A very common technique used today to protect real estate assets is to put them into family trusts. An issue arises, however, when a borrower wants to either purchase a property in the name of a trust...
Seller carryback financing, loans from parents, relatives, or friends; and loans from private investors are all called "private" mortgages when real estate is used as the collateral. In California,...
Today's mortgage process is driven by the desire to minimize the risk of making a loan that will go into default.
Various studies have been conducted in which tens of thousands of loans made over the...
Recently, we had two different clients approach us with issues involving prepayment penalties. They were confused as to the terms and wanted help in verifying the amount due. In one case, the client...
In most cases, your home mortgage is the biggest investment you will ever make. In addition to being the largest expenditure for a single item, your home mortgage usually affects your entire financial...
Credit scoring is one of the most important factors that affect the interest rate on a home mortgage. The sometimes dreaded credit report can be a source of confusion. Even though many consumers are...
Recently, many consumers have been showing interest in owner/builder home construction and financing. If you are also interested in building your own home, perhaps you will find these general guidelines...
An impound account is a reserve maintained by a lender for paying property taxes and insurance premiums on behalf of the homeowner. The borrower makes regular deposits into the account, and the property...
Most mortgage situations require a borrower to prove that they either have sufficient cash to close escrow or sufficient assets to meet reserve requirements. This is true in almost every purchase situation...
Many homeowners have refinanced in the last couple of years and taken advantage of low interest rates. Since that time, rates have risen and will probably continue to rise. Oftentimes, it doesn't make...
Rapid re-scoring of your credit report is a procedure used by lenders to quickly assist you to obtain better terms on your mortgages. The lender submits documentation to the issuer of your credit report...
The Mortgage Loan Disclosure Statement/Good Faith Estimate is an important document which is required to be provided to a borrower within three business days of the receipt of your loan application....
Frequently we receive questions regarding the pros and cons of debt consolidation loans. Therefore, it might be informative to review some general guidelines to determine if this might also be to your...
Pledged asset loans enable borrowers to obtain 100 percent financing on a home while maintaining investment goals and maximizing tax advantages. Last week, we discussed using this mechanism to possibly...
You may have seen the ads in local newspapers about the 2006 Street of Dreams tour of luxury homes will begin at the DarkHorse Golf Community in Auburn this weekend.
Four spectacular custom homes valued...
