Using Retirement Funds to Buy a House: What You Need to Know
Using retirement funds to buy a house will likely lead to penalties and a larger tax bill. It can also reduce your account's future earning potential.
May 16, 2025 10 min read
USDA Loan After Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, or Short Sale: What You Need to Know
USDA guidelines set waiting periods for obtaining a mortgage following adverse credit events such as bankruptcy, foreclosure, and short sales. However, compensating factors and proof of extenuating circumstances may help you qualify sooner.
May 13, 2025 13 min read
What’s Better: A Rate Buydown or Price Reduction?
Requesting seller concessions to pay for a rate buydown can lead to greater monthly and lifetime savings than requesting a lower purchase price.
April 24, 2025 8 min read
How Much Do You Save With a 1% Lower Interest Rate?
Lowering your interest rate from 7% to 6% will reduce your principal and interest payments by 9.88%, saving the typical US homebuyer around $250 per month.
April 17, 2025 16 min read
Low Appraisal? Request a Reconsideration of Value (ROV)
Can a Reconsideration of Value (ROV) help increase your home's value for a mortgage?
March 26, 2025 8 min read
What Income Do You Need for a $300k Home?
We dug into the numbers to find out what someone needs to make to potentially qualify to buy a $300,000 home.
March 17, 2025 16 min read
USDA Loan Pre-Approval: Everything You Need to Know
USDA loan pre-approval provides an accurate idea of the loan size you may qualify for and gives you a competitive advantage when making offers on homes.
March 10, 2025 12 min read
Limits for USDA Loan Seller Concessions and How to Use Them
Seller concessions can be used to cover your out-of-pocket closing costs, with the USDA setting the maximum contribution limit at 6% of the home’s purchase price.
March 7, 2025 10 min read