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2 Myths About Buying a Home

Fannie Mae’s “What do consumers know about the Mortgage Qualification Criteria?” Study revealed that Americans are misinformed about what is required to qualify for a mortgage when purchasing a home. Myth #1: “I Need a 20% Down Payment” Fannie Mae’s survey revealed that consumers overestimate the down payment funds needed to qualify for a home loan.… [Continue Reading]

What Makes Up a Credit Score??

  A credit score is an extremely important financial tool. It provides access to the financing you need in order to buy a car, a home, or pay for college tuition, among other things. Since higher scores result in lower costs, it’s vital to understand the factors involved in calculating your score. Here are the… [Continue Reading]

Business Strategy

Business Communication Strategies are a key function to the success of any business! “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” Anthony Robbins “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how… [Continue Reading]

Should I Buy a Home Now? Or Wait Until Next Year?

Some Highlights: The Cost of Waiting to Buy is defined as the additional funds it would take to buy a home if prices & interest rates were to increase over a period of time. Freddie Mac predicts interest rates to rise to 4.4% by next year. CoreLogic predicts home prices to appreciate by 5.0% over the next… [Continue Reading]

The Housing Market is Just Fine

There are some that think that housing affordability is a challenge. Historically, that’s not true. Others think that home prices are approaching bubble values. If we look back over the last sixteen years, that is also not the case. As a matter of fact, the numbers show that the U.S. residential real estate market is… [Continue Reading]

Housing Help Build Family Wealth?

As the economy continues to improve, more and more Americans are seeing their personal financial situations also improving. Instead of just getting by, many are now beginning to save and find other ways to build their net worth. One way to dramatically increase their family wealth is through the acquisition of real estate. For example,… [Continue Reading]

Mortgage Glossary

**All your Purchase and Refinance needs at one stop!     Call or email me today before rates take another increase! 602-793-9061 or challas@amerifirst.us Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) An adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is calculated on a 30-year basis. The rates adjust at scheduled intervals. An ARM starts with a fixed payment rate and adjusts thereafter.… [Continue Reading]

3 Questions Every Buyer Should Ask Themselves

If you are debating purchasing a home right now, you are probably getting a lot of advice. Though your friends and family will have your best interest at heart, they may not be fully aware of your needs and what is currently happening in the real estate market. Answering the following 3 questions will help… [Continue Reading]

Validating a Collection Debt

Andorra Credit Repair shares some great information on Validating a Collection Debt on your Credit Report: You find a Collection Debt on your credit report and you just don’t remember it….what do you do? Ask for a validation notice. A debt collector must send you a validation notice within five days that explains how much… [Continue Reading]

Do You Need 20% Down To Buy NOW?

A survey by Ipsos found that the American public is still somewhat confused about what is actually necessary to qualify for a home mortgage loan in today’s housing market. The study pointed out two major misconceptions that we want to address today.  1. Down Payment The survey revealed that consumers overestimate the down payment funds needed to… [Continue Reading]

Buying Remains 36% Cheaper than Renting!

n the latest Rent vs. Buy Report from Trulia, they explained that homeownership remains cheaper than renting with a traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage in the 100 largest metro areas in the United States. The updated numbers actually show that the range is an average of 5% less expensive in Orange County (CA) all the… [Continue Reading]

Time to downsize??

A study by Edelman Berland reveals that 33% of homeowners who are contemplating selling their house in the near future are planning to scale down. Let’s look at a few reasons why this might make sense for many homeowners, as the majority of the country is currently experiencing a seller’s market. In a recent blog, Dave Ramsey, the… [Continue Reading]

Rising Rates- Rising Prices?

There are some who are calling for a decrease in home prices should mortgage interest rates begin to rise rapidly. Intuitively, this makes sense as the cost of a home is determined by the price of the home, plus the cost of financing that home. If mortgage interest rates increase, fewer people will be able… [Continue Reading]

Mortage Calculator

All your Purchase and Refinance needs at one stop! Each customer has specific and individual needs.  Our goal is to meet those specific needs with quality service and individual attention. I start with the “end in mind”. What is your goal: a) Purchase a Home b)  Refinance your mortgage:  Owner Occupied, 2nd home, Investor c) … [Continue Reading]

VA Home Loans

All your Purchase and Refinance needs at one stop! The US Department of Veterans Affairs provides patient care and federal benefits to veterans and their dependents. They have specific loans for Veterans, Reservists, and active-duty service members (those who have served our country on active duty since World War II). VA offers some of the… [Continue Reading]

Mortgage Standards Easing TOO MUCH? NO!!

