mortgages – The News Desk

16Apr

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Money

Best Home Improvement Loans of 2024

What Is a Home Improvement Loan?A home improvement loan is a type of personal loan used to pay for home renovations, upgrades and repairs. You can use unsecured personal loans to finance virtually anything, from HVAC replacements to bathroom remodeling. Personal loans typically have fixed interest rates and monthly payments, allowing you to repay the money you borrowed over a set period of years.Home improvement loan amounts can range from $1,000 to $100,000 or more, which gives you the flexibility to finance minor or major projects if you don't have tappable equity – or if you simply don't want to use your home as collateral. That being said, you can also use home equity loans and lines of credit, or HELOCs, to pay for home improvements.Pros and Cons of Home Improvement LoansProsFixed pa...

What Can Student Loans Be Used For? | Mortgages

3Apr

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Money

What Can Student Loans Be Used For? | Mortgages

When you take out a student loan, your lender sends funds directly to your school. After your school deducts what's needed to pay for expenses such as tuition and room and board, it will disburse any remaining money to you for education-related expenses. But these expenses aren't just books and class fees. Student loan funds can be used to pay for rent, groceries and more.Before you have a heyday with your leftover cash, it helps to understand what the Department of Education considers "qualified educational expenses." While lenders don't track how you use your student loans, there are potential consequences for misusing the money.What Can You Use Student Loans For?Student loans can be used to pay for a range of costs related to higher education. Whether pursuing an undergraduate or gradu...

20Dec

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Money

What Is Escrow? | Mortgages and Advice

Most people never encounter the concept of escrow until they buy a home. Escrow accounts are set up by third parties as a safe place to hold money. They are used for two main purposes when it comes to real estate: during a home purchase and afterward as an easy way for homeowners to save for property tax and insurance costs. Here's what you need to know about escrow accounts, how they help facilitate a home purchase and how they help you manage your home expenses after the sale.What Does Escrow Mean?Generally, escrow is a type of account. It is held and managed by an escrow agent – a neutral third party who not only receives money, but can disperse it. The escrow account is held for two primary parties until a transaction is finalized or a contract's requirements are met. Escrow accounts ...

17Dec

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Money

5/1 ARM Lenders of December 2023

What Are Current Mortgage Rates? Mortgage rates declined across the board this week, with the 30-year fixed rate falling further to 7.07%, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Less than two months ago, the rate on a 30-year mortgage was 7.9%. Additionally, the FHA loan rate dipped to 6.84%, making this government-backed mortgage a wise choice for prospective buyers. Mortgage interest rates are still forecasted to stay higher for longer into 2024. Here are the current mortgage rates, as of Dec. 13: 30-year fixed: 7.07% with 0.59 points (previous week: 7.17% with 0.6 points). 15-year fixed: 6.67% with 0.58 points (previous week: 6.8% with 0.77 points). 5/1 ARM: 6.47% with 0.76 points (previous week: 6.58% with 0.69 points). ...

17Dec

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Money

Compare Current 15-Year Mortgage Rates

National Average Mortgage RatesRates data is based on a borrower with good credit, a conforming loan amount (at least $200,000 but less than the national conforming loan amount), and a loan-to-value ratio of less than 80% (For purchase loans, this corresponds to a down payment of 20% or more). © Zillow, Inc., 2006-2016. Use is subject to Terms of UseU.S. News Expert Insights “Mortgage rates retreated further this week as incoming data on inflation and the labor market continues to point to a cooling economy. In its December meeting, the Federal Reserve elected to hold the federal funds rate at 5.25% to 5.5%, where it's been since July. It appears that the Fed's rate-hike cycle has likely come to an end, so now investors have turned their attention to when rate cuts might com...

Compare Today’s Refinance Rates | U.S. News

17Dec

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Compare Today’s Refinance Rates | U.S. News

National Average Mortgage RatesRates data is based on a borrower with good credit, a conforming loan amount (at least $200,000 but less than the national conforming loan amount), and a loan-to-value ratio of less than 80% (For purchase loans, this corresponds to a down payment of 20% or more). © Zillow, Inc., 2006-2016. Use is subject to Terms of UseU.S. News Expert Insights “Mortgage rates retreated further this week as incoming data on inflation and the labor market continues to point to a cooling economy. In its December meeting, the Federal Reserve elected to hold the federal funds rate at 5.25% to 5.5%, where it's been since July. It appears that the Fed's rate-hike cycle has likely come to an end, so now investors have turned their attention to when rate cuts might com...

17Dec

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Money

Today’s 10 Year Fixed Mortgage Rates

National Average Mortgage RatesRates data is based on a borrower with good credit, a conforming loan amount (at least $200,000 but less than the national conforming loan amount), and a loan-to-value ratio of less than 80% (For purchase loans, this corresponds to a down payment of 20% or more). © Zillow, Inc., 2006-2016. Use is subject to Terms of UseU.S. News Expert Insights “Mortgage rates retreated further this week as incoming data on inflation and the labor market continues to point to a cooling economy. In its December meeting, the Federal Reserve elected to hold the federal funds rate at 5.25% to 5.5%, where it's been since July. It appears that the Fed's rate-hike cycle has likely come to an end, so now investors have turned their attention to when rate cuts might com...

17Dec

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Money

Compare Current VA Loan Rates

National Average Mortgage RatesRates data is based on a borrower with good credit, a conforming loan amount (at least $200,000 but less than the national conforming loan amount), and a loan-to-value ratio of less than 80% (For purchase loans, this corresponds to a down payment of 20% or more). © Zillow, Inc., 2006-2016. Use is subject to Terms of UseU.S. News Expert Insights “Mortgage rates retreated further this week as incoming data on inflation and the labor market continues to point to a cooling economy. In its December meeting, the Federal Reserve elected to hold the federal funds rate at 5.25% to 5.5%, where it's been since July. It appears that the Fed's rate-hike cycle has likely come to an end, so now investors have turned their attention to when rate cuts might com...

Today’s 15-Year Mortgage Refinance Rates

17Dec

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Money

Today’s 15-Year Mortgage Refinance Rates

National Average Mortgage RatesRates data is based on a borrower with good credit, a conforming loan amount (at least $200,000 but less than the national conforming loan amount), and a loan-to-value ratio of less than 80% (For purchase loans, this corresponds to a down payment of 20% or more). © Zillow, Inc., 2006-2016. Use is subject to Terms of UseU.S. News Expert Insights “Mortgage rates retreated further this week as incoming data on inflation and the labor market continues to point to a cooling economy. In its December meeting, the Federal Reserve elected to hold the federal funds rate at 5.25% to 5.5%, where it's been since July. It appears that the Fed's rate-hike cycle has likely come to an end, so now investors have turned their attention to when rate cuts might com...

17Dec

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Money

Compare Current Jumbo Mortgage Rates

National Average Mortgage RatesRates data is based on a borrower with good credit, a conforming loan amount (at least $200,000 but less than the national conforming loan amount), and a loan-to-value ratio of less than 80% (For purchase loans, this corresponds to a down payment of 20% or more). © Zillow, Inc., 2006-2016. Use is subject to Terms of UseU.S. News Expert Insights “Mortgage rates retreated further this week as incoming data on inflation and the labor market continues to point to a cooling economy. In its December meeting, the Federal Reserve elected to hold the federal funds rate at 5.25% to 5.5%, where it's been since July. It appears that the Fed's rate-hike cycle has likely come to an end, so now investors have turned their attention to when rate cuts might com...