1. Form a relationship with a real estate agent that specializes in properties with land in your area of interest and with a lender that can help you with an appropriate loan. If you are considering a government-sponsored loan like a USDA, Federal Housing Administration or Department of Veterans Affairs […]

An excellent credit score is anything above 800, according Fair Isaac Corp.’s FICO model. A recent LendingTree analysis revealed what the finances of people with credit scores of at least 801 look like. People with excellent credit have an average of nine open accounts, a credit limit around $71,000, a credit utilization rate under […]

Nearly 27 million Americans own their home outright and are free of the challenging financial burden of paying a mortgage. And, many people want to join their ranks. A 15- or 30-year loan doesn’t mean you have to take that long to repay the money. Unless the early repayment penalties are incredibly […]

With mortgage rates falling and the buyer’s market in full swing, some potential homeowners might be tempted to go ahead and buy before they’re ready. This could lead to a borrower becoming overleveraged, and owing more than they should. In a report, WalletHub found which U.S. cities have the highest percentage of […]

There are two ways to look at a reverse mortgage. First: Only get a reverse mortgage if you absolutely have to. Doing so will encumber a home you should own outright, limiting your ability to move or pass the home on to your family. Second: A reverse mortgage lets you […]

Buying a house is exciting, emotional as well as stressful. Whether you are a first-time buyer or have experience in buying homes, it will always be everyday stress. Even though you try hard to have done all things smoothly, you may face several hurdles. For instance, a seller can be […]

There are right ways and wrong ways to buy a home. The latter of which will cost you a lot of unnecessary money, stress, and frustration. Use best practices, however — as offered by real estate experts below — and you’ll walk away a winner with a smile on your […]

Tim Jones: All Things Real Estate Q: My wife and I need to refinance out of our current first mortgage. We bought our home three years ago with a first-time buyer program, which required us to pay interest-only for 36 months then, after 36 months, the interest rate goes sky-high […]

Reader question: We’re hoping to buy a home in the future. A buddy of ours who’s a realtor said we should get pre qualified for a home mortgage. What does the pre approval process involve? How’s it different from pre qualification? . You are not alone in wondering this. Last […]

Wouldn’t it be nice if life came with step-by-step instructions? Now it does! We break down how to master pretty much any money-related task right here in our “How to Do Everything” series. Whatever the goal, we’ll cover the steps to take and things to know to reach your next […]