Q&A: Can We Get Approved For A Mortgage With $109k In Student Loan Debt?

Q. My wife (28) and I (27) just got married and we are hoping to buy a small starter house sometime in the next three years. We’ve discussed finances [a lot] so we feel ahead of the curve there. I make $65,000 a year as an engineer and she makes … [Read more...]

So, You Want a Mortgage? What You’ll Need to Get Approved Fast

There’s no question, it’s a good time to get a mortgage. Average rates on 30-year fixed-rate loans are around or under 3.5 percent, according to BankRate.com. Although a couple years ago when 30-year mortgage rates were around 4 or 5 percent, … [Read more...]

How Lease Options Work When You ‘Rent To Own’ A House

We spend a lot of time debating when you know it's a good time for you to buy a home and, sometimes, offering gentle reminders that it can be smart to rent. But there's another option: One that melds the pros and cons of both home ownership and … [Read more...]

Moving Advice: How To Save On Your Next Move

What qualifies me to give moving advice? Well, since graduating from college, I’ve moved four times. (In my entire life, make that 10 moves.) Some of my friends have moved twice as much or more in their lifetime. And if you’re in a military … [Read more...]

How Do You Know When You’re Ready To Buy A Home?

Sibling rivalry doesn't end at childhood; just ask my sister. Amber bought her home at 25 years old, almost immediately after I purchased my house. She couldn't let her baby brother be the only homeowner in the family. After all, owning a home is … [Read more...]

A Home Buying Checklist: Organize Your Wants and Needs

If you came to me as a prospective home buyer and asked to go out shopping for houses, there are two things I would ask you: What do you want in a house and What do you need in a house? To many people, this subtlety is lost. If buyers tell … [Read more...]

How to Sublet Your Apartment Safely (And More)

If you’re a college student, recent grad, or anyone living in a big city, you’re no stranger to sublets: Apartments that one tenant subleases to somebody else, often for a short period of time (such as a summer break). Although the concept of … [Read more...]

Renter’s Insurance: When You Need It and How To Get It

Fire. Theft. Vandalism. Flooding. Scary, right? Although we hope it won't happen to us, anybody could be a disaster victim. And that's why home owners have insurance---to protect the roof over our heads and replace possessions in case the … [Read more...]

The Consequences of Walking Away From a Mortgage

I hope this post doesn’t apply to you. That is, I hope you’re not in---or at risk of---foreclosure. We all know there are still a lot of foreclosures out there. As a Realtor, it’s especially obvious. Every time I drive to one of my short … [Read more...]

What I Learned From Buying My First Home

A few weeks ago, I closed on my first home. (Two months ago, I didn’t even know what closing on a home really meant...that's how fast this all happened!) Still, we've been on the road to this day for a few years. My husband and I paid off our … [Read more...]