The best of both worlds Today homebuyers are in a unique position to combine the benefits of a fixed rate mortgage with the savings opportunities of an adjustable rate mortgage.With a hybrid loan (also called a fixed-period ARM or hybrid ARM) you get the best of both worlds. A hybrid loan gives you ...

VA Loans VA guaranteed loans are made by lenders and guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to eligible veterans for the purchase of a home. The guaranty means the lender is protected against loss if you fail to repay the loan. In most cases, no down payment is required on a VA gu...

Deductible Homeowners Expenses One of the advantages of owning your own home is that the home mortgage interest and real estate taxes paid can be deducted from your federal income tax*. To do so, youll need to comply with current tax laws and complete the appropriate federal tax forms and itemized d...

How can you improve your credit score? It's virtually impossible to change your score in the time between when most people decide to buy a home or refinance their mortgage and when they apply. So the short answer is, you really can't "on the spot." But there are strategies you can live with to make ...

What does it cost to refinance? What are the benefits? Ever heard the old rule of thumb, you should only refinance if your new interest rate is at least two points lower? That may have been true years ago, but with refinancing dropping in cost over the last few years, it's never the wrong time to th...