Mortgage and Home Finance - Articles

Articles Index

Finding a Mortgage for Your New Home
If you're buying a home, chances are you'll need a mortgage, but did you know there are big differences between mortgage brokers and bank loan officers? The differences affect your home buying transaction.

Are You Pre-Approved for a Mortgage?
It's important to get pre-approved for a mortgage before you shop for a home, but sometimes the terminology is confusing. Do you understand the differences between the terms pre-qualified, pre-approval and loan commitment? The differences can affect your home buying transaction.

Facts About ARMs, Adjustable Rate Mortgages
An adjustable rate mortgage, called an ARM for short, offers home buyers lower initial interest rates, but the lower rates are not guaranteed for the length of the loan. Learn how ARMs work and when an adjustable rate mortgage might be your best option for a home loan.

Bi-Weekly Mortgage Payment Plans
If you're in the home buying mode, you might be thinking about a bi-weekly mortgage payment plan, wondering if it can help you pay off your mortgage more quickly. Here's an explanation of how a bi-weekly mortgage payment plan works, plus tips about other methods you can use to reduce your interest expense and pay off your home loan in a much shorter time.

Discount Point FAQ
Discount points are fees paid to a lender at closing in order to lower the interest rate on your home loan. While buying points is sometimes a good decision, many times the purchase costs you more than it saves. Here are some tips that will help you decide if buying points makes sense for your home purchase.

A Mortgage is Not a Home Loan
Home buying tip. A mortgage and a deed of trust are both security instruments, documents that give a lender the right to sell your property to pay your debt if you do not make payments on your home. Do you know the differences between a mortgage and a deed of trust?

Mortgage Resources
A sitemap to help you find home mortgage resources on About Home Buying and Seling. Essential information for anyone who is buying a home or planning to refinance.

Analyzing Your Debt to Income Ratio
When you're buying a home, lenders look at your debt to income ratio. This measure of your debt load has an impact on how much house you can buy. Learn how to calculate the ratio and find out what lenders are looking for.