http://www.isnare.com/?s=author&a=Matt+Schaub Real Estate Matt Schaub Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=142382&ca=Real+Estate 1. Decide on the kind of home you’re looking for. Know a) what you want and, b) what you need in your new home. This will save valuable time and energy. Focus on your specific requirements, and you’ll have a personalized game plan. You’ll be headed towards your very special goal: the home that’s rig... Real Estate Matt Schaub Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=142383&ca=Real+Estate If you're a renter and thinking about purchasing your first home, here’s what you should consider: 1. Consider how long you plan to live in your home. Here’s what can happen. Say you buy your dream home. Or, maybe you’re living the first part of your dream simply by purchasing your first home. And... Real Estate Matt Schaub Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=142384&ca=Real+Estate With an interest-only loan, you can simply pay the interest. Or you can pay the interest, plus as much of the principal that you decide to pay in any given month. Interest-only loans, which are available for a fixed number of years – and always in the loan’s initial years – may be fixed-rate mortgag... Real Estate Matt Schaub Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=142385&ca=Real+Estate Many people who are buying a home or refinancing are surprised to learn that, when they hear about the Federal Reserve Board lowering interest rates, mortgage rates actually go up. How can that be? Well mainly, it’s because we’re talking about a different category of interest rates. The Federal Res... Real Estate Matt Schaub Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=142386&ca=Real+Estate Did you know there is a difference between getting pre-qualified for a loan, and being pre-approved for one? Many people are a bit surprised to learn they are not the same. Let’s look at the difference right now: Pre-qualified: Pre-qualification is a very useful procedure for determining how much yo... Real Estate Matt Schaub Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=142661&ca=Real+Estate If you’re thinking about tapping into your home equity, here are your options and things you should be considering – Refinance Option: Is the interest rate on your mortgage higher than the current interest rates? Then you may want to refinance to a larger loan amount. The difference you take, in ca... Real Estate Matt Schaub Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=142662&ca=Real+Estate Q. Should I refinance? The answer depends on your financial goals. A desire to lower your interest rate and/or payment is good reason to refinance, but there are other things to take into account: • How long do you expect to be in the home? • How much equity do you have in the home? • How much will... Real Estate Matt Schaub Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=142663&ca=Real+Estate 1. Deduct Your Mortgage Interest Usually, the mortgage interest on your home is completely tax-deductible. And you can deduct interest on multiple mortgages. Just make sure they do not exceed $1 million. The purpose of the mortgage must be specifically to buy, build or improve a home. Your lender wi... Real Estate Matt Schaub Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=124753&ca=Real+Estate Tips and Techniques to Avoid Moving Day Blues. You managed the loan process and made it though closing with your sanity in check! Homeownership and the accompanying mortgage is a reality. Congratulations you're moving! Condolences, you're moving. Moving is exciting and stressful! In addition to the... Finances Matt Schaub Sat, 10 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=124754&ca=Finances There has been a lot of buzz about reverse mortgages, and quite frankly it is confusing. Some tout a reverse mortgage as great way to pay for retirement and others warn that it could actually cost you and your heirs a lot of money. In reality they're both right. Traditionally reverse mortgage produc...