If you’re thinking about prepaying your mortgage loan taxes, you should think again. This move can do more harm than good. Q: If my tax payment is included in my mortgage payment, am I allowed to go to the local tax office and prepay the taxes before the due date in order to reduce my [...]
Cosigning your in-law’s refinanced mortgage can often be a big mistake, especially if they don’t have much financial stability. Q: I was wondering what legal action could be taken if the person living in the home is on the home title but not on the mortgage loan? I recently helped my mother in law refinance [...]
Why you (probably) shouldn’t combine your mortgage and HELOC loans, especially if your mortgage is nearly paid off and your home equity loan isn’t. Q: I have 4.5 years left on my mortgage. I also have a home equity loan. Would it be wise to combined the two into one loan? A: While it sounds [...]
How did a Wells Fargo computer glitch force foreclosure on 400 homes? What does it mean for mortgage loans and the real estate industry? Wells Fargo has faced scandal after scandal for bad business practices, including creating fake customer accounts to boost sales figures, charging unfair mortgage fees and charging customers for car insurance they [...]
Here’s how to confirm your mortgage is paid off. While it’s confusing to walk through the process of confirming your mortgage is paid off, you shouldn’t have to pay anyone to do it for you. Q: I live in Indiana. Who can I hire to call Fannie Mae to get the facts on the satisfaction [...]
What you need to consider before buying your first home later in life? From mortgage terms to tax deductions, there’s many decision to be made before buying your first home. Note: This post has been updated to reflect a correction to the amount of the 2018 State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction change in the [...]
Why you may not need a full 20% down payment before buying a home, especially if it means draining your savings. Q: I’m looking to buy a home where the typical property sells for about $200,000. I have saved up about $25,000. Should I wait until I have $40,000 to buy the home or try [...]
How to find proof of your cancelled mortgage if your lender didn’t send you a cancelled note. Q: How you can figure out if a cancelled mortgage is cancelled by the county? A: In a recent column, we discussed how a lender should and generally does send the cancelled note and mortgage back to the [...]
Buying your first home: How to find the right mortgage lender that will have your best interests at heart. Hint: It may not be who your real estate agent suggests. Q: I recently saw you on the news and I wanted to reach out to ask you a few questions. I wanted to take the [...]
A recent report from the Harvard JCHS takes a look at the important differences in the housing market since the 1980s. Many staples of American life look different in the three decades since 1988, from big hair to the cost of college to the rising number of Americans burdened by housing costs. In a recent [...]
