Mortgage Industry News and Events

The headline says it all: The Mortgage Bankers Association’s Refinance Index – a metric that measures the number of refinancing applications – rose 163% compared to this time a year ago, and back up to a seasonal high as well. That’s the news in the October 9th issue [...]

Now’s the time to act. If you’ve been sitting on the fence thinking about buying or refinancing Orange County real estate, it doesn’t get much better than this. As of this writing (October 6th, 2019), well-qualified buyers are getting the best mortgage rates we’ve seen in years. Interest [...]

The quality and safety of local schools is one of the most critical considerations in the homebuying process. It’s importance for families with children is self-explanatory, but it’s also an important consideration even if you don’t have children: the better the schools, the higher the market value of the home. [...]

First-time homebuyer? Need a little boost to get on the property ladder? Fortunately, there’s help available for Laguna Beach, Orange County and California residents. Laguna Beach and Orange County properties aren’t cheap. Because Southern California is an incredible, desirable place to live, demand is always high for Orange County homes, [...]

Millions of Americans are heading into their retirement years facing a cash crunch: they need income, but much of their accumulated wealth over their working lives is in their houses. And houses aren’t very liquid. In many cases, the retirement-age homeowner can’t qualify for a traditional cash-out mortgage because they’re [...]

Millennials have been in the press a lot lately. Much of the news has been about how Millennials have been putting off home purchases. And it’s true – Millennials have tended to buy homes about 5-7 years further into their careers than previous generations. As of the close of [...]

Lots of people ask us whether it’s best to get a Conventional mortgage – one that meets the minimum requirements for purchase by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac – or apply for an FHA loan. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, so the answer is usually, “It depends!” [...]

The Opportunity Have you been shopping for a home, but feel like you are priced out of the market? It may not be too late for you to buy. With the right property and a little imagination, you can now finance the purchase and the renovation expenses together [...]

This post is for you home shoppers and/or investors who found a great house that needs some work, but you don’t have the cash for both the needed repairs and for the down payment up front. It’s also for you if you found a great fixer-upper opportunity, but you can’t [...]

Real estate is a time-tested long-term wealth generator. Few other investments offer the same qualities in combination as real estate does: • Current rental income/cash flow • Potential for price appreciation • Tangible value • Built-in hedge against inflation • Ready availability of leverage • Tax deductions for depreciation [...]