As you start shopping for a home loan, your first questions of each lender will probably be:
“What’s your interest rate? How much are you charging?”
Interest rates are usually expressed as an annual percentage of the amount borrowed. If you borrowed $120,000 at 10% interest, you’d owe interest of $12,000 for the first year. With most […]

On the day you actually buy your new home, in addition to your down payment and the prepaid property tax and homeowners insurance premiums, you’ll need cash for various fees associated with the purchase. These expenses are known as closing costs and are paid by both buyers and sellers.
Some closing costs you pay up-front when […]

The amount of loan for which you qualify is based on two different calculations. Using what are known as qualification ratios, lenders evaluate your income and long-term debts to determine a “safe” amount for your mortgage payments. A fairly standard ratio is 28/33. Certain mortgage plans sometimes use more liberal ratios - for example, the […]

Easing the Transition to Your New Home
Use the right boxes, and pack them carefully
Professional moving companies use only sturdy, reinforced cartons. The boxes you can get at your neighborhood supermarket or liquor store might be free, but they are not nearly as strong or padded, and so can’t shield your valuables as well from harm […]

Choosing a Neighborhood
With so many homes on the market you’ll never get anywhere unless you narrow your choices. You can begin this process by first identifying one or a few neighborhoods that are right for you by: