How to Determine How Big of a Down Payment You Need

Whether or not you're new to real estate, there's little doubt that you've heard the term down payment as it relates to purchasing a home. There's a lot of different information out there in regards to how much this figure should be and it can be hard to determine exactly what the importance of this payment is. If you're trying to determine the ideal amount to put down, here are some things to consider. Explaining Down Payments And Why They're Important The down payment is probably one of the largest single payments you'll make for anything, and this is why…
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Condo Vs House: Which Is Best For Your Lifestyle?

Some people love living in condos, while others swear by detached homes. When it comes to deciding between the two, however, you can't always rely on someone else's word. Sometimes it's as simple as understanding and assessing your lifestyle to make the best choice, since condo living and home ownership are two radically different experiences, and thereby serve two very different types of lifestyles and personalities. Here are a few considerations if you're trying to decide whether you should invest in a house or a condo. House: Best If You Have A Furry Friend Do you have a furry friend…
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Three Tips To Get The Best Financing On Your Second Home Purchase

Are you buying a property as your second home? Perhaps you are looking for a small cottage or apartment where you can escape to for your vacations, or maybe you want to have another home closer to your relatives? Maybe you want to rent out your second property and make a steady income from your investment. Whatever the reason, a second piece of real estate can be a fantastic investment. However, sometimes getting a mortgage on your second home can present a challenge. Generally, a mortgage lender will have tougher standards for vacation home -- or second home -- loans…
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3 Considerations When Making A Down Payment

One of the challenges you will face when deciding how much money to put down on your new home is whether to put down a larger down payment or to take a bit of money from your down payment and use it to pay "discount points" to lower your interest rate. There are pros and cons to doing both and each borrower's situation will be different so it's important to understand which option is best for your individual need. Some Factors You Should Consider Include: Cost Of Borrowing - generally speaking, to lower your interest rate will mean you pay a…
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3 ‘Must Know’ Pieces of Advice for First-time Home Buyers

When delving into the realities of home ownership, there can be many factors involved that make it difficult to determine what you need to know and what can wait until later. If you happen to be a first-time buyer who's looking for the best tips for purchasing a home, look no further than the following three pointers to set you on the right path. Get Familiar With Your Credit Score If you haven't looked at your credit report for a long time, it can be a daunting task to request this information. Fortunately, your credit report is free from AnnualCreditReport.com…
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Do You Need Mortgage Insurance Even If It’s Not Required By Your Lender? Let’s Take A Look

Finding a proper mortgage loan and understanding the processing procedures behind the loan is the basis of good research. The down payment on a mortgage loan is typically significant when dealing with mortgage insurance. Most loan applications with less than 20% down payment are required to include mortgage insurance with the loan. However, mortgage insurance may still be required even if it's not typically required by your lender. Underwriting Requirements Most home mortgage applications undergo a strict set of standards for approval. These standards are known as underwriting and make up the bulk of time spent on a mortgage application.…
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