There is no doubt that getting a mortgage is easier today than it was right after the housing crash a decade ago. However, the easing of credit availability has led to some questioning of whether or not we are headed for another housing crisis. Let’s put everything into the proper perspective. Mortgage Credit Availability Over… [Continue Reading]

Warren Buffett: There is No Housing Bubble

With home prices expected to appreciate by over 5% this year, some are beginning to worry about a new housing bubble forming. Warren Buffet addressed this issue last week in an article by Fortune Magazine. He simply explained: “I don’t see a nationwide bubble in real estate right now at all.” Later, when questioned whether… [Continue Reading]

BREXIT: What’s the FIXIT for U.S. Home Buyers and Sellers?

  Now that much of the dust has settled and the panic has waned, let’s take a look at what impact Britain’s exit from the European Union may have on the U.S. housing market. The most immediate impact of Brexit will be on mortgage interest rates. Interest rates have remained at historic lows for the… [Continue Reading]

Owning a Home Can Help At Tax Time

Many Americans got some depressing news last week; either their tax return was not as large as they had hoped or, in some cases, they were told they owed additional money to either the Federal or State government or both. One way to save on taxes is to own your own home. According to the… [Continue Reading]

Coaching

Business management coaching can assist with a complete analysis of  current company operations, both small and large, including employee  interactions. By developing employee teamwork, business momentum is  created. This leads to increased company performance. Business management coaching can help any sized company that  runs into the same problem – lack of momentum. Management begins to… [Continue Reading]

Thinking of Making an Offer? 4 Tips for Success

So you’ve been searching for that perfect house to call a ‘home,’ and you finally found one! The price is right, and in such a competitive market that you want to make sure you make a good offer so that you can guarantee your dream of making this house yours comes true! Freddie Mac covered “4 Tips… [Continue Reading]

What to Look for in Your Real Estate Team

How do you select the members of your team who are going to help you make your dream of owning a home a reality? What should you be looking for? How do you know if you’ve found the right agent or lender? The most important characteristic that you should be looking for in your agent… [Continue Reading]

Why Do Credit Scores Vary Amongst Credit Bureaus?

One of the main criticisms of credit scoring is the extreme variation between credit scores. Studies have shown scores to vary as much as 100 points between credit bureaus.  There are several reasons for this:  The first reason is not all creditors report their information to all three credit bureaus, and if they do, they… [Continue Reading]

Daydreaming About Your Perfect Home? Know What You WANT vs. What You NEED

In this day and age of being able to shop for anything anywhere, it is really important to know what you’re looking for when you start your home search. If you’ve been thinking about buying a home of your own for some time now, you’ve probably come up with a list of things that you’d… [Continue Reading]

Why Getting Pre-Approved Should Be Your First Step

In many markets across the country, the amount of buyers searching for their dream homes greatly outnumbers the amount of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved… [Continue Reading]

The Presidential Election and Its Impact on Housing

Every four years people question what effect the Presidential election might have on the national housing market. Let’s take a look at what is currently taking place. The New York Times ran an article earlier this week where they explained: “A growing body of research shows that during presidential election years — particularly ones like… [Continue Reading]

10 Commandments to Buying a Home

Taking the Fear out of the Mortgage Process

  A considerable number of potential buyers shy away from jumping into the real estate market due to their uncertainty about the buying process. A specific cause for concern tends to be mortgage qualification. For many, the mortgage process can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be! In order to qualify in today’s market,… [Continue Reading]

What Does Home Mean to You?

No matter what shape or size your living space is, the concept and feeling of home can mean different things to different people. Whether it’s a certain scent or a favorite chair, the emotional reasons why we choose to buy our own home are, more often than not, the more powerful or compelling ones. Every… [Continue Reading]

Over Half of All Buyers Are Surprised by Closing Costs

According to a recent survey conducted by ClosingCorp, over half of all homebuyers are surprised by the closing costs required to obtain their mortgage. After surveying 1,000 first-time and repeat homebuyers, the results revealed that 17% of homebuyers were surprised that closing costs were required at all, while another 35% were stunned by how much… [Continue Reading]

The Foreclosure Crisis: 10 Years Later

CoreLogic recently released a report entitled, United States Residential Foreclosure Crisis: 10 Years Later, in which they examined the years leading up to the crisis all the way through to present day. With a peak in 2010 when nearly 1.2 million homes were foreclosed on, over 7.7 million families lost their homes throughout the entire… [Continue Reading]

When Is It A Good Time To Rent? Definitely NOT NOW!

People often ask whether or not now is a good time to buy a home. No one ever asks when a good time to rent is. However, we want to make certain that everyone understands that today is NOT a good time to rent. The Census Bureau recently released their first quarter median rent numbers. Here is… [Continue Reading]

Buying a Home? 4 Requirements to Make on Your Real Estate Agent

Are you thinking of buying a home? Are you dreading having to walk through strangers’ houses? Are you concerned about getting the paperwork correct? Hiring a professional real estate agent can take away most of the challenges of buying. A great agent is always worth more than the commission they charge, just like a great… [Continue Reading]

Slaying Home Buying Myths

Some Highlights: Interest Rates are still below historic numbers. 88% of property managers raised their rent in the last 12 months! Credit score requirements to be approved for a mortgage continue to fall.      

