If you are looking to buy a home this year, you are probably wondering how much you would need to put down. For those who are unable to put a 20% down, there are mortgage programs that only require a 3% to 5% down payment. But what if one has…continue reading

Real estate is a discipline with its lingo, just like any other. But, for a layman, it is difficult to understand all the jargon. So when a Realtor says “Congratulations you have been ratified”, you may wonder what it means and politely answer, “Great, thanks so much!” In this article,…continue reading

IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig told the Senate Finance Committee in June, that the IRS has processed more than 137 million individual income tax returns and issued more than 101.2 million refunds totaling $281.4 billion. Roughly 70% of taxpayers received money back in 2021 with an average refund of $2,800. If…continue reading

In an ideal scenario, the sale of your current home and purchase of a new one would occur simultaneously and both sets of documentation would be completed on the same day. However, this is an unusual occurrence. Most people must either buy first and sell second, risking having to pay…continue reading

You made an offer on your dream home and the seller has accepted. Congratulations! You are moving forward towards closing. However, one most important step before you close on the deal is getting an appraisal on the property. It tells you and the lender how much the property is worth…continue reading

When you apply for a mortgage you will probably receive titbits of advice about how you can improve your chances of getting approved such as getting a pre-approval or building up your credit history. However, the two other most important factors that can affect your eligibility are your employment and…continue reading

The sheer complexity of buying your first home from the mortgage lending process to tax ramifications can lead to potential stress. But there is a silver lining. Not many people are aware that if their income falls below certain guidelines they may be eligible for a mortgage credit certificate (MCC).…continue reading

Often when retirement is right around the corner, people decide to move to a new place. There are numerous motivations to relocate after retirement, including the desire to live closer to family or to simply explore and experience a section of the country one has always wanted to live in.…continue reading

Property taxes are one of the continuous costs of owning a home. They are generally real estate taxes that your local government calculates depending on the assessed value of your home and the municipality or county's property tax rate. However, these taxes come with the caveat that they will fluctuate…continue reading

Selling your home can be a challenging and stressful experience, especially if you have never handled it before. It doesn't have to be that way, though! While each individual’s selling experience presents its own set of problems, there are some typical blunders you can avoid to make the process smoother…continue reading