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Should You Refinance or Sell Your Home?

Windemere Selling

If your finances have improved since you initially secured your mortgage—for example, your debt-to-income ratio has improved, or you’ve bumped up your credit score—you may be able to lock in a better rate with your lender. Refinancing your home could also put cash in your pocket.

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8 Common Misconceptions That First-Time Home Buyers Have

Realty Biz

A fixed-rate mortgage is stable for 15 to 30 years, but rents may increase on average as much as 5% per year. . Money spent on a mortgage each month is building equity in something you’ll eventually own, and is a foundational means to growing wealth. Student Loan Debt Must Be Paid off.

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Mastering Mortgage Basics: 10 Key Concepts Every Homebuyer Should Know

Redfin

Essentially, a mortgage enables individuals to become homeowners by providing the necessary funds upfront, with the property serving as security for the loan. How does a mortgage work? When you take out a mortgage, the lender provides you with a specific amount of money to buy a home. What are the different types of mortgages?

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What is PMI and Do You Need to Pay it?

Redfin

The good news is that you can discontinue this payment when you have paid off 20% of the loan’s principal amount – the equivalent of that 20% down payment. At that point, you can ask the lender to remove the PMI from your mortgage payments. . These borrowers often carry large student debts, which skew their debt-to-income ratio.

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How Much Should I Spend on a House? 4 Steps to Follow

Redfin

Shopping for a mortgage, you might encounter lenders who pre-qualify you for a higher loan amount than you expected. Many lenders work with standard debt-to-income ratio calculations which don’t take into account other costs of home ownership. The first step is understanding how much you can afford to spend on a mortgage.

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15 Mortgage Questions to Ask Lenders Before Buying a House

HomeLight

Debt-to-income ratio After looking at how much money is flowing into your household, you’ll want to write down your monthly debts. That’s because lenders will also look at your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI. That number will be your debt-to-income ratio.

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51 Brilliant Real Estate Tips for Buyers to Edge Past the Competition

HomeLight

Your mortgage payment is more than just the cost of the principal and interest on your loan. It includes your property taxes and mortgage insurance, too. Mortgage insurance — required for buyers putting down less than 20% on a home — typically adds around 0.5% Adjustable-rate interest. This can spell trouble.