Mortgage

Put Your Home’s Equity to Work for You! Today’s home values are at an all-time high, and many homeowners are finding more equity in their homes than ever. What is home equity? It’s the difference between what you owe on any outstanding mortgage and your home’s market value. For example, if your home value is… Read More

4 Reasons to Use a Local Mortgage Lender Something the recent pandemic taught us is the importance of supporting local businesses. However, shopping locally isn’t just about choosing a retail shop or restaurant, it also applies to picking a mortgage lender. Whether you are purchasing your first home or downsizing/upgrading your existing home, the first… Read More

All About the USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing Program (And If It’s Right for You!) USDA stands for the United States Department of Agriculture, the agency best known for working with farmers and food standards.  The USDA also promotes decent and affordable homeownership in rural areas. The USDA offers two types of home lending. The first… Read More

Don’t Get Scammed! Warning Signs to Look Out for When Hiring a Contractor There are hundreds of legitimate, ethical contractors in business around Northern Illinois. Unfortunately, there are also scam artists who pose as legitimate contractors. These “fly-by-night” operators often show up in communities impacted by natural disasters to scam distressed homeowners into paying for… Read More

FHA vs. Freddie Mac: Affordable Home Programs Compared As housing costs continue to rise, so does the need for affordable mortgage financing. Thankfully, affordable options are expanding to keep up with the diverse needs of first-time and repeat buyers. In fact, you probably hear more about low-down payment mortgages today than ever before. Internet search… Read More

Buy the Home, Rent the Rate What Happened to Mortgage Rates? In early January 2021, mortgage interest rates were at all-time historical lows. Per Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the U.S. weekly average at that time was 2.65% for a 30-year mortgage. Flip the calendar forward to mid-November 2022 and the same 30-year mortgage… Read More

Let Your Home Assist You: 3 Ways to Take Advantage of Your Home’s Equity If you are a homeowner and have been paying your mortgage consistently, you have most likely built-up equity in your home. With this equity, you can free up cash for other wants & needs, such as a home renovation, assistance with… Read More

Pre-Qualification vs. Pre-Approval: What’s the Difference? When you begin the process of buying a home, you may come across new words and phrases that may be unfamiliar to you. In today’s competitive housing market, it is important to be knowledgeable about certain real estate terms to help put yourself in the best purchasing position possible…. Read More

4 Ways to Make a Less Than Perfect Home Work for You If you are in the process of trying to purchase a new home, you may have noticed that there isn’t much out there to choose from. Although a decrease in inventory this time of year isn’t unusual, it does seem lower than in… Read More