In the battle of the conventional vs VA loan, the VA loan guarantee is a contender. It’s not always the best choice because it has requirements that might hem you in, but in terms of saving you money up front and over the long term, it’s hard to beat it. If you think the VA will be giving you the loan and private lenders won’t be involved, that’s not the case. The VA loan program isn’t an “either/or” decision. It’s more of a “both/and” process.
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2022 Homes for Heroes Affiliate Awards
It is an honor to present the 2022 Homes for Heroes Affiliate Awards to these amazing affiliate members who went above and beyond in 2022! Thanks to the effort of our network of talented affiliate real estate and mortgage specialists, Homes for Heroes assisted nearly 7,500 heroes in buying or selling a home, and gave back nearly $18 million in Hero Rewards savings!
FHA vs VA Loan | Pros and Cons Plus Savings Opportunity
If you’re looking at an FHA vs VA loan and it is something you’re investigating, one of these two things must be true. Either you are, or were, in the military and may be eligible for the VA loan. Otherwise, the VA loan isn’t an option for you. So let’s proceed assuming you are eligible for a VA loan based on your military service, and you are wondering if you should also be looking at the FHA loan.
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VA Loan PMI | Do VA Loans Require Mortgage Insurance?
The VA loan PMI benefit is one of the money-saving advantages of working with the VA loan system on your mortgage. PMI is private mortgage insurance, and new home buyers often need to pay this on a monthly basis. With the VA, you don’t. It might not look like much at first compared to the “no down payment” part of the VA’s benefit, but it can add up to thousands of dollars in savings over the life of your loan.
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VA Loan Down Payment Requirements | Do You Need to Pay One?
The simple answer to “are there VA loan down payment requirements?” is no. But as is often the case in life, the simple answer isn’t always the right one…or the best one. Sometimes you might want to pay the down payment, and sometimes you must make a down payment, when going through the VA loan guarantee program. There are also a couple of reasons where you could make a down payment on your VA mortgage that don’t make any sense. Let’s sort these options out.
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Housing Market Trends March 2023 | Residential Snapshot
This month we take a look at the housing market trends for March 2023 and the numbers that swirl around one of the most important sectors in our economy – real estate. Our market updates have, necessarily, focused a lot on mortgage rates, and this month is no different. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell raised the interest rates on federal funds yet again at the beginning of February, jacking them up another 0.25%. That can have a ripple effect throughout the real estate world by raising the interest rates on mortgages, which doesn’t help anyone – buyers, sellers, real estate agents, or lenders.
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Physician Mortgage Loans | How to Save on Mortgage Loans for Doctors
Getting physician mortgage loans may seem counterintuitive, unless you are a new doctor, surviving residency, saddled with student loans and strapped for time. In that case, you may need help every step of the way. If you are further along in your career, you may be looking to move to a bigger house or a new neighborhood or even refinance your current mortgage. There’s help out there for you, too.
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Homes for Heroes Executive, Abby Waltz, Wins RISMedia’s 2023 Real Estate Industry Crusader Award
For the second year in a row, Homes for Heroes is pleased to announce that our National Director, Abby Waltz picked up her second RISMedia Newsmakers Crusader Award!
When Will Housing be a Buyer’s Market?
As 2023 kicks off, the question many would-be home buyers are asking is will mortgage rates and home prices shift in their favor? So the really important question is when will housing become a buyer’s market? The answer is “now.” if you can be ready to strike while the iron is hot.
Housing Market Trends February 2023 | Residential Snapshot
The housing market trends for February 2023 indicate that this year is going to be a better year for buyers than the previous year. That wouldn’t be hard. During the pandemic we saw skyrocketing home price increases, bidding wars and offers on houses that seemed hard to believe. We need to calm down a bit and get smart about the real estate market. That is, if, and only if, the interest rates cut us some slack.
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