
The Complete List of First-time Buyer Loan Programs
Between student loans, credit card debt, and struggling to save, it might seem like you'll never have enough for a down payment for a house. The good news? There are plenty of programs out there to help you become a homeowner. FHA Loans FHA loans are great for first-time buyers because they require a much smaller down payment than most other loans. With this program, you're only required to have 3.5% for a down payment instead of the usual 20%. That means if you're buying a $

10 Steps to Home Ownership
Information To Help You Throughout The Home Buying Process 1. Are You Ready? Step 1 of 10 Knowledge and experience are the keys to successful real estate transactions. REALTOR.com® contains an enormous amount of valuable information, and such data -- combined with the expertise, experience and training of local REALTORS® -- can be the essential keys to your success. One of the keys to making the homebuying process easier and more understandable is planning. In doing so, you'l

Using My 401 (k) to Buy a Property?
401k Plan Loans - An Overview Allowing loans within a 401k plan is allowed by law, but an employer is not required to do so. Many small business just can't afford the high cost of adding this feature to their plan. Even so, loans are a feature of most 401k plans. If offered, an employer must adhere to some very strict and detailed guidelines on making and administering them. The statutes governing plan loans place no specific restrictions on what the need or use will be for l

Home Sellers Have Closing Costs Also
We have all heard about the high costs imposed on homebuyers -- ranging from lender points, title insurance and settlement fees. However, if you are selling your house, you should understand you will be hit for some closing costs also. When a seller signs a listing agreement with a Real Estate Broker, authorizing that person to sell the house, in addition to all the other forms which sellers receive, the seller should be given an estimated settlement statement. This statement

Important Clauses In Your Real Estate Contract
You have just found your dream house, and would like to buy it. What to do now? When dealing with real estate matters, the law is clear: everything has to be in writing. Thus, you will need a sales contract, which will spell out all of the terms, conditions and special requirements you may (or will) need in order to conclude the transaction and go to closing (settlement) on the house. If there is no real estate agent involved, your attorney should be able to assist you in pre