Should I Pay Mortgage Points?

If you are buying a home or refinancing, you have probably heard about “mortgage points.” This form of pre-paid interest can save you thousands of dollars over the course of your loan but in many circumstances is not worth the upfront cost. How do you know whether to pay points or not? Here’s a quick
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Why the New Construction Market is Gaining Strength

In the years following the local housing rush which followed Hurricane Katrina, many home builders have lived through a dramatic slowdown in St. Tammany new construction market. Some experts attribute this to the rapid influx of post-Katrina new residents, and others to the general slowdown in the housing market which has affected the rest of
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Pros and Cons to Debt Consolidation Loans

Debt consolidation is the act of refinancing your home, or taking out a 2nd mortgage, to pay off several smaller loans including retail or consumer loans that may not be tied to your home. It’s a way to help people gain control of their finances; instead of having all types of loans with various interest
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Will a Mortgage Calculator Tell Me what I Can Afford?

A mortgage calculator is a handy tool, but it cannot replace a mortgage professional. A mortgage calculator can give you a ballpark figure for what you can afford, however, based on your income and, depending upon how sophisticated the calculator is, the local tax rates and the cost of homeowner’s insurance for the properties you’re
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Can You Refinance a Home Mortgage into One Name?

As mortgage lenders, one question we are often asked is whether or not you can refinance a home mortgage into just one person’s name.  There are some cases where you may want to have your mortgage debt in one name only. This can be done, but it will depend upon a couple of things: Credit
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Finding a Mortgage Broker who specializes in Less Than Perfect Credit Mortgages

In days past, if you had a less than perfect credit rating it usually meant that someone was irresponsible or simply unethical in how they handled debt. Today, many hard working people have less than perfect credit due to a number of reasons not all of which are under their control. At the same time,
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What are the Benefits of Cash Out Refinancing?

Cash out refinancing is a way that you can borrow money against the investment you have in your home by refinancing more than the balance you owe on your home mortgage. It’s important to remember that this is, in fact, a loan. It’s not a profit that you’re making off of your home and is
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How Much Mortgage Can I Afford?

Calculating how much you can afford on a home mortgage is a lot more complex than calculating how much you can afford in rent. In the latter case, a third of your income is usually a good measure for the most you want to pay in rent. Where a mortgage is concerned, you have to
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Can you Sell Your House and Retain a Prior Mortgage?

There are some situations where you may be able to sell off your property and still retain the mortgage. There are also situations where you may end up with more than one mortgage at a time. Obviously, this latter situation is one that you won’t want to endure for long, unless you’re a property investor.
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