Purchasing a home can be an intense process, and one of the biggest hurdles comes at the end: closing on the home. From title searches to inspections and appraisals, a lot needs to happen before you get the keys. But who pays for closing costs, the buyer or seller? The short answer is it’s negotiable,

Unless you have the resources to buy a home with cash, applying for a mortgage is the usual way most aspiring buyers purchase homes that would otherwise be out of reach.  For most home buyers, taking out a mortgage is a clear path to homeownership. But what may not be so clear is the type

As a consumer in the real estate industry, an awareness of mortgage scams is crucial to protect yourself from falling victim to them.  A mortgage scam is when someone intentionally misrepresents information for their own profit or benefit. There are dozens of different mortgage scams, which can be perpetrated by mortgage lenders, real estate agents,

If you’re in the middle of shopping for a mortgage (or will be soon), you’ll probably come across two companies: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Ring any bells? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are home mortgage companies created by Congress that play an important role in the U.S. mortgage industry.  The two federally backed institutions

For many of us, the American economy has felt like a rollercoaster lately. Interest rate hikes have become the new normal, and you can’t seem to escape inflation in stores or on the news.  If you’re trying to buy a house, you’re probably wondering how interest rates and inflation will affect your home buying aspirations.

If you take out a mortgage on a home, you might be surprised to receive your first bill from a bank you’ve never worked with before. You can thank the secondary mortgage market for that. When you take out a home loan, your lender can sell the loan – and the rights to collect payments