Feb 24th 10 Posted by Marcy James

ethics in mortgage industry

What an odd topic when wanting to educate current and prospective homeowners about the mortgage process. First let me explain how working with a mortgage banker/broker etc. can be. Generally we meet with the prospective clients, go over all the financial details and the many loan programs available to them. We spend time educating the individual about credit worthiness, debt to income ratios, and find out... read more

Feb 2nd 10 Posted by Marcy James

flavor of the month…$8000.00 tax incentive or $6500.00 tax incentive….which would one would be right for you?

Ever get restless or anxious, thinking something big is happening and you are being left behind…out of the loop? The time to take advantage of the tax incentive is now. The extension and an additional extension for current homeowners clock is ticking. The deadline date to be in a signed agreed purchase contract is April 30th… Closed by June 30th. As consumers, we have become very good at negotiating... read more

Jan 19th 10 Posted by Marcy James

making 2010 different

Whatever your goals are, whether they are ‘Business‘ or ‘Personal‘ goals – don’t just take the “Let’s try it and see” approach to achieving them!! Tell yourself you will NOT fail in reaching your goal! Strive for perfection settle for progress and continue moving forward. If it’s fitness related, PHYSICALLY SCHEDULE IT ON A CALENDAR! Don’t just... read more

Jan 12th 10 Posted by Marcy James

doom & gloom of mortgage…here’s the facts!

I took a little time over Holidays to spend time with family, friends and to regroup and sit back to see clearly what the year 2009 meant in many ways. Then I began to think about what it meant for the mortgage industry, changes and transitions…good and bad. This is what I came up with. There has been much talk about the horrible loans and what happened to good hard working families, the crash of the... read more

Jan 5th 10 Posted by Marcy James

stop sign or speed bump

What some people think is a stop sign is really just a speed bump. A normal Real Estate market brings speculators and people who flip properties for quick profit. Now people are buying for the right reasons. Sellers no longer hold all the cards and this helps balance out the market. There are several benefits of home buying in a Cooling Market: Low prices and low interest rates just to mention a... read more

Dec 15th 09 Posted by Marcy James

how much to spend….

How much to spend, does the question ever seem to mean more than when we are shopping for….a home! One thing is for sure you will need a down payment, how much depends on your budget. With the financial market being what it is; the loan with the least amount of a minimum down payment is for VA only, where there is a 0% down payment. This is only for Veterans with benefits. The next is FHA this requires a... read more

Dec 8th 09 Posted by Marcy James

now is… the time for refinancing

Now is… the time for Refinancing: When is the right time for a refinance…. With rates at a historically low point now is the time. Values have stabilized here in Santa Clarita Valley and with the added benefit of the streamline refinancing for FHA homeowners and low rates for conventional loans this is the time to lock in that low rate.  The cost of a refinance will be offset in no time from the money... read more

Dec 1st 09 Posted by Marcy James

basic loan types

With the growing number of families and individuals alike desiring to embrace our lovely Santa Clarita Valley community there are many loan options available. If you are a first time buyer or looking to upgrade, downsize or if you are a teacher there is a program available for you. Below are some of the program details. FHA – Mortgage loan types are insured by the government through mortgage... read more