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First-time home buyer guides, helpful mortgage tips, and easy-to-follow articles to make you a better first-time buyer.

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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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What Are Mortgage Guidelines?
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2 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?
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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. This…

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

What Is Annual Percentage Rate (APR)?

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is a calculation that represents the complete cost of mortgage held to its full term, expressed as a…

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What Is an Assumable Mortgage?
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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 period where each payment is divided into…

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What Is The Federal Reserve?
Buying Soon
7 min read

What Is The Federal Reserve?

The Federal Reserve is the U.S. government's central bank. The Federal Reserve was established by charter in the Federal Reserve Act of…

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How To Pronounce 36 Common Mortgage Acronyms
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8 min read

How To Pronounce 36 Common Mortgage Acronyms

A big list of real estate and mortgage acronyms, what each term means, and a helpful guide for how to pronounce…

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The Conventional 100 Mortgage For First-Time Home Buyers
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6 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 in…

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The HELPER Act Mortgage: Explained
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17 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
Buying Soon
4 min read

USDA Eligibility Map

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
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8 min read

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

First-time home buyers may soon get a $15,000 tax credit, courtesy of Decent, Affordable, Safe Housing for All - The DASH Act. Learn how to claim…

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Our Most-Asked First-Time Home Buyer Questions
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5 min read

Our Most-Asked First-Time Home Buyer Questions

We've worked with thousands of first-time home buyers. This post looks at the first-time home buyer questions we hear from a lot of…

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7 Popular Mortgages for First-Time Home Buyers
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3 min read

7 Popular Mortgages for First-Time Home Buyers

The government gives first-time buyers extra help: Mortgage rate discounts, low-down payment mortgages, reduced mortgage insurance…

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FHFA First-Time Home Buyer Mortgage Rate Discount: Explained
Buying Soon
4 min read

FHFA First-Time Home Buyer Mortgage Rate Discount: Explained

The FHFA Mortgage Rate Discount waives loan-level pricing adjustments (LLPAs) on conventional mortgages made to first-time…

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VA Loan: What Military Home Buyers Need To Know
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8 min read

VA Loan: What Military Home Buyers Need To Know

The VA Loan is an optional, no-down payment mortgage for active military members, discharged veterans, and surviving…

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10 Ways to Get A Lower Mortgage Rate
Buying Soon
7 min read

10 Ways to Get A Lower Mortgage Rate

Today's mortgage rate for a conventional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is [substitext name="conv-30-year-fixed-rate-current"]. But let's say you want…

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What Is The Good Neighbor Next Door Program?
Buying Soon
8 min read

What Is The Good Neighbor Next Door Program?

Good Neighbor Next Door is a government-supported housing program that sells homes at a 50%…

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