Do you ever get your water bill and wonder how on Earth you and your family can use so much water in just one month? Many families don't realize that leaky faucets and toilets and other water-gobbling problems and habits can cost them a lot of money... (Read More)

The No. 1 challenge for most first-time home buyers? Coming up with enough of a downpayment. That's where the FHA home loan program comes in. It's one of the most popular mortgage programs available today for first-time home buyers with modest down... (Read More)

A good credit score is important if you're thinking about purchasing a home. Your credit score impacts the interest rate that you can get for a mortgage. It also can impact your ability to qualify for certain types of home loans. And if it’s... (Read More)

Have you been watching mortgage rates and trying to decide if refinancing is right for you? There are a number of factors that go into the decision to refinance your home. Refinancing is more than just an opportunity to get a new mortgage rate... (Read More)

When buying a home, your credit score has a significant impact on your monthly mortgage payment. Generally, the higher your credit score, the lower the mortgage rate you may be able to qualify for. Likewise, the lower your credit score, the higher... (Read More)

Are you getting ready to make an offer on a home? You'll need to decide how much money you're going to offer the seller, of course. And you'll also need to figure out how much to offer in earnest money. The earnest money deposit is an important part... (Read More)

The appraisal is an important part of the home buying process. But what happens if an appraisal comes up short of the agreed-upon selling price? Here's an example: A home is listed for sale at $350,000. It's a multiple bidding situation, so you... (Read More)

The VA home loan program is one of the most flexible and attractive ways to finance a home today. There's no set downpayment requirement*, no private mortgage insurance and rates are lower compared with some other types of loan programs. It's also... (Read More)

When financing a home, you have a lot of choices, including the term of the loan. It's estimated that 80 percent of all home buyers elect to take out 30-year fixed-rate home loans. It's a popular option because of the low monthly payments. Less... (Read More)