Another Source for a Down Payment

Borrowing from a 401k, 403b or the cash value of life insurance policy is a common financial strategy. While taxpayers are not allowed borrow from either a traditional or Roth IRA, they can withdraw funds before age 59 ½ for specific purposes like a first home purchase, qualified higher education expenses or permanent disability without

Anticipating the Cost of a Home

The largest expenditure a buyer has when purchasing a home is the down payment which can range from zero for veterans or 3.5%, 5%, 10% and 20%. With mortgages come closing costs which can be another 2-4% and must be paid at settlement in cash. Most mortgages require an escrow account to pay the property

Personal Finance Review

Even if Benjamin Franklin never actually used the expression “a penny saved is a penny earned”, the reality is that it has been a sentiment for frugality for centuries. He did say: “Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.” At the end of the day, it is not about how

an Investment Perspective on a Home

Looking for an investment that will turn $10,000 into $80,000 in seven years? Sound too good to be true? What if I told you that you could live in it every day during that seven years? Would that sound even better? A $300,000 home purchased today on an FHA loan would have a $10,500 down

Understanding the Mortgage Interest Deduction

Mortgage interest paid on your principal residence is deductible today as it was in 1913 when 16th amendment allowed personal income tax. The 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act reduced the maximum amount of acquisition debt from $1,000,000 to $750,000. Acquisition debt is the amount of debt used to buy, build or improve a principal