If you are self-employed and in search of a mortgage, you may believe that your options are restricted because of your self-employment status. You may have heard that you cannot qualify for FHA loans or other government-insured mortgages such as VA or USDA. You might even have heard that you cannot get a conventional or […]
Should You Refinance? There’s More to Consider Than Interest Rates
If you’ve been watching mortgage rates fluctuate, you may have been feeling pressure to refinance your mortgage before rates climb. Wait! Take a calming breath. Refinancing your mortgage should not be a knee-jerk decision based on one factor. There are other things besides interest rates to consider when thinking about refinancing your current mortgage. What […]
Important Things You Need to Know About Qualifying for a Mortgage
Buying a home can be an exciting time. And, a stressful one. Not only is purchasing your home one of the largest investments you are likely to make during your life but getting approved for a home loan in Walnut Creek can feel like a long, exhausting process. Why is applying for a mortgage more […]
A Mortgage Primer for Buying Your First Home
Your first home is an important milestone. These things don’t come with instruction booklets, however. When you are a first-time home buyer, you can feel a combination of overwhelm and confusion, especially when it comes to getting approved for a mortgage in Walnut Creek. What is a Mortgage and Why is it Necessary? Very few […]
Loan Programs for First-time California Home Buyers
Buying your first home can be a challenging, costly experience, especially in California. Fortunately, the CalHFA or California Housing Finance Agency offers several first-time home buyer loan programs for those individuals who are eligible. CalHFA Advantages and Eligibility Requirements In order to be eligible for a CalHFA loan, the state of California requires that you […]
What Factors typically drive the Housing Market?
In the US, commercial and residential real estate account for a significant portion of a person’s wealth. In fact, the Federal Reserve’s recent Consumer Finances survey revealed that over 65% of all Americans own their primary residence. The following four factors are responsible for driving the housing market: Demographics – the data that describes the […]
Two Instant Credit Score Boosts You May Not Know About
Whether your credit score is high, low, or somewhere in between, it is smart to raise it as high as you can before you submit your application for a home loan in California. Many consumers are not aware of a couple of programs which can result in a rapid and substantial score improvement: Experian Boost […]
Predictions for the 2020 California Real Estate Market
According to C.A.R. (the California Association of Realtors), the real estate market has been steadily improving despite its sluggish start at the beginning of 2019. When you take this into consideration along with downward trending interest rates, the remainder of the year is looking pretty positive. However, the predictions for the 2020 real estate market […]
Another Tip to Lowering Interest Rates: Improve Your DTI Ratio
In a recent blog, we talked about how you can improve your credit score to access lower mortgage rates. But is there anything else you can do to enhance your risk profile as borrower? Actually, yes. You can simultaneously work on improving your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. What is Your DTI Ratio? Your debt-to-income ratio is […]
Today’s Refinance Loan Options
Today’s refinance loan options are more flexible than ever for those who need to refinance a home in the Bay Area. In an article we posted in 2018, we discussed a forecast by the Mortgage Bankers Association predicting refinances would decline in 2019. But no one could have predicted the current state of lower interest […]