The best time to take out a home equity loan varies depending on the lender and the home value. Q: My home will be paid off in February. My bank recommended that I obtain an home equity loan now. They told me that if I waited until after if was paid off I’d lose 30 [...]
When a loved one must be moved to a care facility, there are ways to leverage their property in order to afford the high cost. Q: My father has Alzheimer’s and I have power of attorney over his home. Due to the past hurricane damage, the home is in need of major repairs, everything from [...]
What can I do about inheriting property that has a mortgage? This reader wants to know if they can execute a quitclaim deed to absolve themselves of mortgage payment responsibilities. Q: I have inherited a 25 percent interest in a home along with three other siblings. I do not want my 25 percent and want [...]
After foreclosure, homes go to sheriff's sale to satisfy the amount owed on the mortgage. Whether you still owe money after the sale depends on a few factors. Q: My house sold at Sheriff's auction to my mortgage lender. They have recently sold it, how do I get information that my loan was covered and [...]
When is it a mistake to refinance your mortgage? Only if you don't know this mortgage secret: Your amortization schedule will "reset" each time you refinance your mortgage, unless you opt to refinance at a lower rate for a shorter term length. In this case, your monthly mortgage payment tends to rise, however. Q: Did [...]
We often get questions about prepayment penalties and whether the penalty period will apply if a homeowner sells the home rather than just prepays the mortgage. Q: I just signed a contract on my house with a closing at the end of next month. I also bought a new house with same closing date. I [...]
What can you do if your lender backs out of the mortgage commitment? A lot of buyers might want to sue the lender because it is difficult to close if, at the last minute, you're scrambling to find a new lender. There are advantages to working with recommended lenders (such as in incentives other lenders [...]
My father died and had a mortgage. Can I keep it? This reader wants to know if they can assume an existing mortgage loan after a parent's death. Q: My father and I were joint tenants with right of survivorship on our home. He recently died and I would like to stay in my house. [...]
Should you refinance your home with HARP? Although the housing crisis and Great Recession is nearly 10 years old, we still receive questions from homeowners who don't qualify (or think they don't qualify) for a conventional refinance. While the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) has some specific qualifications, it may still help some borrowers who [...]
Last week, a federal jury in Texas imposed a nearly $93 million penalty against Allied Home Mortgage Capital Corp. and Allied Home Mortgage Corp. (now known as AllQuest Home Mortgage Corp.) and CEO Jim Hodge for issuing thousands of bad loans and leaving the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on the hook for [...]
