Lenders often require borrowers to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI) on top of their mortgage loan. PMI is a type of insurance that actually protects the lender, not the borrower, against default and loss. If the borrower contributes less than a 20
When you are ready to buy a home, one of your first items of business is to find a mortgage lender. As you start your search you may hear terms like “mortgage broker” and “mortgage banker.” What is the difference between these and
As you begin the mortgage process, you’ll have lots of terminology thrown at you that can be a little confusing. Two similar sounding terms that might have you perplexed are conforming and conventional loans. Are these the same thing? Here’s w
If you’re applying for a home loan, you’ve probably learned that there are many different types of mortgages. There are two major classes of home loans: conventional and government-insured. While both types have their role, consider this expla
After making all your mortgage payments for several years, you suddenly get a check in the mail from your escrow account. If you didn’t pay close attention during your mortgage closing, you may not even remember what an escrow account is. Here&rsquo
One of the important steps in the home-buying process is to have a title search conducted. The title is the legal ownership record of a property and it's important to make sure there are no prior claims, also known as liens, on the house that might cause