It certainly doesn’t hurt to browse, but if you’re serious about buying a home, it’s best to pre-qualified before you start house hunting. Being pre-qualified tells the realtors involved that you’re able to buy a home (which means you won’t…

The first step is to meet with your mortgage broker. During this meeting, you can ask questions about the financial aspects of your real estate transaction, and the broker will make you aware of the variety of programs they offer…

The process can be overwhelming, but your loan officer will be able to answer your questions and find the best program to fit your needs. They’ll help you choose the lifespan of your loan, understand the relationship between rates and…

If you want to take advantage of low-interest rates, you’ll need to go through the refinancing process (for more information, see here). This might make sense if the rate significantly decreases, but keep in mind that you’ll still need to…

Rates are constantly changing weekly, daily and even hourly. The main factors for this flux are the state of the economy, inflation and the Federal Reserve Board. While these things are out of your hands, you can control your credit…

Yes, it is fine to put less than 20% down. In most cases, the cost of PMI is the lowest it has been in years, making a lower down payment a more financially attractive option.