Is the Era of 20 Percent Down Payments Over?
Purchasing a home in Texas is not an impulse buy. From appraisals and inspections to closing costs and down payments, it can take years to save the upfront cash required. However, thanks to low-down-payment loans now on the market, homeowners can have keys in hand to that home for sale with significantly less cash out […]
Why You Need a Home Inspection
When you buy a house in Texas, you’re not just buying that beautiful master suite or spectacular fireplace, you’re also buying any problems lurking in the walls, the foundation, the crawl space or the attic. The home inspection is your chance to avoid those problems, or at least, use the results to negotiate with the seller. A certified home inspector is […]
Build a Disaster Kit
No one wants them to happen, but disasters can occur anywhere at any time. To endure an already stressful situation a little more easily, you should prepare an emergency kit — no matter whether you need to evacuate or shelter in place. Make sure your emergency kit is stocked with the items on the checklist […]
Create Your Evacuation Plan
A wide variety of emergencies may cause an evacuation. In some instances, you may have a day or two to prepare, while other situations might call for an immediate evacuation. Planning ahead is vital to ensuring that you can evacuate quickly and safely. Before an Evacuation Learn the types of disasters that are likely in […]
FHA to Cut Insurance Premiums
From Reuters “The Federal Housing Administration will reduce annual mortgage insurance premiums by 0.5 percentage point to 0.85 percent from 1.35 percent, the White House said on Wednesday.
Mortgage Rates Hit Historic Low
The national average on a 30 year fixed mortgage is 3.66%, setting a US historic record for mortgage rates. New rates continue to spur the housing market and provide prospective buyers with even more incentive to brave a modestly recovering housing market. Russell Stout of Austin’s Guild Mortgage said Thursday that the average on the […]
Low rates make 15 year mortgages attractive
Historically low mortgage rates are allowing homeowners to pay down their mortgages at a faster rate — even if it means a substantial jump in their monthly payments. Texas home owners are doing the math and realizing that rates have fallen enough so the increase in payment between a new 15-year mortgage and their current […]
Mortgage rates at lowest in 50 years
National average for a 30-year fixed loan dips to 4.58%. Mortgage rates have sunk to the lowest level in more than five decades- Mortgage company Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate for 30-year fixed loans sank to 4.58 percent this week. That’s down from the previous record of 4.69 percent set last week and […]
No Better Time to Buy or Refinance than Right Now!
Mortgage rates are at historic lows -there is no better time to buy a home or refinance than right now! As of Thursday May 27th 2010, mortgage rates have hit historic lows and fallen to the lowest level of the year. Current European turmoil has caused investors to pour money into the safe haven of […]
Is it a Good Idea to Purchase a New Home in this Economy?
Historically, owning a home has always been a good, sound investment and even though our economy is going through some rough times and home values have fluctuated the past year or two, owning a home continues to be a smart investment. A few reasons to support home purchasing as a good investment is due to […]
