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Mortgages

Looking for a new mortgage? Or maybe you want to refinance? It can be stressful and confusing, but we've got the experts on hand to make it simple.

Key Mortgage Guides and Calculators

For many of us, getting a mortgage is the biggest financial undertaking we'll ever get. That being said, it's not too difficult to learn the ins and outs of home loans and find the best option for your needs. Below, you can find our essential mortgage guides to learn the ropes and key calculators to understand how much you can take on, how much you will pay, and for how long.

Families thinking about buying a new home may have considered working with a mortgage broker. Many borrowers believe mortgage brokers can lend a helping hand when it comes to finding the best deal on a loan. But as we'll see, a mortgage broker may not always have the borrower's best interests in mind.
Maybe you've overheard coworkers or friends talking about the great deal they got on a new mortgage, or perhaps a recent downward movement in interest rates has you wondering if it's the right time to refinance.
We reviewed all the top mortgage refinance companies and narrowed it down to the best 10 best refinance lenders. Scored based on APRs, minimum credit scores, loans terms, and days to close, these are the best of the best home mortgage lenders in their respective categories.
If you've been wondering if refinancing your mortgages is a good idea, then our refinancing a mortgage calculator can help. We'll let you compare the monthly payment for each loan, so you can see how much you might save each month. The calculator requires two types of inputs: one for the existing mortgage, and one that represents the refinancing option. The calculator provides the savings achieved through refinancing on a monthly basis, as well as the savings over the life of the loan.
You can use the simple monthly mortgage calculator to figure out your monthly mortgage payment. The results of the calculator also include the total of all payments and the interest paid over the life of the mortgage. This mortgage calculator only requires three inputs: total home loan amount, annual interest rate, and the term of the loan.
There's a common misconception that adjustable rate mortgages are only for borrowers that can't afford a fixed rate mortgage. In fact, an adjustable rate mortgage, or ARM, can play an important role in the real estate market, especially to the savvy homeowner. In this article, we're going to first explain what consumers can expect to find in the adjustable rate mortgage marketplace. We're also going to explain some of the pros and cons of this type of loan. Then we'll finish up by providing some online tools that allow users to compare ARMs to more traditional mortgage offerings.
This adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) calculator allows you to see how your monthly payments with an ARM type loan might change over time. This calculator allows you to evaluate true ARM loans, as well as hybrid loans. This planning tool provides estimates of initial monthly mortgage payments, maximum payments, and presents the data for each year of the mortgage.
Mortgage loan rates have soared since their lows in 2021. It used to be you could get a 30-year mortgage for less than 3%. Today, you're looking at 6% or more! If the rates keep rising, it starts making more and more sense to pay your mortgage off!
You can use this maximum mortgage calculator to figure out how much money you can borrow; when thinking about buying a new home. The calculator provides the user with two maximum mortgage values, based on the most common measures that lenders use: The rules of 28 and 36.
There are prime loans, subprime loans, and somewhere in between is the Alt-A loan. This type of mortgage is considered riskier than an A-paper loan (prime), but not quite as risky as a subprime loan; which is generally considered the riskiest type of mortgage a lender can write.
They're called pay option loans, pick a payment, and the somewhat less descriptive term Option ARMs. Regardless of the name, these innovative mortgages can save borrowers 30% or more on their monthly payments; but at what cost?
Retirees that want to enjoy a richer lifestyle should give serious thought to tapping into their home's equity using a reverse mortgage. For many Americans, the single most valuable asset they own is their home, and reverse mortgages allow seniors to generate a steady stream of income. In this article, we're going to help answer the question: What is a reverse mortgage? We're also going to explain how these loans work, and discuss the different offerings on the market today. Finally, we're going to finish up with some information on how they're calculated, their income tax treatment, and the costs...

Mortagage Calculators

Want to dive into the numbers further to get more perspective? We have a diverse set of mortgage calculators – learn how much tax you will be paying, your biweekly payments on your loan, whether you qualify for HELOC, and much more here.