3 Tips for Making your Dream of Buying a Home

Some Highlights: Realtor.com recently shared “5 Habits to Start Now If You Hope to Buy a Home in 2017.” Setting up an automatic savings plan that saves a small amount of every check is one of the best ways to save without thinking a lot about it. Living within a budget now will help you… [Continue Reading]

Homeownership Offers Stability & Wealth Creation

he most recent Housing Pulse Survey released by the National Association of Realtors revealed that the two major reasons Americans prefer owning their own home instead of renting are: They want the opportunity to build equity. They want a stable and safe environment. Building Equity In a recent article by The Mortgage Reports, they report that “buying and… [Continue Reading]

1 of the 59 Million Are Planning to Buy This Year- Are You Ready?

According to a survey conducted by Bankrate.com, one in four Americans are considering buying a home this year. If this statistic proves to be true, that means that 59 million people will be looking to enter the housing market in 2017. The survey also revealed 3 key takeaways: Those most likely to buy are ‘Older… [Continue Reading]

Do You Know the Real Cost of Renting vs. Buying? [INFOGRAPHIC]

  Some Highlights: Historically, the choice between renting or buying a home has been a close decision. Looking at the percentage of income needed to rent a median-priced home today (30%), vs. the percentage needed to buy a median-priced home (15%), the choice becomes obvious. Every market is different. Before you renew your lease again,… [Continue Reading]

The Impact of Homeownership on Civic Involvement

The National Association of Realtors recently released a study titled ‘Social Benefits of Homeownership and Stable Housing.’ The study confirmed a long-standing belief of most Americans: “Owning a home embodies the promise of individual autonomy and is the aspiration of most American households. Homeownership allows households to accumulate wealth and social status, and is the… [Continue Reading]

Baby Boomers on the Move

According to a Merrill Lynch study, “an estimated 4.2 million retirees moved into a new home last year alone.” Two-thirds of retirees say that they are likely to move at least once during retirement. As one participant in the study stated: “In retirement, you have the chance to live anywhere you want. Or you can… [Continue Reading]

Do Americans Believe Real Estate is the Best Long-Term Investment?

Some Highlights: Real estate outranks stocks/mutual funds, gold, savings accounts/CDs, and bonds as the best long-term investment among Americans. Real estate is ranked as the best long-term investment among all age groups. Millennials rank both real estate and savings/CDs at 26% when it comes to the best long-term investment.    

Your First Step when buying a home

  In many markets across the country, the number of buyers searching for their dream homes greatly out numbers the amount of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified… [Continue Reading]

Why is a Consumer Credit Score Different from a Mortgage Credit Score?

Scoring models are formulas or algorithms that assigns points based on known information to predict and unknown future outcome.  The Credit Monitoring Services and Nationwide Credit reporting agencies sell credit reports to consumers.  The scores that are sold to consumers are educational credit scores to prepare for loans, managing debts and to check for fraud/identity… [Continue Reading]

Think All Millennials Live in Their Parent’s Basement?

According to the Census Bureau, millennials have overtaken baby boomers as the largest generation in U.S. History. Millennials, or America’s youth born between 1982-2000, now represent more than one quarter of the nation’s population, totaling 83.1 million. There has been a lot of talk about how, as a generation, millennials have‘failed to launch’ into adulthood… [Continue Reading]

Careful…Don’t Get Caught in the Rental Trap

There are many benefits to homeownership. One of the top benefits is being able to protect yourself from rising rents by locking in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage. Don’t Become Trapped  Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist at realtor.com, reported on what he calls a “Rental Affordability Crisis.” He warns that, “Low rental vacancies and a lack of… [Continue Reading]

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The Connection Between Home Prices & Family Wealth

Over the next five years, home prices are expected to appreciate 3.22% per year on average and to grow by 17.3% cumulatively, according to Pulsenomics’ most recent Home Price Expectation Survey. So, what does this mean for homeowners and their equity position? As an example, let’s assume a young couple purchased and closed on a $250,000 home in… [Continue Reading]

Rates at History Low Since 1951

  Rates at History Low Since 1951 The interest rates have been slashed again by the Federal Reserve.  Now the question is will the banks follow and reduce interest rates for mortgages?  This rate reduction is a step forward in the uphill battle to stave off a deep recession.  The dramatic rate reduction takes the… [Continue Reading]

4 Reasons to Refinance Your Mortgage

  You may be wondering whether it’s worth it to refinance your home loan. Rest assured my team and I are here to make the process as smooth and painless as possible. We’ll answer all of your initial questions and walk you through the entire loan process, with the end goal of securing the right… [Continue Reading]

Why Millennials Choose to Buy [INFOGRAPHIC]