Credit Essentials

Credit Essentials

What you should know about credit, mortgages, and financing Buying, selling, or refinancing a home always comes down to one key factor: financing. Your credit...

What Should I Do If I Miss Mortgage Payments?

Missing a mortgage payment can feel overwhelming, especially when money gets tight after an unexpected expense, job loss,...

2 min Aug 3, 2025

How to Choose a Mortgage Lender: Compare Rates, Fees & Service (2026)

Choosing the right mortgage lender is one of the most consequential decisions in the home-buying process — and...

7 min Jun 30, 2024

How Much Money Do You Need to Buy a House? Full Cash-to-Close Breakdown

“How much do I need to buy a house?” is usually the first question people ask — and...

5 min Jul 6, 2021

How Do I Find Down Payment Assistance?

Here’s a secret most first-time home buyers never learn: there’s free money waiting for you. Every state, most counties,...

7 min Jul 17, 2020

Are There Special Mortgages For First-Time Buyers?

When shopping for your first home, there are certain challenges that go beyond location, renovation, and making sure...

2 min Jul 17, 2020

When Does an ARM Make Sense?

What is an Adjustable Rate Mortgage An Adjustable Rate Mortgage, often called an ARM, is a home loan...

2 min Jul 6, 2020

Mortgage Pre-Qualification vs Pre-Approval: What’s the Difference?

Pre-qualification and pre-approval sound like the same thing — and lenders love to use them interchangeably — but...

6 min Jul 6, 2020

What is Mortgage Insurance?

Home buyers who have limited down payments for a home mortgage have the option to get a Mortgage...

2 min Jul 6, 2020

What is a (203k) Loan?

Repairs are costly, especially if you’re turning a less-than-perfect living space into your long-term dream home. DIY-ers who...

2 min Jul 6, 2020

What Information Do I Need to Apply For a Mortgage?

Once you feel financially prepared to take on a home mortgage, you are responsible for applying with a...

2 min Jul 6, 2020

What Does a Mortgage Payment Cover?

Issued by banks, credit unions, and online lenders, a mortgage is the overall cost of your home payed...

2 min Jul 6, 2020

What Are Discount Points?

You may hear several terms when lenders talk about this concept, including points, discount points, or mortgage points....

3 min Jul 6, 2020

What Is Earnest Money? How Much to Pay and When You Get It Back

Earnest money is the check you write that turns a verbal “I want to buy this house” into...

6 min Mar 5, 2020