It's amazing that in a year with extremely low mortgage rates being reported around the country, closing costs are up by as much as 6% from the previous year. Part of the reason for this is that the stricter regulations on loans have increased the costs to banks, and they always find a way to pass on new costs to the consumer. Understanding Third-Party Closing Costs When closing on a mortgage the borrower will notice a long list of additional fees that they are expected to pay for. These can range from insignificant into the thousands of dollars depending on the state and the deal. When … [Read more...]
Do You Need a Real Estate Attorney to Help Close Your Home Purchase? Let’s Take a Look
When buying a new home, you may have a close eye focused on your budget and expenses, and your goal may be to keep related expenses to a minimum. However, you may also be well aware that a real estate purchase is a legal transaction, and you may be wondering if you need to pay for legal services from a real estate attorney. With a closer look, you can make a better decision that is right for your home buying plans. The Legal Forms Used With A Typical Transaction The majority of real estate contracts will be written using standard legal forms. These are legally binding forms with clauses that … [Read more...]
Seller-Paid Closing Costs In A Seller’s Market? Yes, It’s Still Possible
For first-time home buyers, closing costs are a major hurdle for home ownership. Coming up with a down payment and several thousand dollars for closing costs can be hard without home equity to tap. To help, buyers often ask sellers to cover all or some of these costs. In markets favoring buyers, this is a common habit, but when the market switches to favoring sellers it becomes harder. Sellers who know they may get multiple offers are less likely to say "yes" to this request. Yet even when the market favors sellers, buyers can still ask for this help. It all depends on how the offer is … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Help Your Mortgage Transaction Close On Time
When you've finally found the home you're looking for at the right price, it's easy to think that the hard part is over; however, there's still a lot to do in order to ensure your purchase goes through without a hitch. If you're tying up the loose ends on your home purchase, here are some things you should do to avoid any unnecessary delays. Hire A Legal Professional However much research you may have done in regards to buying a home, there's still a lot of legal jargon in the closing documents that can be difficult for most people to understand. Instead of doing guesswork, you may want to use … [Read more...]
Yes, It’s True: Mortgage Closing Costs Are Down. Here’s How You Can Take Advantage
Mortgage closing costs have been coming down in recent years, which is good news for buyers. But if you're buying a home in the near future, you'll want to ensure you're prepared to take full advantage of these lower fees - after all, keeping more money in your pocket is always good. When you close on your mortgage, take these three steps and you'll find that you'll pay far less in closing fees than most buyers would. Ask The Seller To Pay Some Of The Closing Costs In most situations, the buyer is responsible for paying all closing costs – that's the industry standard agreement. But just … [Read more...]