Month: June 2010

Best And Worst Home Improvements For The Buck

June 20, 2010

“Put your junk in a storage locker, neaten, fix the wobbly ceiling fan–and do it before you call your Realtor.”

…. Many of the best professional home sellers will shy away from putting a lot of time into selling your home if it’s a mess.

The only home improvement Sudler recommends is painting. Even there, he advises limiting the work to covering blemishes and repainting any rooms that have overly bright or outdated colors. More

Mortgages: Back to Basics…

June 11, 2010

What Do I Need to Get a Loan? <full story

Lending standards remain tight, and lenders have been picky even with the best-qualified borrowers. If you’re buying or refinancing the mortgage on your primary home, you’ll need a minimum down payment of 5% to 10% for a conforming loan or 10% to 15% for a conforming jumbo loan. With 20% or more down, you avoid private mortgage insurance, which typically costs 0.5% to 1.5% of your loan amount per year. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which set the standards for mortgages they buy from lenders, require a minimum credit score of 620; you’ll get the best rate if your score exceeds 720. The Federal Housing Administration requires a minimum credit score of 580 to qualify with a down payment of 3.5%, but FHA lenders often impose a higher minimum score of 670. (If you apply with a spouse, lenders will probably base your rate on the lower of your scores.)