Consumer Education
Consumers: Watch out for bogus mortgage closing fees….
May 13, 2009 by jberman · Leave a Comment
I received an email from my home office a few days ago. Apparently some originators are charging bogus fees. I can’t believe this type of behavior still needs to be addressed. Greed The days of originators (not including bankers) making 2% or more on a loan are gone. Charging bogus ‘handling’ fees is a short-term [...]
With Mortgage Rates, You Can’t Shop For Good Luck
May 12, 2009 by jberman · Leave a Comment
After a series of increases starting April 30, mortgage rates finally took a dip Monday. It was a welcome surprise for home buyers that went under contract over the weekend. Same for homeowners looking to pull the refinance trigger. Versus mortgage rates on Friday afternoon, many lenders were already showing lower rates Monday morning before a [...]
The Minimum Preparatory Steps When Co-Purchasing A Home With A Friend Or Family Member
May 6, 2009 by jberman · Leave a Comment
Both mortgage guidelines and the economy have tightened since 2006, bringing more attention to “joint homeowners” — non-spousal partners that buy and share a home as roommates. The practice is not new, but, anecdotally, co-purchasing is becoming more common. In the video above – filmed two years ago but still on-target today – real estate expert Barbara Corcoran [...]
10 Oddball Tax Deductions That The IRS Actually Allows
April 15, 2009 by jberman · Leave a Comment
It’s Tax Day today and who among us doesn’t love a legitimate tax deduction? The IRS expects to process 138 million tax returns this year and accompanying those returns will be a melange of tax deduction requests. Most will be run-of-the-mill including such staples as mortgage interest, vehicle mileage, and child care deductions. Others, however, [...]
A Few Reasons Why Now May Be The Least Expensive And Easiest Time To “Go FHA”
April 14, 2009 by jberman · Leave a Comment
Shopping for low mortgage rates is a game of luck. Some days, mortgage rates are favorable. Other days, they’re not. And while you can sometimes make an educated guess about where rates might be headed, you’re not always going to guess right. Even the experts get it wrong more often than they’d like. But some [...]
