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20 Things you should know about the Panama Papers, the world’s biggest financial scandal
You may have heard the term, “The Panama Papers,” a lot lately in the news and online. In fact, that’s the name of a financial scandal that has transcended international borders, political philosophies, and even governments, exposing the biggest and most powerful nexus of wealth that the world has ever seen. But most people still […]
Knowing these credit score basics will help you get the lowest interest rate on your mortgage and save you big bucks
A snapshot of how credit works. Keeping a great credit score is the best way to save money on your mortgage, car loan, credit cards, and other interest rates, and it can take a lifetime of responsible financial choices to achieve that. Unfortunately, there isn’t just one credit score because there are several credit reporting […]
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac report they will forgive principal for some homeowners. Will you be eligible?
Tens of thousands of homeowners may soon have their mortgage balances cut and even payments reworked according to a report by the Wall Street Journal and other sources. The aid comes under a plan that has recently been approved by Federal Housing Finance Agency, the regulator and overseer of mortgage-finance entities Fannie Mae and Freddie […]
Americans overpay $20 billion annually on their mortgages by not refinancing
When was the last time you refinanced your home loan? If you’re like many U.S. homeowners, the fact remains that you very well could be over-paying on your mortgage every month by a serious amount based on what loans are available at current interest rates. In fact, the according to a new study by the […]
25 Facts about home ownership in the U.S. that show why mortgage education is vital
We’re nearly half a decade removed from the dark days of the real estate crash, mortgage meltdown, and Great Recession in the U.S., and yet we still have a shadow that’s cast over the national housing landscape. In fact, home ownership is at an alarmingly low level, despite low interest rates, strong job numbers, and […]
7 Tips for getting a jumbo mortgage loan.
There are certain things that are quintessentially American: big cars, big buildings, big movie stars, bigger hamburgers, and…big mortgage loans? In fact, jumbo loans – or any loan above conventional loan limits as set by government-sponsored Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – are back in a big way. Despite having gone through some volatility during […]
What your Realtor CAN’T tell you
Let’s say you’re in the market to buy a house, so you and your husband or wife are sitting comfortably in your favorite Realtor’s car, driving around on a pleasant Saturday morning looking at prospective homes for sale. You turn down a pleasant tree-lined street and pass friendly, waving neighbors, and your mind naturally turns […]
The 15 core values of highly successful real estate agents
At Guild Mortgage, we have the privilege of working with some of the best real estate agents in Sacramento, if not the entire country. Through the years, I’ve often taken notice of how they go about their work – and their lives – hoping I could learn something. What I’ve found is that while their […]
20 Facts about appraisals every homeowner and mortgagee should know
1. An appraisal is an estimate or professional opinion of value based on a comprehensive inspection of the subject property, and then comparing the findings to similar properties sold in the same neighborhood. The purpose of the appraisal is to define the market value of the property – what a reasonable sales price would be […]
BROKERS BEWARE! LEGAL ISSUES AGAINST REALTORS AND BROKERAGES CAN DERAIL YOUR BUSINESS (PART 2)
In part one of this blog, we covered the first three legal issues that get Brokers and Realtors in hot water, as reported by the National Association of Realtors. Here are the rest of the top ten: Legal issue #4: Antitrust violations Definition: Antitrust laws look to curb unreasonable restraints on trade. In the real […]