Mortgage

We’ll Be Interviewing Rae Kaplan on Student Loans


In 2022, we’ll be bringing on Rae Kaplan to talk about student loans.


Can you believe we’re almost in 2022? The new year is just a few days away! We’re excited about 2022, and that’s why we wanted to talk a bit about what you can expect from us this coming year.

We’re going to be interviewing a couple of people we think you should know about, like Rae Kaplan from Kaplan Law Offices. If you have student loans or will be getting them in the next few years, you need to know about Rae. She can tell you how to protect yourself in the loan process, and she’ll talk about that a bit when we talk to her.

If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to call, email, or text us. Have a great New Year’s, and I’ll see you in 2022!

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Getting a Credit Report From All 3 Nationwide Agencies


Here’s how you can get a free credit report from three national agencies. 

Today I want to talk to you about a pretty important topic: your annual free credit report. 

With the amount of fraud and database breaches, this is something you need to take seriously. In case you didn’t know, you receive one free credit report from each of the three nationwide reporting agencies. It’s better to know you have an issue sooner rather than later, so I recommend you act fast. 

If you go to annualcreditreport.com and put in your information, you can receive all three credit reports. This is important for a couple of reasons: You can verify your information hasn’t been compromised, and you can be sure your score is accurate. 

If you are looking to purchase a home this year, my team can help you increase your score. Just give us a call or send us an email; we are always willing to help!

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What You Need to Know About the Mortgage Process [INFOGRAPHIC]

What You Need to Know About the Mortgage Process [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM
Some Highlights:

  • Many buyers are purchasing homes with down payments as little as 3%.
  • You may already qualify for a loan, even if you don’t have perfect credit.
  • Your local professionals are here to help you determine how much you can afford, so take advantage of the opportunity to learn more.
...

What FICO® Score Do You Need to Qualify for a Mortgage?

What FICO® Score Do You Need to Qualify for a Mortgage? | MyKCM
While a recent announcement from CNBC shares that the average national FICO® score has reached an all-time high of 706, the good news for potential buyers is that you don’t need a score that high to qualify for a mortgage. Let’s unpack the credit score myth so you can to become a homeowner sooner than you may think.

With today’s low interest rates, many believe now is a great time to buy – and rightfully so! Fannie Mae recently noted that 58% of Americans surveyed say it is a good time to buy. Similarly, the Q3 2019 HOME...

Tips to Pay Off a Home Loan Quicker


Would you like to pay off your mortgage early?

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How would you like to pay off your mortgage faster? Doesn’t freeing yourself from the monthly payments sound like a dream come true? Of course it does. Today I’ll share a few quick tips to help you reduce the life of your loan.

Right now, most pay their mortgage once a month. But what if, instead, you made a payment every two weeks? If your monthly payment is $2,000, that amounts to $24,000 a year. Now, if you pay it off every two weeks, you’ll end up paying $26,000 a year. The extra payments will go toward your principal.

Another option you have is putting more money towards the principal every month. Just add a little extra money each month, whatever you can spare, be it $100, $200, $300, or $400.


You’ll be able to pay off the loan...

Things to Avoid After Applying for a Mortgage

Things to Avoid After Applying for a Mortgage | MyKCM
Congratulations! You’ve found a home to buy and have applied for a mortgage! You're undoubtedly excited about the opportunity to decorate your new home, but before you make any large purchases, move your money around, or make any big-time life changes, consult your loan officer – someone who will be able to tell you how your decisions will impact your home loan.

Below is a list of Things You Shouldn’t Do After Applying for a Mortgage. Some may seem obvious, but some may not.

1. Don’t Change Jobs or the Way You Are Paid at Your Job. Your loan officer must be able to track the source and amount of your annual income. If possible, you’ll want to avoid changing from salary to commission or becoming self-employed during this time as well.

2. Don’t Deposit Cash into Your Bank Accounts. Lenders need to source your money, and cash is not really traceable. Before you deposit any amount of cash into your accounts, discuss the proper way to document your transactions with your loan officer.

3. Don’t Make Any Large Purchases Like a New Car or Furniture for Your New Home. New debt comes with it, including new monthly obligations. New obligations create new qualifications. People with...

Is Mortgage Debt out of Control?

Is Mortgage Debt out of Control? | MyKCM
The housing crisis of the last decade was partially caused by unhealthy levels of mortgage debt. Homeowners were using their homes as ATMs by refinancing and swapping their equity for cash.

When prices started to fall, many homeowners found themselves in a negative equity situation (where their mortgage was higher than the value of their home). As a result, they walked away. This caused prices to fall even further.

Headlines are again talking about record levels of mortgage debt, making the comparison to the challenges that preceded the housing crash. However, cumulative debt is not an important data point. If we look at the debt as a percentage of disposable personal income, we are at an all-time low.

Here’s a visual representation of mortgage debt as a percent of income:Is Mortgage Debt out of Control? | MyKCMFurthermore, according to a ...

What You Need to Know About Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

What You Need to Know About Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) | MyKCM

Whether it is your first time or your fifth, it is always important to know all the facts when it comes to buying a home. With the large number of mortgage programs available that allow buyers to purchase homes with down payments below 20%, you can never have too much information about Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).

What is PMI?

