The first time you buy a home, you’ll probably run across a fair number of mortgage-industry terms that you haven’t encountered before. If you find yourself stumbling a bit on terms you don’t know or acronyms you don’t understand, you’re not alone. Mortgage acronyms can stymy even the most financially-savvy potential homebuyers. We’ve put together this handy guide to explain … [Read more...] about A Homebuyer’s Guide to Decoding Mortgage Acronyms
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Buying a Home as a Freelancer
More than 57 million Americans earned at least some of their income freelancing last year, including 47% of Millennial workers. If you’re one of the millions of workers who won’t be getting a W-2 from a traditional employer next year, we’ve got good news. Getting a mortgage and buying a home without a traditional salaried job is possible. Freelancers, small-business owners, … [Read more...] about Buying a Home as a Freelancer
8 Ways for New Homeowners to Prepare for Natural Disasters
Being prepared for emergencies and natural disasters is important for everyone, of course. Fires, floods, and other natural disasters can happen anytime and impact entire communities. As a homeowner, your emergency preparedness to-do list is a bit different than it was when you were a renter. If you’re new to the homeownership game, we’ve got some disaster preparedness … [Read more...] about 8 Ways for New Homeowners to Prepare for Natural Disasters
Decluttering Before Your Next Move
The secret to a low-stress moving day? Decluttering your home—and your life!—before you move. Think about it: the less stuff you have to move, the less trouble it’ll be to move it. The good news? You don’t need to commit to a minimalist aesthetic to reap the benefits of decluttering. Taking stock of your possessions and purging stuff you no longer want or need frees up space in … [Read more...] about Decluttering Before Your Next Move
Here’s What a Cash-Out Refi Could Mean For You
Homeowners can refinance their mortgages at any time of year, of course. But for a variety of reasons, many homeowners looking for a cash-out refinancing of their existing mortgage do so in the spring. There’s a reason cash-out refinancing peaks in the springtime. And it’s not because there’s some mysterious connection between spring showers, budding flowers, and … [Read more...] about Here’s What a Cash-Out Refi Could Mean For You