Are you currently renting?  Is your lease coming up for renewal?  Before you extend your lease for another year or two, why not consider exploring the possibility of buying instead of continuing to pay someone else’s mortgage?  First of all, we are not going to say everyone should buy a house.  Not everyone wants to.  But there are […]

The end of a marriage is a trying time for a family and it typically doesn’t happen often in someone’s life, so it is hard to prepare for what happens or needs to happen.  In addition to the emotional toll it places on a family, a separation can also wreak havoc on a family’s finances […]

Unlike paystubs on a civilian job, an enlisted service member’s paystub may show the expected end of the employment or career.  The military paystub, called a Leave & Earnings Statement (LES), states the Expiration of Term of Service.  For short, this separation date from active duty is commonly known as the ETS date.  When getting a VA loan, lenders really care about the […]

If you have applied for a VA mortgage, chances are that the scenario was run through an automated system.  These days mortgage lenders use Automated Underwriting Systems (AUS) for preapprovals for about every type of loan.  Obviously, not all loans get approved.  But even if a borrower does not get an automated approval, there is […]

Homebuyers received great news about the USDA Rural Development guaranteed loan program!  In 2017, USDA drastically reduced the  guarantee or funding fee they charge upfront on USDA loans, plus lowered the annual fee also.  So the great news is that the USDA guarantee fee 2018 (also often referred to as a USDA funding fee) will remain at […]

Buying a home is the American dream for many and there are a lot of programs available to accomplish this dream.  But what happens when the buyer needs a little extra funds in order to purchase?  That is where a gift can be very beneficial.  Although it is important to understand gift requirements such as […]

Whether it is a vacation rental or long term rental, buying rental property could be a big step towards financial freedom.  According to the National Association of Realtors, buying a rental or investment property actually accounts for approximately 20% of purchase transactions lately.  A benefit for investors that are able to buy rentals is that […]

The recent Equifax hack has made 143 million people’s confidential information vulnerable.  So you may as well assume you have been hacked.  This is basically identity theft on steroids!  Credit is a double edged sword.  These days, everyone is a number and you need to have a good one.  Having credit increases hacking risks, but […]

Capacity, credit, collateral, and capital are considered the 4 C’s of mortgage lending.  Basically, these are the main areas lenders review to qualify a borrower.  But these 4 categories are broken down into many subsets.  This article is going to discuss the capacity to pay back the loan and more specifically discuss the role of […]

Individually, these areas mentioned in the title are great advantages of VA home loans.  But what if all of them happened on the same purchase?  Well, they did and we closed it!  So, we bring understanding VA home loans to another level.  Check out some of the things we were able to accomplish for a […]

The VA appraisal process is different from other appraisal types.  A term that strikes fear is when the VA appraiser invokes the Tidewater Initiative.  Realtors, buyers, sellers, and lenders worry about the purchase falling apart.  But if everyone moves quickly enough, the Tidewater process could be a good thing. What is the Purpose of Tidewater Initiative Process […]

VA loans may actually be the best home loan in the USA!  Heck, even the world possibly!  Although most VA loans are used for a no down payment purchase, it is also a very beneficial solution to buy a higher priced home.  Each county in the U.S. has a VA loan limit.  The good news is […]

VA home loans have historically been known for providing Veterans and service members with a no down payment purchase option. But starting January 1, 2020, the VA down payment requirements gets better! Although, how can the VA loan down payment up to the VA loan limits get better? We will explain the expanded VA home […]

Thinking about buying a first home and trying to figure out what to do can be an overwhelming thought.  There are a lot of things to consider such as price, payment, amenities, down payment, and qualification.  Plus spending and probably borrowing tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars is a huge step.  So foremost, a first […]

Are you currently living with family, staying with friends, or renting an apartment or home?  Are you like many that want to achieve the dream of homeownership for the first time?  This is a huge step and it should not be taken lightly.  Even though Millennials and others may prefer to text or message everything today, don’t do […]

So many prospective buyers look for a way to purchase a home with little to no money down.  Well, USDA Rural Development Guaranteed loans offer 100% financing qualifying buyers.  But in addition to buyers qualifying, the property must qualify as well.  Although USDA is extremely beneficial for buyers and sellers, USDA eligibility is a little […]

We are happy to announce that Waterway Landing Condos in Sunset Beach NC are now VA approved condos!  Along with the help of the HOA, property management company, and listing agent, we were able to obtain this VA approval.  So what does this mean for Waterway Landing Sunset Beach NC?  Plus how does this help buyers, […]

The American Dream.  It looks different to each person, but a very common dream to many is the dream of homeownership.  Although, the homeownership dream is not reserved just for American citizens.  Non US citizens with a green card may be able to buy a home.  BUT, there are even ways to buy without a green card. There are some […]

Whether it is for a vacation home or to live in a quiet town, Lake Waccamaw has a lot to offer.  Actually the lake was recently named to the “Top 25 Small Lake Towns We’re Seriously Obsessed With“.   Additionally the Country Living article ranked the quaint little lake town as #6 in the country!  It […]

So many things seem to block saving for a down payment on a house.  High rent payments, car repairs, hospital bills, plus other expenses get in the way.  But, there is a special program which allows South Carolina buyers to become homeowners quicker!  It is called the down payment assistance SC program.  This program combines either a conventional, […]

Most are familiar with the benefit of a streamlined refinance process for refinancing a VA loan to another VA loan.  It is typically used to lower an interest rate or term.  But another very helpful Veteran benefit is the VA cash out refinance.  Although, just because it is called a “cash out” refinance, that doesn’t […]