Although the news on the mortgage front in the U.S. press has all been fairly rosy so far this year, this article from The Australian paints a slightly different picture of the U.S. market. It makes the valid point that a lot of people who took out interest-only loans before the crash are now reaching…

You may not think it’s that big of a deal — and because both downpayment requirements and interest rates tend to be lower, it can be really tempting — but lying on your mortgage application, even little white lies, is not a good idea. Most often attempted during cash-out refinance, 19% of all mortgage representations…

Following up on the recent blog post about DIY vs. DIFM, it’s important to recognize which projects are hard (definitely DIFM), and which are pretty easy (when you should really consider saving some money by DIY). Here are some handy tips from The Hamilton Spectator on three projects that may sound harder than they are:…

With interest rates near record lows, and many people sitting on loans with fixed rates over 5%, this guide by U.S. News & World Report couldn’t be more timely. Of course, refinancing only makes sense if it will actually save you money. You need to take many things into account, from how much of your…

Normally, this blog provides you with a consolidated view into all things home related. On a daily basis, there’s usually something interesting to report. But sometimes, the news itself is the news. If you google “mortgage” and click on the news tab, then in today’s top stories you’ll see that “mortgage rates slipped lower last…

For the last few months, there’s been uncertainty in the market — not enough supply, but also prices not moving in proportion to the costs. As we head into summer, it looks like that’s changing — at least for first-time buyers. And the demographic is changing too. After months of talking about how Millennials aren’t…

For the last few months, there’s been uncertainty in the market — not enough supply, but also prices not moving in proportion to the costs. As we head into summer, it looks like that’s changing — at least for first-time buyers. And the demographic is changing too. After months of talking about how Millennials aren’t…

Last week Tuesday, the blog addressed an increasing trend of moving from DIY to DIFM. Obviously, to each their own on that sort of decision — but, if you are going to contract out work, some caution is prudent. In one of their weekend roundups, Money Magazine covered the 9 biggest home-repair scams. It’s hard…

At 55,000 square feet, the White House isn’t just any old McMansion. But recent reports on a project that broke ground last year indicate that it’s originally ambitious goals were actually understated. The home is currently planned to have a 74,000 square foot main residence, with total square footage for all buildings in the compound…

Conventional mortgages are those not insured by a government agency — and to get one, you usually need to put 20% down, and they’re usually only 30-year, fixed rate. If those terms don’t fit your needs, then you can consider an FHA guaranteed loan, and if you do, you need to know a few things.…