We have over twenty different online mortgage calculators for you to choose from. We've taken our calculators and placed them into categories that follow you from the basics of comparing mortgages, to calculations you might want to perform on an existing mortgage, through specialty mortgages. Our calculators can also help individuals having trouble making their monthly mortgage payments.
October 4th, 2023
You paid off your credit cards, student loans, your car. You saved up a solid emergency fund and now you're investing 15% for your retirement. Holy crap, you're rocking it!!
December 5th, 2023
A balloon mortgage may be a good option for many potential homeowners. The term of a balloon mortgage is usually rather short, from 1 to 10 years. The payments for this type of mortgage, however, are based on a term of 30 years. Balloon mortgages often carry a lower interest rate, and are often easier to qualify for than a traditional 30 year fixed rate mortgage. This benefit comes with a risk. At the end of the balloon's term, you need to pay off the outstanding balance of the loan.
October 4th, 2023
Biweekly mortgages are a great way to quickly pay down the outstanding principal on a loan; and they do so in a relatively painless way. But just how much money can you really save with a biweekly mortgage arrangement? Our biweekly mortgage calculator will show you exactly what you can expect in terms of real savings.
October 4th, 2023
With the growing popularity of second mortgages to finance home improvements, we're offering you the chance to use our blended rate mortgage calculator to figure out the blended interest rate on a combined financing arrangement. The calculator not only provides the blended interest rate, but the monthly payment amount for each loan, and the blended mortgage payment.
October 4th, 2023
This HELOC calculator helps you to understand the payment patterns associated with a home equity line of credit. The calculator begins by asking the user to supply variables such as the current HELOC balance, interest rate on the loan, draw and repayment periods. Using this information, the calculator then provides values that include the monthly payment, ending loan balance, as well as the repayment amount.
October 4th, 2023
You can use this interest-only mortgage calculator to figure out your monthly payments if you decide to take out an interest-only loan. With an interest-only mortgage, you only pay interest charges. The principal, or balance, of the loan is never reduced. This keeps your monthly payments low, but increases the total interest charges over the life of the mortgage.
October 4th, 2023
You can use this mortgage amortization table calculator to determine your monthly mortgage payments, and the remaining loan balance at the end of each year through the creation of an amortization table for the loan. This calculator only requires three inputs: the total home loan amount, the annual interest rate, and the length of the loan.
October 4th, 2023
You can use this mortgage APR calculator to estimate the effective annual interest rate on a loan. The calculator uses the quoted annual interest rate, in combination with the fees charged, to figure out an effective monthly payment on the loan. Based on that new payment, the APR on the mortgage can be determined.
October 4th, 2023
You can use this mortgage comparison calculator to evaluate the differences between the monthly payments, total payments and total interest charges for 15, 20 and 30 year mortgages. The calculator only requires two types of inputs: The total home loan amount that is borrowed and the interest rate charged for each mortgage term.
October 4th, 2023
You can use this mortgage cost calculator to estimate the cost of the loan in terms of fees and points paid. This calculator leverages the fact the annual percentage rate, or APR, for a loan is determined using all out-of-pocket costs associated with the mortgage. The closer the quoted interest rate is to the APR, the lower the fees and other upfront costs such as points.
October 4th, 2023
You can use this mortgage points calculator to compare a loan with no points versus a loan where you are paying points. The calculator figures out how much you will save off your monthly mortgage by paying points, and how many months it will take to recover the points paid.
October 4th, 2023
You can use this calculator to figure out how much money you need to make to qualify for a mortgage. The calculator provides the user with two annual income values, based on the most common measures that lenders use: The rules of 28 and 36.
October 4th, 2023
One of the nice things about a mortgage is the interest charges are deductible from your federal income taxes. If you want to know just how much you can deduct, then try our mortgage tax deduction calculator. It provides you with the total interest charges / tax deductions as well as the tax benefit over the life of a mortgage. The calculator also provides an amortization table, which provides the tax deduction by year.
October 4th, 2023
This option ARM calculator provides you with a feel for the alternative payment arrangements this type of mortgage has to offer the home buyer. An option ARM is a mortgage where the borrower has the option of making a minimum payment, an interest-only payment, or a fully amortizing payment.
October 4th, 2023
You're out of consumer debt, you've got your emergency fund, you're investing for your retirement, and now you're finally ready to tackle the behemoth - the mother of all debts...the house! Congrats!
December 1st, 2023

Buying a Home: Key Guides

While the biggest cost of buying a home is the home loan, there are many other expenses you should account for – and many more things to know. We have a far-reaching catalog to help you out with your home purchases, covering everything from tips for first-time buyers to how to negotiate prices when selling your old home.

The renewed faith in the American economy and housing market that came to a screeching halt in 2019 picked up again 2020, resulting in an increase in the selling price of homes over the past year.
According to data published by the Census Bureau, nearly five million homes are sold each year in the United States. For many Americans, buying a home is the single largest investment they will make in their life. It's a decision that affects personal finances as well as lifestyle.
Information concerning low cost first time home buyer loans is available through state and federal agencies in cooperation with private lenders. To speed up the process, these government agencies have preapproved lenders to work with home buyers.
There are a number of reasons why someone might wind up with bad credit; people make mistakes. They stretch too far when it comes to financial commitments, or experience an unfortunate run of bad luck such as losing a job. Regardless of the reason, many of these same individuals often wonder to themselves: Is buying a home with bad credit possible?
Buying a home is an important decision and it's a difficult one too; especially for first-time home buyers. A new home is a big investment, and the choice is oftentimes one that lasts for years.
Work hard, play hard; we've all heard that expression. More than ever before, people are buying a second home along coastal towns and resort communities.
If you've been thinking about buying a home, but you're not sure if you'll benefit over the long haul, then try our rent versus buy a home calculator. This free tool not only allows you to compare your monthly payments for renting, or buying, but offers additional analytics. The calculator provides an estimate of the home's future value, as well as the tax savings you'll realize when buying a home.
There are many things we do for the first time... take a step, fall in love. But with today's home prices, it would be nice to make an informed purchase decision that we can look back on with no regrets. That's why first time home buyer programs are such an important source of information for anyone thinking about taking the plunge, and buying a home.
Buying your first home— Ah, the quintessential American dream! How to start saving for a house?
Before buying a home, it's always a good idea to have it inspected by a professional. In fact, if planning to borrow money to help pay for this home, it is very likely the mortgage company, or lender, will require a home inspection. Inspectors can often uncover existing problems with a home that are not immediately apparent to a potential buyer. In addition, most offers made by buyers on a home are usually subject to change based on the information contained in the inspector's report.
No matter how slow the housing market might seem, it's always possible to sell a home. If anyone ever complains they can't sell their home, they're only telling half the story.

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