246 articles and videos on mortgage rates, the housing market and smart home financing, in plain English.
This morning, important monthly housing data came out. The numbers show that the market is continuing to stay strong. There are some possible hurdles ahead, but things are still looking good currently. Annual Home Sales 5.77 million annualized units (which is strong to pre-COVID) for existing homes sold. One of the other numbers that really…
This week, we rolled out a product that I thought we’d never see. At Franklin Loan Center, we’re pretty good with hard money loans for people who need loans where income or employment doesn’t matter. But these types of loans are only for investment properties due to the compliance issues for owner-occupied loans – which…
A topic that has been coming up as a byproduct of the current market: financing unique properties. I wanted to talk about this a little bit today to let you know that there are options available. Any Property Can Sell Right Now Right now, any property is worth listing for sale, because you will find…
This week I’m talking about a topic that isn’t necessarily real estate related, but it definitely has a tie-in: inflation. Here in California, we are hearing a lot about our state government working on a $400 giveaway for everybody because gas prices are high. How Inflation Affects Real Estate So, how does this tie into…
▶ VideoRates are continuing to run up – it’s been another rough week when it comes to interest rates. People are asking: where can I get some relief? There’s a surprising answer to this question… but it isn’t for everyone. Jumbo Loan Rates vs. Conventional Loans We are seeing better rates on jumbo loans, particularly for…
The Fed meets on Wednesday every six weeks, and this week they decided to increase the Fed Funds Rate by .25%. I’ve talked about this topic before, but it’s a good chance to review: does this rate change have any impact on mortgage rates? No, it’s not linked directly. Why the Fed is Increasing Rates…
▶ VideoThe main topic of today: the uncertainty of what is happening with the economy and everything that is happening right now. The combination of COVID plus the news that is coming out of Ukraine is adding even more uncertainty to our situation. Oil Sanctions and Inflation Pressures Interestingly, many of the things that are happening,…
▶ VideoThe main topic of today: the uncertainty of what is happening with the economy and everything that is happening right now. The combination of COVID plus the news that is coming out of Ukraine is adding even more uncertainty to our situation. Oil Sanctions and Inflation Pressures Interestingly, many of the things that are happening,…
▶ VideoEarlier today, The Fed was in front of congress and talking about the direction we are going with rates. One thing they said seemed to be great news on the surface – regarding a small increase in rates. Note: remember that we are talking about the Fed funds rate. Assumptions About Rates Going Up It’s…
▶ VideoToday’s topic is all about credit. When you are getting a mortgage, it’s common to wonder if a credit score really matters? The answer: absolutely yes! Credit is the one thing that will make the biggest difference in your rate, program, and approval. Income, employment, and down payment are all factors that influence your offer.…
▶ VideoToday, I’m sharing news about big changes that just rolled out regarding conventional loans for people who are self-employed. Are You Self Employed? If you are running a company or are a member of a corporation, LLC, or a partnership (holding 25% or more as an owner of the company), it means that you are…
▶ VideoThis topic isn’t new, but I think it’s worth mentioning since I haven’t shared about it on these videos before. It’s an important topic, especially for people who looking for mortgage options. Low Credit Score Borrowers Conventional loans, specifically Fannie Mae, actually allow for an averaging of two client’s low middle scores. Historically speaking, you…
