When you decide to buy a home in Washington State, pre-arranging your financing is the logical starting point. Sellers need to be reassured that you’ll be able to get a loan and complete the transaction, but you also need to…
Whether we like it or not, our FICO scores have an effect on our lives. What is this mysterious three-digit number, how does it affect us, and how can we make it as good as it can be? The name,…
When you apply for a loan to buy or refinance a home, the lender will get an appraisal to document its value. If you’re purchasing the home, we’ll use the lesser of the agreed purchase price or the appraised value.…
You may not know this, but this is really two questions in one: How much home will my personal budget allow? How much home will the lender approve us for? The first question is a personal one. Even though we…
Mortgage rates have made headlines this week by sinking to their lowest level in several months. At the same time, housing activity has eased due to the end-of-year holiday season. Opportunity knocks, and savvy home buyers in Washington State will…
Mortgage rates in Washington and nationwide dropped during the first week of December, giving borrowers an early holiday gift. But how long will it last? In a previous article, we explained how home buyers across Washington State could save money…
Home buyer closing costs in Washington State range from about 1% to 3% of the purchase price, on average. But there are many variables that can affect the total amount you pay at closing. You should receive a detailed "Loan…
A report showed that about one-third of home buyers in Washington State made down payments of 3.5% or less. A slightly higher percentage put down 20% or more. The rest fell somewhere in between. Pop quiz: What was the median…
Do you plan to buy a home in Washington State sometime soon? If so, you probably have questions about the many steps that are involved. You'll find answers here. Below, we've provided a step-by-step overview of the home buying process…
A housing industry report published this year shed some light on a variety of home buying trends in Washington State and elsewhere across the country. Among other things, it showed that the percentage of single female home buyers has increased…