VA loan helps buyers purchase upscale homes

By Marcie Geffner - Bankrate

Most home mortgages have a so-called loan limit, which caps how much a homebuyer can borrow to purchase a home.
The VA loan is an exception.
Instead of a loan amount limit, the VA loan has a loan guaranty limit, says Michael Frueh, former director of the Loan Guaranty Service and current chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, in Washington, D.C.
The difference has major implications for veteran borrowers who want to purchase a home with a VA loan and no down payment. Understanding these implications can mean big savings for some borrowers.
Read on:

Should you make a downpayment on a VA loan?

By Marcie Geffner - Bankrate

Many VA borrowers know that the VA home loan doesn't require a down payment.
Indeed, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which guarantees this type of mortgage, is practically famous for its zero-down option, which opens the doors of homeownership to veterans, active-duty service members, surviving spouses and other VA-eligible buyers. Many VA borrowers have little or no cash to purchase their first home.
VA loans also don't require mortgage insurance, which is usually the case when you don't put down 20 percent.
Though a down payment isn't required for a VA loan, borrowers can still make one. Should they? Or is the no-money-down strategy so attractive that a down payment never makes sense?
Read on:
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/va-loan-down-payment-pros-cons-1.aspx?ic_id=MtgCHPVALoans4

New cutting-edge home-building tech

By Marcie Geffner - NewHomeSource

Slowly but surely, new technologies like drones, virtual reality, 3-D laser scanning and 3-D printing are bound to make their way into the homebuilding process.

Tom Page, vice president of iStar, a community developer in Richmond, Va., and general manager of Magnolia Green, a residential community in Moseley, Va., already has a few bits of modern technology up his sleeve. He says he employed a drone to fly over a golf course he was building and take aerial photographs of it during construction. The images were then posted online so current and prospect community residents could monitor the process of the course.

Read on:
https://www.newhomesource.com/resourcecenter/articles/new-homebuilding-technology

Mortgage rate and APR: What's the difference?

By Marcie Geffner - Credit Karma

Choosing the right mortgage can help you save money and feel more comfortable with your monthly housing expense. One thing you'll need to know when you shop for a mortgage is how to compare a mortgage interest rate and an annual percentage rate (APR).
A mortgage interest rate is a small percentage that's applied to your loan balance to determine how much interest you owe your lender each month. When you begin to repay your loan, your rate will be used to calculate the interest portion of your monthly payment.
Read on:
https://www.creditkarma.com/article/mortgage-rate-vs-apr

Glossary of mortgage terms

By Marcie Geffner - Credit Karma

There's a lot of jargon involved in getting a mortgage. But all these vocabulary words don't have to be confusing, intimidating or overwhelming. This glossary explains mortgage terms you may encounter and what they mean.
Appraisal. A professional opinion of a property's fair market value, according to a licensed real estate appraiser. The appraiser's opinion is based on the property's location, characteristics and condition as well as recent sales prices of comparable properties.
Adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM). A mortgage that has an interest rate that can change at predetermined times over the lifetime of the loan. Most ARMs have caps that limit when and how much the rate can rise. See Hybrid loan.
Read on:
https://www.creditkarma.com/article/glossary-of-mortgage-terms

Why mortgage points matter

By Marcie Geffner - Credit Karma

Homebuyers tend to be laser-focused on getting the lowest possible interest rate for their mortgage. A low rate is desirable because the lower your interest rate, the lower your monthly payment. But a low rate isn't the only thing you need to consider when you choose a mortgage.
Mortgages typically involve a variety of fees. Some of those fees are known as "points" because they're based on a percentage, or point, of your loan amount. One point is equal to 1 percent of your home's mortgage amount. For example, a fee of one point for a $250,000 mortgage would cost $2,500, while a half-point would cost $1,250
Read on:
https://www.creditkarma.com/article/what-are-mortgage-points

A guide to getting your first mortgage

By Marcie Geffner - Credit Karma

Most people need a little help buying a home. A mortgage allows you to get into a home without having to provide the entire purchase price in cash upfront. Instead, you can borrow the money you need and make monthly payments.
"A mortgage gives you the ability to keep savings in your pocket and make payments on the house," explains Michelle Velez, producing branch manager at Supreme Lending in San Mateo, Calif. Even better, "in most cases, the mortgage interest is tax-deductible
Read on:
https://www.creditkarma.com/article/home-buying-guide