Articles by Tim Lucas - Page 3

Which coast would you live in based on these two $500k properties?

The USDA has launched its own version of the streamlined refinance program, similar to HARP and the FHA streamline refinance. No credit scores, no appraisals, and very low mortgage rates.

President Trump took to Twitter to advise a 1% rate cut and further stimulus from the Federal Reserve.

Know more about mortgage rates, and you'll get a better rate. Understand how rates are made and how to best shop for FHA, VA, USDA, & conventional loans.

Mortgage rates plummet after a surprise move by the Fed: a forecast of no more rate hikes in 2019.

Mortgage rates have been falling since November, but the American consumer is just now noticing. A mini refi boom has started as homeowners are starting to notice low rates.

What does the right ZIP Code cost? In this case, a cool $2 million. That gets you a 70-year-old one-story home with a basement. But travel just a few miles away, and it's shocking what that same budget can buy.

"Don't buy coffee. Save for a house." You hear it a lot. But does skipping Starbucks put a dent in your down payment? We don't think so. Regardless, we're giving away a $250 Starbucks gift card to one lucky home buyer.

One million dollars. In some markets, that's a lot of money. In others, it only gets you a typical home. What would you buy with $1 million?

Getting your offer accepted by a seller is exciting but stressful, too. Here's what to expect, and what you need to do once you get your first accepted offer to buy a home.

Learn how many houses you should look at before making an offer to be sure you found the best value on your new home.

Average down payments aren't as big as you think. Most home buyers only put down about 5%. Find out the right down payment level for you.

Should you get pre-qualified or pre-approved before you shop for homes? Learn about pre-qualification versus pre-approval here.

You don't need great credit to buy a house. In fact, credit scores of just 580-620 can often qualify for a mortgage.

Condo vs. house: Which is better? Both have their benefits and drawbacks. Learn more about both options here.

Here's how to find out how much mortgage you can qualify for. Use our simple calculators to estimate your budget.

Should you buy or rent? It's not an easy decision, but one that you can make if you take a look at your situation.

The first step to buying a home isn't all that exciting, but hugely important. Surprisingly, some new home buyers skip it, and are fairly disappointed later. Find out the home buyer's first step -- and save some headache later.