says you should never leverage your house (a long term asset) to pay off short term debt. The reason being you don’t want to lose your house over what should otherwise be credit card debt or medical bills or some other, less important debt. And while there is some […]
My interview with Michigan Homes
Check out my interview, Mortgage Tips for First-Time Homebuyers on Michigan Homes, one of the top sites for Michigan homes for sale, including Rochester, MI homes for sale. Michigan Homes also services Wisconsin real estate and Illinois homes for sale.
Buying a House with No Credit
On Tuesday I talked about ways to buy a house with bad credit. While it can be difficult, it is certainly something which can be overcome. The only thing harder in the world of credit to overcome is no credit history, at all. Underwriters have nothing to base your creditworthiness on, meaning they have no […]