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Find first-time home buyer guides, helpful mortgage tips, and easy-to-follow articles on mortgages, real estate, and how to be a better first-time buyer.

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What Is Clear-to-Close?
Just Starting
3 min read

What Is Clear-to-Close?

"Clear-to-close" is the final stage of mortgage underwriting, signifying that all prerequisites have been met and your mortgage lender has given the…

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What Is Boarder Income?
Just Starting
3 min read

What Is Boarder Income?

Boarder income is a homeowner's earnings from people who rent and live in spare rooms or sections of a…

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What Is A Basis Point?
Just Starting
2 min read

What Is A Basis Point?

A basis point is a unit of measure in finance. One basis point equals 0.01%, or one-hundredth of a…

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What Are Mortgage-Backed Securities?
Just Starting
3 min read

What Are Mortgage-Backed Securities?

Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) are investment products based on groups of mortgage loans, which play a significant role in determining mortgage…

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What Is A Lien?
Just Starting
4 min read

What Is A Lien?

A lien is a financial claim on a property initiated when a person owes money and removed when the debt is…

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What Is a Deed?
Just Starting
4 min read

What Is a Deed?

A deed is a legal document that conveys ownership of real property from one party to another and contains a proper property…

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Improve Your Credit Score for Mortgage Approval
Just Starting
5 min read

Improve Your Credit Score for Mortgage Approval

This article was published in partnership with StellarFi. StellarFi helps our community of home buyers easily build their credit score using the…

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What Are Mortgage Guidelines?
Just Starting
3 min read

What Are Mortgage Guidelines?

Mortgage guidelines are the rules and standards used to underwrite, approve, and fund a mortgage loan. Mortgage guidelines vary by mortgage loan type…

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What Is an Arms-Length Transaction?
Just Starting
3 min read

What Is an Arms-Length Transaction?

An arms-length transaction in real estate is a purchase in which the home buyer and seller are unrelated in their business and personal lives, which…

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What Is Annual Percentage Rate (APR)?
Just Starting
3 min read

What Is Annual Percentage Rate (APR)?

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is a calculation that represents the projected annual cost of borrowing for a mortgage to its full term, expressed as a…

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What Is an Assumable Mortgage?
Just Starting
3 min read

What Is an Assumable Mortgage?

An assumable mortgage is a mortgage that lets home buyers take over, or “assume,” the seller’s existing mortgage. Assumable mortgages…

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What Is Amortization?
Just Starting
2 min read

What Is Amortization?

Amortization is the process of paying off a debt, such as a mortgage, in regular installments over a specific period of time, where each payment is…

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The November 2023 Federal Reserve Meeting & Mortgage Rates
Buying Soon
6 min read

The November 2023 Federal Reserve Meeting & Mortgage Rates

The Federal Reserve voted “no change” on the Fed Funds Rate at its November 2023 FOMC Meeting by unanimous vote. The pause held the…

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Mortgage Abbreviations You Might Pronounce Incorrectly
Just Starting
12 min read

Mortgage Abbreviations You Might Pronounce Incorrectly

The complete list of mortgage abbreviations and real estate terms you're 99% sure you know how to pronounce.…

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The Conventional 100 Mortgage For First-Time Home Buyers
Just Starting
8 min read

The Conventional 100 Mortgage For First-Time Home Buyers

The Conventional 100 mortgage is a no-money-down down payment assistance program for U.S. home buyers. It’s available to first-time home buyers…

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The HELPER Act Mortgage: Explained
Just Starting
18 min read

The HELPER Act Mortgage: Explained

The HELPER Act is a 100% mortgage program, exempt from mortgage insurance, for teachers, firefighters, and law enforcement…

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USDA Eligibility Map: Updated for 2024
Buying Soon
4 min read

USDA Eligibility Map: Updated for 2024

The USDA Eligibility Map is a free tool that shows which U.S. homes may qualify for a USDA…

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The DASH Act: $15,000 Tax Credit For First-Time Home Buyers
Just Starting
8 min read

The DASH Act: $15,000 Tax Credit For First-Time Home Buyers

First-time home buyers may soon benefit from a $15,000 tax credit, courtesy of the 2023 DASH Act. Let's look at the bill and how to claim…

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