Key Interest Rates To Watch
11/14/24 – Mortgage rates flat over the last week, hovering around 7%. … Read more ⇢
Property Finances
Have You Filed Your Property Tax Exemption?
1/2/24 – Care to put $70 in your pocket? If you have yet to file this homeowner exemption, then you’re putting it in the assessor’s pocket. The filing period for the one-page form… Read more ⇢
California Property Taxes
4/1/19 – Property taxes in California are limited by Proposition 13, a law approved by California voters in 1978. The law has two important features. First, it limits… Read more ⇢
Skipping A Mortgage Payment
“What happens if I skip a mortgage payment?” is one of those questions we hope you never have to ask, but life is unpredictable: Sometimes no matter how carefully… Read more ⇢
Deconstructing The 30-Year Mortgage Rate
According to the Mortgage Interest Rate Survey produced by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, contract rates on 30-Year fixed rate mortgages ticked up one basis point in December 2017 to… Read more ⇢
Getting The Best Mortgage Rate
If you’re in the market for a new home, it’s important to know your credit score. A good credit score can lead to a better interest… Read more ⇢
Insurance Tips For A Home Renovation
Notify the insurance company before the renovation. Home remodels, big or small, typically increase the value of the home and the risk borne by it—and the homeowners insurance policy should reflect… Read more ⇢
See What LA County Has On Your Home
Here are all the county government websites that hold any information you would ever need to know about property matters involving LA County: LA County Property Tax Portal –… Read more ⇢
Changes Coming To Prop 13?
Proposition 13 (Prop 13) may undergo changes from a proposed ballot initiative for the 2018 statewide elections. The measure, sponsored by the California Association of Realtors (CAR), seeks to amend Prop 13 by allowing… Read more ⇢
Factors That Make Up Your Mortgage Rate
1. Credit Scores Your credit score is one factor that can affect your interest rate. In general, consumers with higher credit scores receive lower interest rates than consumers with lower credit… Read more ⇢
Finding The Right Kind of Property Insurance
Homeowners and renters insurance protect your home and personal property against damage or loss, and insures you in case someone gets hurt while on your property. You may… Read more ⇢
What’s A Good Credit Score?
A credit score is a three-digit number with a huge impact on your finances. The score determines the amount of money you can borrow and the rates financial institutions are… Read more ⇢
Mortgage Interest Deduction On The Chopping Block
President Donald Trump has proposed rewriting the tax code to raise the standard federal deduction to a level where about 25 million homeowners would no longer take advantage of the… Read more ⇢
Will I Get Burned By Filing A CLaim?
It’s that age-old conundrum: You pay for homeowners insurance to protect yourself from financial ruin, yet filing a claim when disaster does strike puts you at risk of seeing your… Read more ⇢
Mortgage Insurance: When 20% Down Is Not Possible
This information is taken directly from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What is mortgage insurance and how does it work? Mortgage insurance lowers the risk to the lender of… Read more ⇢
What’s A Conventional Loan?
“Conventional” just means that the loan is not part of a specific government program. Conventional loans typically cost less than FHA loans but can be more difficult to get.There are two main… Read more ⇢
Housing Taking Greater Bite Out Of Income
A stack of coins and a calculator on a pie chart depicting the make up of typical household expenses.To see more of my financial images click on the link… Read more ⇢
Do You Have The Right Hazard Insurance?
So what is Homeowner’s Insurance? According to the Insurance Information Institute, homeowners insurance is a package policy. This means that it covers both damage to your property as well as… Read more ⇢
What Drives Mortgage Rates?
I follow all the major data releases in order to better advise clients with timing decisions over selling or buying properties, refinancing existing properties, and when to lock in a… Read more ⇢
Understanding Your Credit Score
Credit scores are compiled separately by three consumer reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union. These credit reporting bureaus calculate scores differently, and base their scores on information that… Read more ⇢
Did Your Mortgage Just Get Cheaper?
In the wake of the financial crisis, the national conforming loan limit was frozen at its 2007 level of $417,000. After nearly a decade of waiting, federal regulators may finally… Read more ⇢
Credit Score No-Nos
An important part of buying a house is getting your financial life in order. One reason is that the higher your credit score, the better rate you’ll secure… Read more ⇢
Go Figure The Math On This Loan
10/21/16 – Put down just 1% and immediately have equity of 3%? With all the hand-wringing going on about housing affordability and inequality these days, I’m not surprised to find this… Read more ⇢
Affordability Crisis Brings About Questionable Lending Practice
It’s called the Affordable Loan Solution Mortgage and it’s offered by Bank of America. Only 3% down and the money need not come from the borrower. No financial reserves and no… Read more ⇢
Saving for Your Down Payment
If buying a home is in your future, one of the realities you’ll need to face is the need to save for a down payment. Depending on the type… Read more ⇢
How to Fix Your Credit Score
If you’re gearing up to buy a house, one of the most important things you can do to prepare is to check your credit score. That number is going… Read more ⇢
Consumer Credit Grows On Eased Lending Standards
5/9/16 – My 2¢: positive sign for the economy and housing market. Given lackluster wage growth and meager savings rate, consumer credit is the engine to economic growth. It… Read more ⇢
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