Barbara Marquand

The Closing Disclosure gives the final terms and costs of a mortgage as you near the financing finish line.

Buying a home “for sale by owner” means you, or you and your agent, will deal with the homeowner directly rather than through a listing agent.

Cash-offer financing programs can give buyers who need mortgages the ability to make cash offers on homes.

Closing costs are fees, taxes, and other bills that buyers receive before they get the keys to their new home. But what are they exactly and how can you prepare for them? Kate Wood calculates those costs! Suggested Articles: Mortgage Closing Costs: How Much You’ll Pay: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/mortgages/closing-costs-mortgage-fees-explained Strategies for Lowering Your Closing Costs: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/mortgages/strategies-to-keep-your-closing-costs-low/ Closing Costs C…

The VA funding fee is a one-time charge that can be paid upfront or rolled into the mortgage. See how much it costs in 2024.

There are a lot of different types of loans, today we’ll be talking about confirming loans, loans that fall beneath a price threshold known as the conforming loan limit, and jumbo loans, loans that surpass the conforming loan limit of their location. Kate Wood makes sense of the difference between the two loans, their requirements, and piggyback loans (also known as an 80-10-10 loan). Suggested Articles: Jumbo Loans: When a Regular Mortgage Isn’t Enough: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/mort…

Government home loans, issued or guaranteed by a federal agency, help borrowers buy, refinance or improve a home.

Many long-term care insurance shoppers get sticker shock and give up — but there are ways to lower the cost of coverage. Find out more.

Lenders like to see a steady two-year work history with a stable or rising income, but that doesn’t mean any kind of job change or gap will sink an application.

You may not have to buy special insurance to pay for expenses like assisted living or a nursing home. Here are other ways to plan for future care.

These hybrid policies offer life insurance, plus pay for long-term care expenses that health insurance won’t cover. Here’s how they work.

To rent or to buy, that IS the question. But how do you decide? There’s a lot of ways you could look at it... as a strictly financial decision or based on where you are in your life and what your goals are (money and otherwise). You can also use a combo of the two. Kate shares some helpful insights to help you make the buying vs renting decision. NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS 1617539 nmlsconsumeraccess.org Suggested Articles: Rent vs buy – what’s right for you?:https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortg…

If you’re priced out of homebuying, it’s OK to take a step back. Use the timeout to reevaluate goals and strengthen finances to keep the homeownership dream alive.

Rocket Homes — a sister company of Rocket Mortgage — matches you with real estate agents and provides online tools to shop for, buy or sell a home.

MLS stands for multiple listing service, the platform that real estate agents use to list properties for sale and find homes for buyers.

The real estate agent commission is typically 5% to 6% of the home sale price. The seller pays the commission, which is usually split between the seller’s and buyer’s agents.

Tapping into home equity safely requires understanding the costs and risks, thoughtfully planning and shopping around to find the best deal.

Pre-qualification estimates how much you may be able to borrow, based on a mostly informal evaluation of your finances. Preapproval carries more weight and requires documentation.

It might be hard to imagine now, but chances are you’ll need some help taking care of yourself later in life. The big question is: How will you pay for it?

On average, homes sell fastest and at the highest prices in June and July in most areas of the country.