Freddie Mac defines PMI as:

“An insurance policy that protects the lender if you are unable to pay your mortgage. It's a monthly fee, rolled into your mortgage payment, that is required for all conforming, conventional loans that have down payments less than 20%.

Once you've built equity of 20% in your home, you can cancel your PMI and remove that expense from your mortgage payment.”

As the borrower, you pay the monthly premiums for the insurance policy, and the lender is the beneficiary. Freddie Mac goes on to explain that:

“The cost of PMI varies based on your loan-to-value ratio – the amount you owe on your mortgage compared to its value – and credit score, but...

Why Is So Much Paperwork Required to Get a Mortgage?

Why Is So Much Paperwork Required to Get a Mortgage? | MyKCM

When buying a home today, why is there so much paperwork mandated by the lenders for a mortgage loan application? It seems like they need to know everything about you. Furthermore, it requires three separate sources to validate each and every entry on the application form. Many buyers are being told by friends and family that the process was a hundred times easier when they bought their home ten to twenty years ago.

There are two very good reasons that the loan process is much more onerous on today’s buyer than perhaps any other time in history.

1. The government has set new guidelines that now demand that the bank proves beyond any doubt that you are indeed capable of paying the mortgage.

During the run-up to the housing crisis, many people ‘qualified’ for mortgages that they could never pay back. This led to millions of families losing their home. The government wants to make sure this can’t happen again.

2. The banks don’t want to be in the real estate business.

Over the last several years, banks were forced to take on the responsibility of liquidating millions of foreclosures and negotiating an additional million plus short sales. Just like the government, they...

Do 46 Million Millennials Know They Are Mortgage Ready?

Do 46 Million Millennials Know They Are Mortgage Ready? | MyKCM

Many have written about the millennial generation and whether or not they, as a whole, believe in homeownership as part of attaining the American Dream.

Millennials have taken longer to obtain traditional milestones than the generations before them, such as getting married, having kids, and buying a home. However, that does not mean that they do not still aspire to achieve those things.

History shows that people tend to buy their first home around age 30. Nearly 5 million millennials will turn 30 in the next two years. This will continue to fuel demand for housing.

This is also one of the many reasons why the millennial homeownership rate has continued to grow over the past few years. 48.4% of Americans between the ages of 30-34 now own a home.

There are over 46 million millennials (33% of the generation) who are considered “Mortgage Ready”meaning they meet the qualifications to be approved for a mortgage...

7 Things To Avoid After Applying for a Mortgage!

7 Things To Avoid After Applying for a Mortgage! | MyKCM
Congratulations! You’ve found a home to buy and have applied for a mortgage! You are undoubtedly excited about the opportunity to decorate your new home! But before you make any big purchases, move any money around, or make any big-time life changes, consult your loan officer. They will be able to tell you how your decision will impact your home loan.

Below is a list of 7 Things You Shouldn’t Do After Applying for a Mortgage! Some may seem obvious, but some may not!

1. Don’t change jobs or the way you are paid at your job! Your loan officer must be able to track the source and amount of your annual income. If possible, you’ll want to avoid changing from salary to commission or becoming self-employed during this time as well.

2. Don’t deposit cash into your bank accounts. Lenders need to source your money and cash is not really traceable. Before you deposit any amount of cash into your accounts, discuss the proper way to document your transactions with your loan officer.

3. Don’t make any large purchases like a new car or new furniture for your new home. New debt comes with it, including new monthly obligations. New obligations create new qualifications. People with new debt have higher debt to income...

First Comes Love… Then Comes Mortgage? Couples Lead the Way

First Comes Love… Then Comes Mortgage? Couples Lead the Way | MyKCM
According to the National Association of REALTORS most recent Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, married couples once again dominated the first-time homebuyer statistics in 2018 at 54% of all buyers. It is no surprise that buying a home is more attainable with two incomes to save for down payments and contribute to monthly housing costs.

However, many couples are also deciding to buy a home before spending what would be a down payment on a wedding. Last year, unmarried couples accounted for 16% of all first-time buyers.

If you’re single, don’t fret! Single women made up 18% of first-time buyers in 2018, while single men accounted for 10% of buyers. One recent article pointed to a sense of responsibility and commitment that drives many single women to want to own their home, rather than rent.

Here is the breakdown of all first-time homebuyers in 2018 by percentage of all buyers, income,...

Whose Mortgage Do You Want to Pay? Yours or Your Landlord’s?

Whose Mortgage Do You Want to Pay? Yours or Your Landlord’s? | MyKCM
There are some people who haven’t purchased homes because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. However, everyone should realize that unless you are living with your parents rent-free, you are paying a mortgage – either yours or your landlord’s.

As Entrepreneur Magazine, a premier source for small business, explained in their article, “12 Practical Steps to Getting Rich”:

“While renting on a temporary basis isn’t terrible, you should most certainly own the roof over your head if you’re serious about your finances. It won’t make you rich overnight, but by renting, you’re paying someone else’s mortgage. In effect, you’re making someone else rich.”

With home prices rising, many renters are concerned about their house-buying power. Mike Fratantoni, Chief Economist at MBAexplained:

“The spring homebuying season is almost upon us, and if rates stay lower, inventory continues to grow, and the job market maintains its...