Get a top-to-bottom examination of your new home before closing

By Warren Lutz
Homestore.com

Suppose you bought a house and later discovered, to your dismay, that the stucco exterior concealed a nasty case of dry rot. Or suppose that winter when you fired up the furnace, you discovered a cracked heat exchanger leaking gas into your home.

The best way ...   more »

By Ben Johnson
Homestore.com

Ghouls, goblins and other frightening experiences may be fine for Halloween, but when you're trying to get a mortgage for your new dream home, you want to avoid potential problems. Here are a few mortgage nightmares to avoid.

Nightmare One: Pile on Those Debts
Henry was a successful stock trader and a newlywed in his late-20s. ...   more »

Before you sign a thing, make sure you're making the right choices

By Mike Sheridan
Homestore.com

With mortgage rates at their lowest level in some time, it's a great time to obtain a mortgage for that long-dreamed about home. But it's also a bad time to overlook certain things in the mad dash to sign on the dotted line. Steer ...   more »

Written by Peter G. Miller

Most of us like to get paid for our work, the sooner the better. But in real estate this is a major problem because brokers are routinely paid weeks and months after their work is completed.

In the usual case, brokers are hired to find a buyer or locate a property consistent with client requirements. ...   more »

Adjustable-rate Mortgage (ARM): A mortgage loan with an interest rate subject to change over the term of the loan. The interest rate is tied to the performance of a specified market rate, such as the cost of funds index calculated by the 11th District of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, or the yields on one-year or six-month U.S. Treasury ...   more »

by John Adams

Last week we looked at some of the features of home mortgages, and saw what you can expect as you enter the home buying marketplace.

Today, I want to review some of the costs you can expect to pay associated with any new home loan. With any luck, the builder or seller will agree to pay at ...   more »

Whether you're adding on, renovating, or starting from scratch, here's how to finance your home project

By Francis Solomon
Homestore.com

Construction loans

Q: I am going to build a house. Can you tell me about construction loans? -- Lonnie

A: Construction loans are interim or short-term loans. Usually money is set aside in a special account for the borrower, who ...   more »

By Warren Lutz

While shopping for the best loan terms, you may be tempted to pre-qualify with more than one lender. If so, be careful. Too many pre-qualifications could affect your ability to borrow money.

Every time ...   more »