When you buy a home or refinance, your lender will talk about setting up an “escrow” account. They may also refer to the charges in that account at “impounds.” If you are new to mortgage loans, you may not understand what these terms mean. And even if you’ve been around the mortgage block a few times, you may wonder if you’d be better off handling the impounds yourself. What are Escrow Accounts and Impounds? Escrow is a third party-managed account that collects money for your property taxes and homeowner insurance, paying them off when the bills ...
December 30th, 2020 | Mortgage Advice, Should I Pay Mortgage Taxes and Insurance on My Own?
Back in the U.S. housing boom in the early 2000s, mortgage money flowed freely, with many borrowers being qualified for more loan than they could actually afford. When the housing bubble burst and the entire economy took a hit, those same home buyers often had a hard time keeping up with their home loan payments and ended up in foreclosure. Today, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people have lost jobs or had work hours reduced. While lending regulations have been tightened since the Great Recession, it is still possible for home buyers to be approved for more money t...
December 9th, 2020 | Interest Rates, Preapproval, Mortgage Advice, How Much of My Income Should Go to My Mortgage?