First things first: two forms instead of four. The old Good Faith Estimate, HUD-1 Settlement Statement, and two Truth-in-Lending disclosures are being replaced by a Loan Estimate and a Closing Disclosure, effective October 3rd. Even better, the forms are both standard, and part of every mortgage transaction, so it becomes much easier to compare apples…

This blog is mostly about all things home related — from mortgages, to the housing market, to ways to keep your property in shape. But let’s face it: it’s summer! “And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that…

It might just be that the weather this year is keeping the housing market from being hotter than it already is. It’s not just about whether you can apply a fresh coat before putting your house on the market — it’s about construction. As Sherwin-Williams announced weak earnings, the CEO explained that a lot of…

It’s still only July, so we still have quite a few hot days ahead of us. That’s good news for those who enjoy fun in the summer, but we should also take a minute to refresh ourselves on some common dangers and how to avoid them. The National Safety Council provides some good, basic tips…

It’s still only July, so we still have quite a few hot days ahead of us. That’s good news for those who enjoy fun in the summer, but we should also take a minute to refresh ourselves on some common dangers and how to avoid them. The National Safety Council provides some good, basic tips…

Searching for mortgage rates on Google news continues to be a source of amusement, with every other article saying they’re increasing or decreasing. In fact, as the Dayton Business Journal points out, this is the fourth straight week where rate movements have changed direction. This latest change appears to be connected to a drop in…

This blog has already covered the fact that the U.S. housing market has fully recovered, and is now above previous highs from 8 years ago. Also, it’s been mentioned that conditions are different now, and while predicting the future is dangerous outside of parlour games, it seems unlikely that we’re in a bubble. Yesterday, Matt…

A few months ago, Amazon rolled out Amazon Home Services in a few select markets. It was only a matter of time before they expanded, and now they have. But not only have they expanded where they’re offering the service — they’ve expanded what they’re offering as well. Which services are available where still varies,…

Just found a great article from back in April that will always be appropriate. Trent Hamm pulled together these 19 money saving tips for The Simple Dollar, and with the possible exception of “Install LED or CFL light bulbs”, which may violate your personal aesthetics, they’re all spot-on. Better still, they’re almost all one-time things,…

This blog reported on Friday that the Housing Market Index beat estimates in July, and is near a record high. The U.S. Commerce Department also released data that both housing starts and building permits are substantially up  year-over-year. However, with Millennials finally entering the race, the pressure on supply is strong. We need about 1.5…