RESPA: The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act
The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) is a consumer protection statute, first passed in 1974. One of its purposes is to help consumers become better shoppers for settlement services. Another purpose is to eliminate kickbacks and referral fees that increase unnecessarily the costs of ... more...

Purchase Your First Home with Confidence
If you are making the transition from renter to homeowner, you're not alone. In 2004, 40 percent of homebuyers were purchasing for the first time, according to "The 2004 National Association of REALTORS Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers."With interest rates at all-time lows and a booming real ... more...

Bad Credit? No Credit? No Money? No Problem!
Have you ever walked into a bank or mortgage brokers office to apply for a mortgage loan and was told, Your credit doesnt meet our guidelines? Or even better, you dont have enough money for the down payment. How about, You dont have a long enough credit history for us to tell if you are a viable ... more...

Mortgage Loan Closing Costs for Refinance Loans and Home Purchase
If you are going to obtain a mortgage loan, for whatever purpose (home purchase or refinance) you are going to pay closing costs...period. Let me clarify regarding a purchase of a home...the seller may pay some or even all the closing costs in a transaction, but it essentially works out to just ... more...

Mortgage Loans 101: How to Prepare for Closing Costs
Most home buyers understand the basics of home mortgage loans. They know what a mortgage loan is, how interest works, and other fundamentals of the home loan process.But when it comes to the closing costs associated with buying a home, many of these same home buyers get caught off guard by both ... more...

No Money Down Loans
You want to buy a home but you do not have money for a down payment or for closing costs? Well, just forget it. At least that is what you have probably been told by people who think they know what they are talking about, but simply do not.There are many loan packages available for people with no ... more...

Mortgage Loan Closing Costs
Closing costs for home refinancing or purchases are often misunderstood and frustrating for the buyer and seller (who is probably very soon going to be a buyer). Closing costs are assessed once a purchase agreement is finalized with the seller and/or their agent. The various costs will vary by ... more...

What to Really Expect for Closing Costs
Closing on a property is a very challenging time for a would-be homeowner. Being informed, either through your mortgage broker, your real estate agent, or through self knowledge is the best thing you can be when going through this procedure.A good real estate agent can help you tremendously. They ... more...

Pay No Closing Costs for Refinancing - The Advantages of a No Closing Cost Loan
If you hear the term "Absolutely No Closing Cost," you would assume that there are no closing costs (lender, escrow and title) involved in the loan. But actually this is really just a creative way of marketing or selling this type of loan. Is there really a absolutely no closing cost loan?No, there ... more...