In 2019 many people expected that the home lending market was going to eventually grow more expensive. Instead, 2020 spent its entire 12 months becoming more affordable when it came to financing a personal home, moving in the opposite direction of what was expected. Not only did the loan cost drop break previous records, but it also presented an additional opportunity for homeowners to reposition and take advantage of lower borrowing costs again.
The General Advantages of a Home Loan Refinance
The refinancing of a mortgage has traditionally been three-fold. First, it is a chance to renegotiate the loan on a home purchase for a lower interest rate, which means more of the borrower’s payment goes to the loan and less to an interest charge. Second, it gives people an option to change the interest rate charged to a shorter payment period, which can also save considerable money. A borrower will pay dozens of thousands less on a 15-year loan versus a 30-year mortgage. Finally, refina. ...

Twenty years ago the economy was putting the dot-com bubble behind it, and people were buying homes. The high majority of folks worked for someone else; they received a paycheck, were given a W-2 from their employer, and filed their income tax returns accordingly.
This also provided easy documentation to loan officers when folks wanted to borrow a mortgage to buy a home. As of 2019 36 percent of workers in 2020 were identified as bona fide gig workers per the federal government, or a bit more than 1 out of every 3 workers. That change translates to mortgage application processes today.
However, house loan processes have been particularly strict since 2009, especially due to how flexible and liberal loan reviews were at the time during the 2000s real estate bubble that ended that year and almost took down the major banking system in the collapse. For gig workers who essentially function as their own small businesses or as independent contractors, there is no consolidated income report. ...

Upgrading your rental doesn’t need to cut deeply into your profits. You can add curb appeal and help prospective tenants see your rental as their next home by making some simple changes. The following upgrades are all things that a handy landlord can do without needing to hire professional contractors.
1.  Decorative Switch Plates
Replace ugly cream switch plates with either stainless steel models or decorative designs. Fancy switch plates for light switches and electrical sockets cost very little, yet make any room look nicer. The best part is, you can do the replacements yourself, using only a screwdriver.
2.  Flower Beds
Beautiful flower beds make any rental look more inviting. You can enhance curb appeal by planting inexpensive perennials around the front of the rental and along the pathway leading up to the door. Top off your newly planted flower beds with a fresh layer of colored mulch.
3. Kitchen Cabinet Refacing
Kitchen cabinets are pricey, but it’s . ...

Applying for a home loan might not be the most exciting part of purchasing a home; however, many homeowners need to go through a lender to purchase a home. It is exciting to hear that the approval letter has gone through; however, it is also possible for someone to see that they have been approved with conditions. What does this mean?
What are some of the most common reasons why someone might have conditions?
It Could Just Be Standard Procedure
Sometimes, people see that they have conditions to meet as a simple part of the approval process. For example, someone might be missing standard paperwork. It is the job of the underwriter to make sure that the lender is not taking on too much risk. Usually, this simply means that the loan requires some additional paperwork to be made final. Applicants need to gather this paperwork as fast as possible so the loan continues through the process. If there is a seller waiting, it is critical to jump on this immediately to prevent the offer from f. ...

When selling a home, it is rare for folks to see in bold big letters, “new carpet just installed”. However, on a practical level, replacing the carpet in a home just before selling can go a long way to helping the deal close.
A Brutally-Beaten Leftover
In just about every used home, the carpet has taken a beating. Even if the home has only been owned for a few years, carpets have taken a tremendous amount of traffic, walked-in dirt, funky smells, and dust that build up over time. That not only changes the color of the existing carpet, it also impacts the air in the house as smells are permanently trapped in that same carpet. And, if the existing homeowner had or has pets, the issues can be ten times as strong.
A Sure Formula
By replacing the existing carpet with a new one that is a neutral color and just installed, it adds perceived value to the home and comes a lot closer to competing with new homes in the area. Everybody buying a home wants to have a sense of new. ...