Before you start seriously shopping for a home, there's some groundwork you should do to put yourself in the best position to buy a home. Start early, a couple of months before you talk to a lender or hire a real estate professional. Check and repair your credit The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires the…

Buying a home remains a real bargain compared to renting in most areas nationwide, as the share of income typically needed to afford the average home is much lower today than it was in the past. But while buying a home is a great deal, for those current renters looking to buy — particularly millennials…

In the early days, if you wanted a mortgage loan, you had to have a job, some down payment money and good credit. While that's still true today, loans are more difficult to get. Lenders look for more information about you,  making the process take longer than it used to. If you're wondering why, the…

With over 90% of mortgage loans owned or guaranteed by the U.S. government, lending requirements have tightened to the point that many otherwise qualified borrowers are unable to buy a home, especially with higher credit score and down payment requirements as well as private mortgage insurance. FHA loans, for example, require mortgage insurance on every…

Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages fell this week, with the current rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow Mortgages at 3.96 percent, down from 4.08 percent at this same time last week. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate spiked to 4.30 percent on Wednesday, then hovered around 4.06 percent for most of the week before falling…

When you apply for a mortgage loan, the first thing your lender will do is check your credit history, but they don't read through your credit reports page by page. They get a snapshot of your credit called a credit score. Fair Isaac Corporation is the company that compiles your credit scores based on the…

When you're getting ready to sell your home, you don't want to make any mistakes that can decrease the value of your home. However, sometimes sellers unintentionally do. That's because what a buyer sees as a mistake is not always the same as what a seller considers a mistake. But when you're selling your home,…

If you're a homeowner, then chances are that one of your goals is to reduce the energy usage in your home — not only to lower bills, but also to contribute toward a cleaner environment. It's an added plus that homes with lower energy usage and access to renewable energy sources are becoming increasingly more…

There are two reasons to buy hazard insurance for your home — to protect your lender and to protect yourself. If you use the purchase price of your home for the insured amount, you may believe you have all bases covered. But, you could be in for a nasty surprise if you have to make…

It's that time of year, when the sun is shining bright and all we really have on our minds is getting out of town to enjoy a beach vacation. But before you can enjoy some fun in the sun, there are a few things to take care of at home. Here are 7 ways to…