Home Buying Articles
18 Interview Questions to Ask a REALTOR ® (Real Estate Agent)
Selecting the right Real Estate Agent for you can be difficult. Below is a list of 18 interview questions to ask a REALTOR ®. Utilizing some or all of these questions during the interview will help you determine which Real Estate Agent is a good fit for you. 18 Interview Questions to Ask a REALTOR® […]
Shop Home Mortgage Lenders-Home Loan Toolkit
24 Steps to Obtain the Lowest Rate BEFORE Applying for a Home Loan – The Ultimate Insider Guide (Complete with Resources!): How-To Shop Home Mortgage Lenders Save Tens of Thousands on Your Home Mortgage (Plus Bonus Home Loan Toolkit Download!) BEFORE you apply for a home loan and shop home mortgage lenders, review the guide below […]
Private Mortgage Insurance – Your Flexible Partner
Private Mortgage Insurance It’s easy to think of Mortgage Insurance as an unnecessary evil since it only protects the lender. Decide for yourself: Quick Facts Private Mortgage Insurance is required when you have a Conventional loan with less than 20% down payment. Abbreviations are often used in the industry: MI for Mortgage Insurance PMI for Private […]
FHA Loan Limits MN 2021 – Updated!
FHA Loan Limits MN FHA loan limits are one of the FHA Loan Requirements : Related: Low Down Payment Mortgage Options – Conventional vs. FHA 2021 showed an increase in the Twin Cities Metro area for Single Family Homes, Duplexes, Triplexes, and Fourplexes – Median Home Sales Prices have increased in 2021 for Minneapolis and […]
6 Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector during Home Inspection
6 Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector During Your Home Inspection by Guest Author – Kris Lindahl Getting a home inspection is very important. It can protect you from purchasing a home that has a lot of problems, or that costs more than it should, based on its issues. Sometimes home inspectors miss things, but […]
Home Appraisal vs Home Inspection – What’s the Difference?
Home Appraisal vs Home Inspection What is the difference between a home appraisal vs home inspection? Are either required? This Real Estate Video features Dave Widell, REALTOR ®, with ReMax Advantage Plus. His office is located in Blaine, MN. Dave believes that your agent should be working for you, not their own bottom line. He can be […]
Is FHA lowering Mortgage Insurance? (Update)
FHA lowering Mortgage Insurance – Not Anymore… UPDATE! HUD previously announced on January 9th, they would lower FHA Mortgage Insurance. Information below for reference. Shortly after the new President was sworn in on January 20th, the Trump administration halted the MI reduction. Mortgage Insurance will retain their previous premiums per the January 20th, Mortgagee Letter. FHA […]
Conventional, FHA, VA or USDA?
It can be difficult to navigate the myriad of home loan options available today. Especially when different Mortgage Companies offer different mortgage programs. We just added a ‘How Much House Can I Afford Worksheet’ to our guide to help home buyers explore their home financing options. They can compare their personal budget versus Conventional, FHA, VA […]
Buying a House-Home Buying Checklist
Home Buying Checklist Trulia compiled a simple, stress-free, free printable to help prepare for buying a house! Download the Home Buying Checklist The checklist suggests to: Gather Financials Research Mortgages Explore Neighborhoods Make a Home Shopping List Find an agent Start House Hunting Read the entire post.
What is Debt to Income Ratio? (DTI) – How much House can I afford Series
How Much House Can I Afford? – Home Affordability Series What is Debt to Income Ratio? (DTI) The Summary: Debt to Income Ratio is your monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income (expressed as a %). In the case of a home purchase, you would also include your new proposed monthly housing payment […]
FHA Loan Limits MN 2016 – Updated!
FHA Loan Limits MN FHA loan limits are one of the FHA Loan Requirements. Related: Low Down Payment Mortgage Options – Conventional vs. FHA 2016 showed an increase in the Twin Cities Metro area for Single Family Homes, Duplexes, Triplexes, and Fourplexes. Median Home Sales Prices have increased in 2016 for Minneapolis and Saint Paul […]
Mortgage Rates Forecast – Increasing?
Breaking Mortgage News: Mortgage Rates Forecast – Increasing? Are Mortgage Rates Going Up? Mortgage Rates Forecast: The Federal Reserve has officially laid out plans to increase mortgage rates. If you’ve been on the fence about refinancing or buying a house, you may want to get off the fence before mortgage rates increase as soon as […]
Buying a House?
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"When I bought my first home, Shel helped me finance it. I had lots of questions that she was quick to respond to. Since her company is a broker, she shopped around with different lenders for the best rate and found me the best program for my situation. When rates dropped, I refinanced with her and even though my credit was not perfect at the time, I still got a great rate."