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Should You Consider Refinancing Your Mortgage? Here’s How to Think About It

HomeLight

A refinance is just another way of saying that you’re trading in your current mortgage loan for a new one. That said, if you want to refinance for a 15-year mortgage instead of a 30-year mortgage, or a custom length of time, many mortgage lenders can and will be flexible with your terms. Source: (Mark Finn / Unsplash).

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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. This may be true if you’re planning to rent for a short period of time.

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Is Now a Good Time to Buy a House with Cash in 2025?

Marco Santarelli

It's clean, simple, and almost guaranteed to close (barring inspection issues). Skip the Mortgage Hassle (and Cost): No loan applications, no mountains of paperwork, no qualifying, and no monthly principal and interest payments stretching out for decades. Make your offer contingent on a satisfactory inspection.

Finance 52
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17 Steps to Buying a House: Everything Buyers Need to Do

HomeLight

But you have more questions: “When does the inspection happen? In most cases, you can pay ahead on your mortgage by submitting additional principal payments. The interest rate for fixed-rate mortgages does not change over the life of the loan. What’s the deal with earnest money ?

Title 105
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15 Mortgage Questions to Ask Lenders Before Buying a House

HomeLight

Mortgage payments (this includes homeowner’s insurance, taxes, loan interest, and loan principal) cannot exceed 29% of the household’s monthly income, and their total debt (car payments, credit card debt, student loans, medical debt, and so on) cannot exceed 41% of the household’s monthly income. why closing could be delayed.

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

HomeLight

You can usually shop around for the home inspection , title and settlement services, and home insurance. 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. Before you shop for a mortgage, understand the major loan types.

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Should You Refinance or Sell Your Home?

Windemere Selling

“Cash-out refinancing” allows you to accept a mortgage for more than your principal balance and use the extra money at your discretion. Paying for repairs, home inspections, staging expenses, agent commissions, not to mention buying or renting your next home. This can add up, so it’s important to budget properly.