Posts Tagged ‘Home Loan’
WHEN IS MORTGAGE INTEREST TAX DEDUCTIBLE?
Kevin Brierton – 1.12.2024 CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, MORTGAGE INTEREST IS NOT ALWAYS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. HERE’S THE INSIDE SCOOP. DO YOU ITEMIZE YOUR TAX DEDUCTIONS? You cannot take the mortgage interest deduction if you are taking the standard deduction. For 2024 tax returns, the standard deduction is $14,600 for single taxpayers, $21,900 for heads of household,…
Read MoreAvoid These Common Mistakes After Applying for a Mortgage
Kevin Brierton – 1.10.2024 If you’re getting ready to buy a home, it’s exciting to jump a few steps ahead and think about moving in and making it your own. But before you get too far down the emotional path, there are some key things to keep in mind after you apply for your mortgage and before you close. Here’s…
Read MoreWays Your Home Equity Can Help You Reach Your Goals
Kevin Brierton – 1.9.2024 If you’ve owned your house for at least a couple of years, there’s something you’re going to want to know more about – and that’s home equity. If you’re not familiar with that term, Freddie Mac defines it like this: “. . . your home’s equity is the difference between how much your home is worth…
Read More3 Keys To Hitting Your Homeownership Goals in 2024
Kevin Brierton – 1.1.2024 If buying or selling a home is your goal for 2024, it’s important to understand today’s housing market, know your why, and work with industry experts to bring your homeownership vision for the new year into focus. Over the last year, the economy had a big impact on the housing market, and likely on your…
Read MoreGet Ready To Buy a Home by Improving Your Credit Score
Kevin Brierton – 12.26.2023 As the new year approaches, the idea of buying a home might be on your mind. It’s an exciting goal to set, and it’s never too early to start laying the groundwork. One crucial step to prepare for homeownership is building a solid credit score. Lenders review your credit to assess your ability to make…
Read MoreExplaining Adjustable Rate Mortgages
Kevin Brierton – 10.8.2023 When it comes to mortgages, there’s a wide array of options to choose from, and one that often piques the interest of homebuyers is the adjustable-rate mortgage or ARM. But what exactly is an ARM, and how does it differ from the more traditional fixed-rate mortgage? Let’s break it down: What…
Read MoreWhy Today’s Housing Inventory Shows a Crash Isn’t on the Horizon
Kevin Brierton – 9.27.2023 You might remember the housing crash in 2008, even if you didn’t own a home at the time. If you’re worried there’s going to be a repeat of what happened back then, there’s good news – the housing market now is different from 2008. One important reason is there aren’t enough homes for sale.…
Read MoreYour Home Equity Can Offset Affordability Challenges
Kevin Brierton – 9.19.2023 Are you thinking about selling your house? If so, today’s mortgage rates may be making you wonder if that’s the right decision. Some homeowners are reluctant to sell and take on a higher mortgage rate on their next home. If you’re worried about this too, know that even though rates are high right now,…
Read MoreShould Baby Boomers Buy or Rent After Selling Their Houses?
Kevin Brierton – 9.13.2023 Are you a baby boomer who’s lived in your current house for a long time and you’re ready for a change? If you’re thinking about selling your house, you have a lot to consider. Will you move to a different state or stay nearby? Is it time to downsize or do you want more…
Read MoreLook Beyond Rates: The Keys to Picking the Right Mortgage Lender
In an environment where mortgage rates are rising, many homebuyers decide that getting the lowest interest rate is the most important factor when choosing a mortgage lender. And while a competitive rate is important and should be considered when shopping for a home loan, focusing solely on the rate and ignoring other important parts of…
Read MoreMortgage Rates: Past, Present, and Possible Future
Kevin Brierton – 9.6.2023 If you’re hoping to buy a home this year, you’re probably paying close attention to mortgage rates. Since mortgage rates impact what you can afford when you take out a home loan – and affordability is a challenge today – it’s a good time to look at the big picture of where mortgage rates…
Read MoreFour Ways You Can Use Your Home Equity
Kevin Brierton – 8.7.2023 If you’re a homeowner, odds are your equity has grown significantly over the last few years. Equity builds over time as home values grow and as you pay down your home loan. And, since home prices skyrocketed during the ‘unicorn’ years, you’ve likely gained more than you think. According to the latest Equity Insights Report from CoreLogic, the average homeowner…
Read MoreTips for Making Your Best Offer on a Home
Kevin Brierton – 7.26.2023 While the wild ride that was the ‘unicorn’ years of housing is behind us, today’s market is still competitive in many areas because the supply of homes for sale is still low. If you’re looking to buy a home this season, know that the peak frenzy of bidding wars is in the rearview mirror, but you may…
Read MoreWhy Today’s Housing Market Is Not About To Crash
Kevin Brierton – 5.9.2023 There’s been some concern lately that the housing market is headed for a crash. And given some of the affordability challenges in the housing market, along with a lot of recession talk in the media, it’s easy enough to understand why that worry has come up. But the data clearly shows…
Read More3 Graphs Showing Why Today’s Housing Market Isn’t Like 2008
Kevin Brierton – 10.26.2022 With all the headlines and talk in the media about the shift in the housing market, you might be thinking this is a housing bubble. It’s only natural for those thoughts to creep in that make you think it could be a repeat of what took place in 2008. But the good news…
Read MoreThings To Avoid After Applying for a Home Loan
Kevin Brierton – 6.22.2022 Once you’ve applied for a mortgage to buy a home, there are some key things to keep in mind. While it’s exciting to start thinking about moving in and decorating, be careful when it comes to making any big purchases. Here are a few things you may not realize you need to…
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