See All Buying a Home Articles

There are two types of 40-year mortgages: those being offered by a very limited number of direct lenders, and the mortgage modification program from the U.S. government.

Mortgage rates directly affect how much a buyer can afford to borrow. Here's a closer look at historical mortgage rates over time.Read more

Investors are taking a closer look at the rental housing market.Read more ›

Don't have the credit history or other formal credentials to get a traditional home loan?  No worries, there's an alternative way to get the home of your dreams: owner financing (aka seller financing).Read more ›

Despite an ever-improving economy and an optimism surrounding the stock markets, the housing sector remains in a deep funk.  The foreclosure crisis continues to take its time getting untangled -- based on the alarming levels of foreclosure activity in 2009 and 2010, the glut of unsold homes may take several more years to whittle down.Read more ›

The housing market is flooded with countless options.Read more ›

Buying a second home before selling the first is a scary proposition.Read more ›

Buying a home -- especially your first home -- is one of the most exciting moments of your life.Read more ›

If you or someone you know is thinking about getting a home mortgage, you may want to know about the thousands of dollars in hidden charges that some lenders are quietly adding to mortgage loans after they show potential borrowers the initial terms of the loan.  A friend of mine who buys property regularly in Austin, Texas recently showed me this when he discovered on closing day that he'd have to pay a staggering $30,000 more in interest than what his bank promised him on the initial term sheet.  James had found a home he loved near downtown Austin and decided to take out a mortgage.Read more ›

A good Realtor keeps her eyes peeled, and Dallas Realtor Robin Moss Norcross admits hers open up when there's ambulance activity in the neighborhood or old carpet on the curb.Read more ›

When I looked for my first mortgage, I was skeptical about rates that were too low.Read more ›

Mistakes are difficult to avoid in something as complex as home buying, especially for the first time home buyer.Read more ›