The Financial Lessons of Hurricane Katrina
Sitting on my couch with my family praying for those hit by the category 4 hurricane named Katrina, I could not help but wonder what the economic impact on the people would be within the next 3 to 6 months. While the death toll rises, looters take to the street, and President Bush abruptly ends ... more...

Can You Afford Your Dream House?
So you want to buy a house eh? And you want to get a mortgage loan to cover the bulk of the cost. Well, this is a common way for people to purchase a new house and if you are going to get approved for a mortgage you will fist have to meet with a lender. This lender will go over all of your finances ... more...

An Introduction to UK Home Insurance
Unlike motor cover, home insurance is not a legal requirement in the UK. It is, however, a vital precaution against unforeseen bills caused by incidents such as natural disasters or break-ins. It is a false economy to avoid home insurance premiums in order to save cash in the short-term because in ... more...

Endowments and Endowment Shortfalls - What You Need To Know
Endowments and endowment mortgages have received a lot of bad press in recent years, amid concerns over falling policy values and accusations of endowment miss-selling.This article attempts to answer some of the questions and concerns you may have about the way endowments work, what's happening to ... more...

100% Mortgage Financing A Way to Avoid Private Mortgage Insurance
Ideally, traditional mortgage lenders want new homebuyers to have a 20% down payment when purchasing a new home. Thus, if purchasing a $200,000 home, you should be prepared to have $40,000 as a down payment.Unfortunately, many people do not have this kind of money lying around. For this ... more...

Escrow Accounts Are You Paying Too Much?
Money in escrow is "dead money". It doesnt earn interest for you and it doesnt reduce your mortgage interest payments. Therefore every cent in your escrow account is costing you money. Make sure there is no more tied up in escrow than there needs to be!Here is a brief summary of what lenders can ... more...

Inside Insurance Protection Priorities
Protecting your homeAlthough you have no legal obligation to insure your home, your mortgage company will want to protect their investment with buildings insurance. However, it is also worth protecting your own investments, so even after youve paid off your mortgage, you should ensure youre ... more...

Federal Housing Administration (FHA)
FHA loan programs:FHA AccessFHA Cal GoldFHA Rural GoldFHA Mutal Mtg. InsuranceFHA 203 (k)FHA 203 bFHA 251FHA Title I programFHA MIP RefundThe Federal housing administration was created by Congress in 1934 as part of the national housing act. The purpose of the act, and of the FHA, was to generate ... more...

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
If your down payment on a home is less than 20 percent of the appraised value or sale price, you must obtain private mortgage insurance, known as PMI, with your lender. This will enable you to obtain a mortgage with a lower down payment because your lender is now protected against any default on ... more...