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The latest Georgia and Florida mortgage tips, news, and information, including a few secrets and how-to guides we’ve learned after closing more than 4,000+ home loans over the past 15 years.

 

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5 Tips for Making Your Best Offer

5 Tips for Making Your Best Offer

In today’s sellers’ market, standing out as a buyer is critical. Multi-offer scenarios and bidding wars are the norm due to the low supply of houses for sale and high buyer demand. If you’re buying this fall, you’ll want every advantage, especially when you’ve found the home of your dreams. Below are five things to keep in mind …

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pre-approval when buying a house

Pre-Approval Makes All the Difference When Buying a Home

You may have been told that it’s important to get pre-approved at the beginning of the homebuying process, but what does that really mean, and why is it so important? Especially in today’s market, with rising home prices and high buyer competition, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your budget so you stand out to sellers as a …

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pre-approval when buying a home

Mortgage Update Summer 2021

Now is Your Unique Opportunity to Cash Out Earlier this year, rates started moving higher because of inflation fears. Since that time, the Federal Reserve is done a good job of telegraphing that this inflationary pressure we are feeling is likely transitory. Because of this, investors have become comfortable with this synopsis and rates have …

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What Credit Score Do You Need for a Mortgage?

What Credit Score Do You Need for a Mortgage?

According to data from the most recent Origination Insight Report by Ellie Mae, the average FICO® score on closed loans reached 753 in February. As lending standards have tightened recently, many are concerned over whether or not their credit score is strong enough to qualify for a mortgage. While stricter lending standards could be a challenge for some, many buyers may be …

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Are We In A Housing Market Bubble?

Are We In A Housing Market Bubble?

Lately, I have been getting this question quite a bit; do you think that we are in a housing bubble? I have been in this business for a long time, including the run-up to the last financial crisis and now watching the lowest inventory levels we have seen in several decades resulting in bidding wars. …

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Big Hit to Second Home & Investment Mortgages

Fannie Mae announced on March 10 that they are limiting new loan secured by second homes or investment properties to 7% of the overall loans they purchase. What does this mean to borrowers seeking investment/2nd home mortgages? Turns out, it means A LOT. While Fannie Mae did not add any new “loan level pricing adjustments” …

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Spring Homebuying 2021

Spring Homebuying Season & Interest Rates Outlook

Interest Rates Are Rising – What is the Short-Term Outlook? We are approaching the one-year mark since we all were shut down seemingly out of nowhere. Rates plummeted and have stayed ridiculously low for almost a year now. And while this was great news for people that were buying the home or looking to save …

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Do I Really Need a 20% Down Payment to Buy a Home?

Do I Really Need a 20% Down Payment to Buy a Home?

Is the idea of saving for a down payment holding you back from buying a home right now? You may be eager to take advantage of today’s low mortgage rates, but the thought of needing a large down payment might make you want to pump the brakes. Today, there’s still a common myth that you have to …

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True Cost of Buying a Home

The True Cost of Buying a Home

As you begin to consider purchasing a new home one of the first things you should do is get an idea of what “the numbers” will look like.  Ultimately the 2 most important numbers will be (1) the monthly payment and (2) how much money you will need at closing, but there are a lot …

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