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1 month ago | 
lowermybills.com | Rory Arnold |T.J. Porter |Andrew DePietro |STEPHANIE COLESTOCK
If your neighbor fails to maintain their home, it can be more than just an eyesore for you — it can actually reduce the value of your property. That’s because sales of comparable properties — usually referred to as comps — are a major factor in determining how much a home is worth. Whether you’re buying or selling a home, comps are essential for understanding the current market and what homes can be expected to sell for.
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2 months ago | 
lowermybills.com | T.J. Porter |Andrew Martins |Brett Holzhauer |Rory Arnold
If you owe more on your mortgage than your home is worth, you’re said to be underwater or upside down on your home loan. If you’re paying your mortgage on time and can continue to do so, you should be fine. But if you’re underwater and need to refinance, you have no equity to borrow. And if you need to sell, you can’t make enough by selling the home to repay your current mortgage.
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2 months ago | 
lowermybills.com | Terence Loose |Rory Arnold |Casey Bond |Brett Holzhauer
If you’ve already bought a home and are now considering buying a second home to use for vacations or generate income, it’s important to know how the process differs. Taking on the additional debt required to buy a second home requires mortgage lenders to take a bigger risk. A loan to buy a second home may require a larger down payment, may come with a higher interest rate, and may have stricter financial requirements.
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Jan 6, 2025 | 
lowermybills.com | Rory Arnold |Casey Bond |Brett Holzhauer |Sarah Sharkey
As you approach closing day, the final walk-through gives you one last chance to inspect the home before it’s yours. In most cases, the walk-through is a formality. But sometimes, last-minute problems crop up that you’ll need to resolve quickly with the seller to close on schedule. Let’s take a look at some common problems that may come up during your final walk-through. You might find the seller left behind some items when they moved out.
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Nov 20, 2024 | 
quickenloans.com | Rory Arnold
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Sep 24, 2024 | 
quickenloans.com | Rory Arnold
Affordable housing costs an occupant no more than 30% of their gross monthly income. Learn about affordable housing, how to qualify and where to find it.
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Jul 15, 2024 | 
lowermybills.com | Rory Arnold |STEPHANIE COLESTOCK |Mia Taylor
Refinancing your mortgage involves replacing your current home loan with a new mortgage. Whether it’s with your current lender or a new one, you’ll need to apply, be approved for, and be ready to close on that new loan. While refinancing is similar to getting a loan to buy a home, understanding how to close on a mortgage refinance can help the process go smoothly. Key Takeaways:You need to have applied for and been approved for a mortgage refinance before you’ll be ready to close.
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Jul 1, 2024 | 
lowermybills.com | Rory Arnold
It’s possible to get a great deal on a home sold at auction — but there also are risks and potential disadvantages to consider. To help you learn how the process works, read our step-by-step guide to buying a home at auction. Key Takeaways:Homes are sold at auction because they have been foreclosed on or because the owner hasn’t been paying their property taxes.
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Jun 17, 2024 | 
lowermybills.com | Rory Arnold
Homebuyers beware: Scam artists are out there trying to take advantage of your homebuying dreams and steal your money. Real estate scams — defined as the theft of money or assets from a homebuyer or seller that otherwise would go toward the purchase, sale, or financing of a home — are all too common. The FBI found that over 11,727 people fell victim to real estate fraud in 2022 for a total of $397 million in losses.
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Jun 3, 2024 | 
lowermybills.com | T.J. Porter |Rory Arnold
In a competitive housing market, buyers may have to find creative ways to make an offer stand out. One way you can strengthen your offer is by offering to buy the home in cash instead of financing your purchase with a mortgage. While making an all-cash offer may sound ideal, the truth is few people can afford to buy a home out of pocket. If you don’t have the funds on hand but still want to make a cash offer, there are cash-offer financing programs that make this possible.
