Mortgage / Finance

Anybody that's hung around the ActiveRain “water cooler” for any length of time understands the value of the relationships built on the site. AR is so much more than a social networking site, however.


It's also the place to get up-to-the-minute information on topics that affect your clients. Ask yourself: what's the most confusing aspect of buying a home for the real estate consumer? The answer is most likely financing the purchase. Credit scores and how they affect the mortgage rate, types of loan products, points, fees – whew! -- there's a lot to know about mortgages.


To serve your clients effectively you need to know about this stuff and keep abreast of changes in the mortgage industry. Thankfully, ActiveRain is not only popular with real estate agents and brokers but with finance professionals as well.


Whether you're an agent trying to figure out what the Fed's latest move means to your clients or a mortgage pro who needs input on how to build relationships with real estate agents, ActiveRain is the place to tap into a wealth of knowledge.

Recent blogs on Mortgage / Finance
By Brian Madigan, LL.B., Broker
(RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto))
Commercial Bond Yields CMB 5 Year - 3.27%*EST. CANHOU 06/15/28 [+0.13%]   ‌ 10 Year - 3.33%*EST. CANHOU 06/15/33 [+0.07%]         * denotes interpolated rate GoC 5 Year - 2.97% CAN 09/01/27 [+0.14%]   ‌ 10 Year - 2.82% CAN 06/01/32 [+0.08%]   ‌ 15 Year - 2.98%* Est. 12/01/36 [+0.08%]   ‌ 20 Year - 2.99%* Est. 12/01/41 [+0.07%] GOC Bonds are for reference purposes only Floating rate insured cost of funds 5.05% [-]                   Prime Rate 6.70% [-]    
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By David Ramirez, Tax Representation at its Best
(Tax Relief Services)
Received a Distraint Warrant from the IRS in the Mail?Think is Real, Thing Again because it is absolutely NOT! Fake tax warrants Has a distrant warrant been delivered to your door, claiming that the taxman has come calling? You’re not alone – in recent weeks there’s been an influx of fake warrants being circulated across the country. If you think it looks official you are not alone, but it just a scam to try to separate you from your Money. In this blog post we’ll explore what these false and misleading documents are and how they trick people like you who make an honest living it just can’t pay your taxes. So if you've received one of these bogus warrants recently or just want to be informed – read on!What is a Fake Tax Warrant and why should you careHave you ever received one of those ...
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By Charles Ross - (785)-819-6944, Love To Help People
(eXp Realty LLC Salina Group)
 Keeping your credit in good order when purchasing a home is vital for several reasons: Better Interest Rates: Having a good credit score can help you get approved for a mortgage and can also help you get a lower interest rate on your loan. A lower interest rate can mean lower monthly payments and the overall cost of the loan. More Loan Options: With good credit, you may be eligible for a broader range of mortgage loan options, including those with lower down payment requirements or more flexible terms. This can give you more options and help you find a loan that fits your needs. Faster Approval Process: When you have good credit, the mortgage approval process may go more smoothly and quickly. Lenders may be more willing to work with you and require less documentation if they feel confi...
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By Matt Brady, One of San Diego's Best Lenders
(Watermark Capital)
In a similar start to last week’s edition, “We are coming out of a busy week.” This week, however, showed the economic cracks I have been predicting.Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) “collapsed” making it the 2nd biggest bank failure in the U.S. In a nutshell (I’ll try to make this short), SVB was taking in all of these deposits, and a lot of them were from startups. With these deposits (and thanks to fractional reserve banking) they invested that money, and they did so in “risk-free” long-term treasuries. Treasuries are risk-free if you hold them to maturation. However, in an environment of rising interest rates, the price of those treasuries decline because the yield they were providing is no longer as attractive as they were in a low-rate environment.At the same time, those startup companie...
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By RPDFW @ Salas Home Team, #1 Team in Real Estate Specialty Services
(Realty Preferred DFW)
If you're looking for Homes for Sale in Carrollton, TX, $200,000 to $250,000 you've come to the right place.We will advise you to make an intelligent decision to buy your home. From your home loan to closing. The most important step to start buying your home is to have your loan approved or at least pre-approved.There are hundreds of programs available to buy Homes for Sale in Carrollton, TX $200,000 to $250,000. As well as down payment assistance programs. He has good social security, reports his taxes annually, and has a work history of 2 years, he can do it with little or no down payment.If you own your own business or work as a contractor and don't report a lot of money on your tax returns. We also have programs available.If you only have your ITIN and have filed or have not filed y...
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By Brian Madigan, LL.B., Broker
(RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto))
Commercial Bond Yields CMB 5 Year - 3.58%*EST. CANHOU 06/15/28 [-0.17%]   ‌ 10 Year - 3.58%*EST. CANHOU 06/15/33 [-0.14%]         * denotes interpolated rate GoC 5 Year - 3.33% CAN 09/01/27 [-0.18%]   ‌ 10 Year - 3.12% CAN 06/01/32 [-0.16%]   ‌ 15 Year - 3.15%* Est. 12/01/36 [-0.12%]   ‌ 20 Year - 3.12%* Est. 12/01/41 [-0.12%] GOC Bonds are for reference purposes only Floating rate insured cost of funds 5.05% [-]                   Prime Rate 6.70% [-]    
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By Bill Salvatore - East Valley, Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net
(Arizona Elite Properties )
