What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – September 17th, 2018

Last week's economic news included readings on consumer credit, inflation and consumer sentiment. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released. Fed Reports Consumer Credit Jumps in July The Federal Reserve reported that consumer credit rose from $9 billion in June to $17 billion in July. Analysts said a majority of consumer credit was issued for education loans and auto loans. June's reading was revised downward to $8.50 billion from the original reading of $10.2 billion. Credit card debt increased by 1.50 percent in July after declining by – 1.40 percent in June. Non-revolving consumer debt…
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Mistakes Seasoned Home Buyers Often Make

It's not uncommon today to move several times during adulthood, whether across town or across the country. Seasoned home buyers have been through the real estate process, often more than once. However, even if the home purchase has become routine, there are mistakes that can be avoided. Stuck In The Past The real estate market doesn't stand still. It cycles and shifts, which is why it's often recommended to rely on a real estate professional for an understanding of the current market. Home buyers with property purchased ten years ago, likely won't have the same experience buying today. Don't get…
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Real Estate Remains A Strong Wealth Management Investment

A young long-haul trucker driver once took an elder's advice and invested all of his money into real estate. Even though he was seldom at home to enjoy the fruits of his labor, he hired a property management company to handle the properties. The advice that stuck with the driver was simple. "They're not making any more of it, land that is." In terms of growing personal wealth, the real estate market may fluctuate, interest rates change, and the GDP can bounce like a ball. But, land is permanent. That may seem like a simplistic view of wealth management. Maybe…
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What To Ask About How Loan Application Data Is Kept Private

After hackers breached Equifax and stole vital financial records of 145 million Americans, people have a right to be afraid of disclosing personal information. That's why it's imperative that lending institutions to do everything in their power to protect your privacy. When a prospective home buyer submits a loan application, defining information such as date of birth, home address, social security number, credit cards, bank accounts, and pay stubs are included. Basically, everything a hacker needs to penetrate an individual's financial world is disclosed on a loan application. If you are applying for a mortgage, get answers to these and…
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Want To Buy A Home? Here’s How You Can Save Your Own Down Payment

Burdensome student loan debt and a penchant for purchasing new electronics by 20- and 30-somethings can make saving up for a down payment on a home seem impossible. But Millennials and other potential home buyers may be surprised to discover that previous generations had money-saving challenges of their own. Consider for a moment that many of our valued elders did not have the level of opportunity to attend college and earn a high-paying job. Look further back and you may realize that the Greatest Generation suffered through the Great Depression only to fight World War II. Somehow, these outstanding Americans…
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