By Eric Yoder Most first-time buyers in Tampa Bay hear about down payment assistance the same way. Someone at work mentions it, or an agent brings it up during a showing in Riverview, and it lands...
The down payment for first-time home buyers in Florida is the wall a lot of buyers hit first. That is the exact problem Florida's Hometown Heroes Program seeks to solve by offering down payment and...
A mortgage recast allows you to make a substantial lump-sum payment toward your principal and have your remaining monthly principal and interest payments recalculated using the lower balance. Your...
By Sam Wax Finding out your mortgage broker retired can feel unsettling, especially if they helped you buy your first home in Tampa and you figured they'd be your go-to for years. Maybe you were...
Yes, you may be able to buy a house while carrying student loan debt. Student loans do not automatically disqualify you from getting a mortgage. However, your monthly student loan obligation can...
By Sam Wax One of the quietest decisions you make in the home-buying process is who you trust to handle your loan. It's tempting to treat a mortgage broker like a one-time service: get the loan,...
By Sam Wax The moment you start searching for someone to handle your financing, it can feel overwhelming. Type "mortgage broker near me" into your phone, and you'll get a long list of names, all...
By Eric Yoder You found it. The right layout, the right street, a backyard in a Tampa Bay neighborhood you can actually picture yourself in. Then the deal slips away, and it has nothing to do with...
By Gilbert Bennett I talk to many service members and Veterans about their VA home loan benefits, and one thing comes up repeatedly: people leave money on the table without realizing it. Sometimes...
By Sam Wax If you're house-hunting in the Tampa Bay area, you've probably typed your income into an online calculator, gotten a big number back, and wondered whether you can really afford it. It's a...
By Gilbert Bennett If you’re a nurse, teacher, or first responder, you spend your days taking care of other people. Every day, people lean on you to help. So when it’s time to buy a home, don’t be...
By Sam Wax and Steven Hochak Buying a two-to-four-unit property in the Tampa Bay area can feel like a bigger leap than buying a single-family home. Here's the good news: financing multi-family...