After steadily falling over the winter, mortgage rates have started to rise in recent weeks. This is concerning to some potential homebuyers as the combination of higher mortgage rates and higher prices have made homes less affordable. So, if you’re planning to purchase a home this year, you too may be wondering if now’s the right time to buy or if you should hold off on your search until rates come back down. The recent uptick in rates has been driven by what’s happening with inflation. Joel Kan, Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), explains:  “Mortgage rates increased across the board last week, pushed higher by market expectations that inflation will persist, thus requiring the Federal Reserve to keep monetary policy restrictive for a l...
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By Matt Brady, One of San Diego's Best Lenders
(Watermark Capital)
A few days delayed by forces beyond my control but here are my thoughts. We are coming out of a busy week: home prices were lower than expected, but pending sales were higher than expected (the drop in rates in December-January helped get things going).The pending home sales numbers prove to me that there is pent-up demand on the sidelines waiting for somewhat more favorable conditions to make moves.Also, we heard from Fed members who warned we may need rates higher for longer. All of this put some heavy pressure on rates.It seems like the markets started 2023 with the hopes of a sooner-than-expected Fed pivot. However, they are digesting the inflation, labor, and consumer data and realizing that we may be in this environment longer than hoped.Let’s discuss this week’s calendar and then...
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By Jason E. Gordon, Sr Loan Officer, CMA, CMPS, CDLP, CDRE, RCSD, CDPE
(AmeriFirst Financial Inc, San Diego, CA)
There are 4 "milestones" in the creation of a mortgage from start to finish, which are as follows: PROCESSING - the initial stage where the Lender takes a close look at the Borrower "on paper" by pulling credit and gathering such documents as Paystubs, W2 Forms, Tax Returns, Bank Statements, etc.Anticipate Federally Mandated INITIAL LOAN DISCLOSURES at this point that will need to be signed by the BORROWER(S) including a Loan Estimate (LE) that will lay out "estimated" Recurring & Non-Recurring Closing Costs. UNDERWRITING - where the Lender then makes a determination of whether the Borrower(s) will be approved based on the goals they have stated, how they look on paper, and what the approval guidelines allow. Oftentimes, an underwriting approval will have "PRIOR-TO-DOC" (PTD) conditions...
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By Jason E. Gordon, Sr Loan Officer, CMA, CMPS, CDLP, CDRE, RCSD, CDPE
(AmeriFirst Financial Inc, San Diego, CA)
Knowing the truth behind mortgage quotes has never been more important. As part of the MORTGAGE DEEP DIVE video education series, The Truth Behind Mortgage Quotes takes an in-depth look "behind the curtain" of how mortgage quotes are actually customized and quoted (and how consumes may be duped if they are not careful what to look for). If you are a prospective Borrower and/or a Professional who serves this population, this video is worth a look!
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By Michael Peron, Michael Peron, Dave Florida Real Estate
(South Florida Home Solutions)
The biggest shock to homebuyers is the soaring mortgage rates of 2022 that doubled in one year resulting in approximately 15 million mortgage ready buyers displaced from the market due to affordability issues. As of February 23, 2023, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage was at 6.5%.  While that is twice as high as it was on January 6, 2022, it is still lower than the 7.75% average rate since April 2, 1971, according to the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. When rates increase at a rapid pace like this, it takes time for the public to adjust and begin to accept it as the new normal. Prior to the housing bust that led to the Great Recession, the normal for mortgage rates was in the 6% range and existing home sales were over 6.5 million for three years.  From 2007 to 2014, home sales...
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By Michael Peron, Michael Peron, Dave Florida Real Estate
(South Florida Home Solutions)
Mortgage Rates Are Dropping. What Does That Mean for You? Mortgage rates have been a hot topic in the housing market over the past 12 months. Compared to the beginning of 2022, rates have risen dramatically. Now they’re dropping, and that has to do with everything happening in the economy. Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Forecasting at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains it well by saying: “Mortgage rates dropped even further this week as two main factors affecting today's mortgage market became more favorable. Inflation continued to ease while the Federal Reserve switched to a smaller interest rate hike. As a result, according to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 6.31% from 6.33% the previous week.” So, what does that mean for your ...
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By Michael Peron, Michael Peron, Dave Florida Real Estate
(South Florida Home Solutions)
Four Things That Help Determine Your Mortgage Rate If you’re looking to buy a home, you probably want to secure the lowest interest rate possible for your home loan. Over the last couple of years, that was easier to do as the housing market saw record-low mortgage rates, but this year rates have risen dramatically. If you’re looking for ways to combat today’s higher rates and lock in the lowest one you can, here are a few factors to focus on. Since approval opportunities can vary, connect with a trusted lender for customized advice. Your Credit Score Credit scores can play a big role in your mortgage rate. Freddie Mac explains: “When you build and maintain strong credit, mortgage lenders have greater confidence when qualifying you for a mortgage because they see that you’ve paid back yo...
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