When a homeowner sells their home to a family member at a price well below the market value, it is sometimes considered a gift of equity.
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Maybe you’ve been scouring the web for home listings in your area, but how long does it actually take to buy a house once you’ve decided you’re ready? It’s an excellent question -- especially because the length of the home buying process can vary significantly. It all depends on the area you want to buy a home in, your eligibility, and several other variables.
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The actual definition of escrow, in law, is a bond, deed, or document held by a third party -- and this bond, deed, or document will take effect only when specific conditions have been met. During a home sale, escrow is the organization or use of a third party who ensures the buyer and seller meet specified requirements of the sale.
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The Prime Rate is often confused with the Federal Funds Rate, a rate at which banks lend money to one another and is determined by the Federal Reserve. This is what you hear about on the news when the Fed meets. It’s not the same as the Prime Rate, though the Prime Rate often follows the Federal Funds Rate.
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There are two main sources of mortgage loans for the general public: banks and brokers. A bank loans its own money to a borrower, even if they end up selling that loan later. Brokers, on the other hand, help connect buyers with investors and banks by acting as an intermediary. A broker, then, is a person who brokers your mortgage loan.
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Having less than perfect credit is not only inconvenient, it can become a huge roadblock to large purchases like a home. Since the damage from a few mistakes or an unfortunate accident can affect you for years, many people choose to try to find a lender that will work with their credit, rather than wait until they can buy more house with the same money using a more traditional mortgage loan.
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Shopping for a house is only slightly less stressful than shopping for a loan to pay for said house. Even if you don’t realize it right now, you’re in a world full of choices, from local credit unions to big mortgage brokers. You can find a mortgage lender almost anywhere, you just have to start asking!
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Everyone’s heard tales of how difficult it is to qualify for one of the most coveted products in the mortgage world: the conventional loan. Although there’s nothing particularly exciting about these mortgages, they do offer lower mortgage insurance rates and fewer fees at closing than other types of home loans.
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Closing costs are the fees charged for services provided by your lender to assist in closing on a property. The fees are typically required to be paid upfront at closing; however, depending on your specific loan to value ratio, and the equity in your home or loan type, you may be able to roll the closing costs into the mortgage loan.
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Closing costs are the charges paid to purchase and settle on a property and are unrelated to reducing the principal loan amount. Usually, the amount paid for closing is between two and five percent of the price of the home, and typically the fees are listed on an estimate provided by the lender in response to your submitted application for the home loan.
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Closing is primarily for the buyer and seller to review and sign the documents that transfer the ownership of the home, and to record the way the buyer would like to take title of the home. The buyer will sign off on a promissory note confirming the agreed-upon amount owed for mortgage and other legal documents.
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The specific items required to bring to your home closing are typically disclosed by the title company or the loan officer. In general you are asked to bring the following:
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Your offer was accepted and you’ve now entered the closing period (dun dun dun!). The window of time it takes to close on a home may depend on many variables – I know, as if the process could actually get any easier. Generally speaking, the time frame for closing on a home should be noted on your sale contract to give you an idea and will typically take 30-45 days on a home that is financed.
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Amortization refers to a type of payment schedule that some home loans utilize. The payment schedule is made up of equal payment amounts that are stretched over a designated amount of time (the loan term). For the purpose of an amortization schedule, each payment is divided into two portions. There is a portion that is made up of interest (the cost of the loan), and a portion that is made up of principal (the value of the borrowed sum).
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When most homeowners get a mortgage, they start paying both the interest and the principal immediately -- but they don’t always have to. One kind of home loan, called an interest-only mortgage, allows the buyer to put off paying any of the principal for a number of years while they save money and strengthen their financial position. But, just because you don’t have to pay principal doesn’t mean you can’t; many homebuyers just like to have an option that frees up more cash for their budget.
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Getting a home, and the mortgage that comes with it could be the most important financial transaction you ever make. But how do you go about getting a home loan?
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Before making a decision on the house to buy you have to take a practical and introspective look at your financial standing, your budget, and your aspirations. Before the work of looking for a loan and the house to buy begins, it is important that you have an understanding of your needs and means.
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Yes, it is possible to buy a home with no money down or down payment. There are a variety of loans in the market that cater to home buyers with different needs. To qualify for a no money down home loan you will need to have a good credit score and credit record
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A conventional loan is a loan that is not insured or guaranteed by the government. A conventional loan may be a fixed rate mortgage, variable rate mortgage or a hybrid ARM. Conventional loans are either conforming or non-conforming loans.
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