EstaR mortgage Blog

  #1: What does retirement mean to me? Many people think of retirement as a time in your life where you can work if you want to, but not because you have to. In other words, how would you feel if you could work for fun and/or pursue your passions without worrying about money? This requires finan...

    Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code created a type of college savings plan that known as a “529 Plan”. The 529 plan allows families to: Invest funds after you’ve paid taxes on them (similar to a Roth IRA) Grow the money tax-free over time (no taxes on dividends or asset appreciation) Wit...

    Your credit scores usually determine the price you pay for your money (your mortgages, your auto loans and leases, your credit cards, business loans, etc.). Perhaps the most significant part of your credit report is your credit score. Credit scores range from 350 to 850, with 850 being the b...

Two Things to Consider When Renting Out Your Vacation Home    1 - IRS Guidelines: How Many Days Are You Using the Home for "Personal Use"? In order to deduct the mortgage interest on your vacation home as "qualified home mortgage interest", you need to use the vacation home for your own "personal...

     Here are four questions that can help you make a more informed decision when comparing a 30-year fixed rate mortgage vs. a 15-year fixed rate mortgage.  1 - What will I do with the difference in cash flow? There are two main benefits that a 15-year mortgage has vs. a 30-year mortgage: 1 - Fi...

  These four questions can help you make smarter mortgage and housing choices: Why is it better to buy a home right now vs. renting a home?  Buying a home usually requires more upfront capital, more ongoing expenses and a longer-term commitment.  Make sure to run the numbers with a professional ...

   Congratulations on paying cash for your home!  I just wanted to make you aware that the IRS gives you a 90-day window to put a mortgage on your property and gain the tax benefits associated with the coveted “acquisition indebtedness” status. What is “Acquisition Indebtedness” and Why Does it M...

    Some real estate agents believe that they must give out three different names when referring a mortgage lender.  This is not true.  Here's why: No RESPA Violation There was an old rule in the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) that allowed real estate agents to earn a separate fee ...

     How can I increase my rate of return? The cornerstone of any smart investment strategy is to calculate your rate of return.  With real estate this is done by running the numbers using an internal rate of return (IRR) formula that takes into account: Present Value (PV) - what am I paying out ...

  Beware! Not all Loan Estimates are created equal. Here are three things you should know about Loan Estimates, where all the closing costs are itemized. #1 - The Rate quoted to you on Page 1 is not locked... unless the "Yes" box is checked! Mortgage rates are determined by mortgage bond prices ...