Helping Washington State homeowners learn more about their mortgage options.
If you live in the greater Seattle area, you may be receiving a notice from your mortgage servicer stating that they need to adjust your mortgage payment because of an “escrow shortage”. We actually just received such notice from our mortgage servicer. [Read more…]
Earlier this month, USDA updated the maps that determine if homes are eligible for USDA financing. USDA allows eligible home buyers to purchase a home with no down payment. In order the qualify, the borrowers must meet the income limit requirements and the property needs to be in a designated rural area.
Current eligible areas include areas like Enumclaw, Fall City and Vashon Island as well as parts of Black Diamond and parts of Duvall. The specific address really needs to be ran as homes directly across the street from each other may or may not be eligible. [Read more…]
I recently helped a couple successfully close on their new home in Seattle before having to close on their former home in Everett. By using a bridge loan to access equity on the Everett home, they were able to make a winning offer on the Seattle home without it having to be “subject to the sale” of their former home. This help to make their offer far more attractive in a very competitive real estate market. [Read more…]
Later next month, Freddie Mac will be offering a new program for first time home buyers. This mortgage program offers low down payment options without the income limit or geographic restrictions that Home Possible has.
HomeOne will be available for both purchases and rate-term refinances on single family dwellings. At least one borrower on the application must be a first time home buyer when the transaction is a purchase and home buyer education is required. [Read more…]
The Northwest Multiple Listing Service issued a press release indicating that we are finally seeing an increase in new listings being added to the market. The 14,524 new listings that came on during May, in the 23 counties that the NWMLS serves, are the most listings added in one month in 10 years. In King County, there were almost 1000 homes added to the market creating just over one month of inventory – the first time since September of last year. Here’s a link to the NWMLS market snapshot for May 2018. [Read more…]
As expected, the Fed increased the Funds rate by 0.25% moments ago. The markets were anticipating this move by the Fed and, as I write this post, I’m not seeing any significant rate changes to mortgage interest rates. The rates were already “baked in the cake”. Had the Fed decided to increase rates beyond 0.25% or not to take action, we would potentially be being seeing a reaction with the bond market which would be reflected in mortgage interest rates. [Read more…]
I just received a newsletter from a local real estate agent which had an article about whether buyers should opt for a conventional or FHA loan. I’m pretty certain the real estate agent didn’t write the article, however the author, whoever they are, got a lot of things wrong regarding these two mortgage programs. Many of the items that were wrong are what I think are fairly common misconceptions with these two popular mortgage programs. So I thought this was a grand opportunity to write a post to correct them…I’ll skip the fine hairs 😉 [Read more…]
Freddie Mac’s Prime Mortgage Market Survey released today shows that mortgage rates improved based on average conforming rates last week.
Rhonda Porter is a Licensed Mortgage Originator MLO121324 living in the greater Seattle area. Rhonda began her career in 1986 in the title and escrow industry and began her mortgage career in 2000. She enjoys helping people understand the mortgage process and started writing The Mortgage Porter in late 2006. Read More…
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