Home buying, selling and getting a mortgage in retirement. This reader wants to know how to time selling their home and getting financing for a new one. Q: I am single and have an 800+ credit score. I plan to retire in the next year or so and move to a small town in the [...]
Should I get the promissory note after paying off my mortgage? You may not need a note stamped "canceled" but you do need other forms of proof. Q: I saved an article you wrote from 2015 which says that I should "get back the promissory note” I signed when I pay off my loan. And, [...]
What mortgage can I get approved for? Fannie Mae found most Americans overestimate the credit score and down payment necessary to qualify for a mortgage. Credit scores and lending requirements are confusing - even to those of us who work in the credit industry or those that are tangentially related, like mortgage origination or banking. [...]
Can you change your mortgage loan servicer? The short answer is no, but a few calls can help you smooth out the problems you’re facing. Q: Is it possible to change my loan servicer? My refinance was done by a national mortgage lender. They immediately transferred it to a well-known loan servicer. However, my monthly [...]
What happens when the co-owner of your home dies with debt? This reader is concerned they’ll get stuck with the bill or worse, that they’ll lose the home. Q: My mother and I currently share ownership of my home. We own the home equally. I've been reading some of your posts on ThinkGlink.com and it [...]
What happens to your taxes when you co-sign a mortgage for your child? It all depends on how you decide to hold title on the home. Q: If I co-sign a mortgage so my son can buy a house, how will that affect my taxes for the profit when it is sold? He will make [...]
With an underwater mortgage, this senior homeowner is desperate for help. Thanks to the Great Recession, this older homeowner is struggling with selling at a loss or staying in their home. Q: My mother is 90 and needs to soon move from her condo to an assisted living facility. She bought her condo at the [...]
Mortgage delinquency rates are down, credit delinquencies are up. CoreLogic reports 30-day-plus delinquency is the lowest it’s been in over a decade. It’s a good news, not-so-good news situation. First, the good news: More people are paying their mortgages on time. Unfortunately, credit delinquencies are up as more people are having trouble getting their [...]
How do I pay my first mortgage payment? After closing the sale on buying a home it’s time to start sending payments to your mortgage servicer. Buying a home is the most stressful event of modern life. Now that it’s done, you can breathe a sigh of relief, settle into homeownership and pay your first [...]
What is a deed of trust? This document often confuses homeowners, especially after they pay off their mortgage. Here’s what you need to know. Q: Thank you for your recent article about transferring ownership of a home among family owners. My question is simpler. I recently paid off my mortgage and received a Certificate of [...]
