Blog
The Family Opportunity Mortgage: What Is It and Who Can Qualify
For parents who have the financial resources to purchase a home for their college-bound child or their senior aged parents, this is a fantastic Freddie Mac program that allows people to invest in a real estate asset, instead of pouring money away in a rental agreement.
It’s Tax Season! How to Deduct Interest that You Pay on Your Mortgage Loan
You can deduct the interest that you pay on your mortgage loan if the loan meets IRS mortgage requirements. When you repay a mortgage loan, the payments are almost completely composed of interest rather than principal in the first few years. Even later on, the...
Protest Your Property Tax Appraisal
Most Texans can expect a rude awakening in early April: their property’s tax appraisal. Here’s the good news: you don’t have to take it lying down.
The Cost of Waiting
This spreadsheet breaks down the cost of waiting for the perfect interest rate, with 20% down on a $350,000 property. Essentially, when all the variables are added up, waiting one year will cost you $25,321, while waiting two years will cost you $52,111. So what are...
You Could Be Eligible for a VA or FHA Loan
Conventional loans make for the bulk of the loan origination pipeline, yet two stalwarts that are not considered conventional still provide a stellar product for those who qualify—VA and FHA mortgages. In Austin and surrounding areas, the FHA loan limit is $389,850,...
Mortgage Terms You Should Know
I know it seems like sometimes we mortgage specialists are speaking in a different language! I'm here to tell ya, I feel your pain (I wasn't born a mortgage specialist). Here's a list of frequently used terms that will hopefully narrow your learning curve when you're...
Should You Use a Cosigner?
Getting someone to agree to cosign on a mortgage with you means someone else has agreed to pay your mortgage for you should you no longer be able to do so. Yet while cosigning can help in some instances it’s not as pervasive a practice as it used to be. Lending...
Should You Buy a House Now or Wait?
Have you been on the fence about buying a home? Are you still running the numbers in your head to discover exactly when the right time will be? Here are a few things to consider if you’re just not ready to start shopping. Interest rates are holding steady, but all...
Your Home Loan Application Was Declined – Now What?
If your mortgage loan was declined, it's not the end of the world. It’s just a temporary setback. There are many reasons why the lender says no to a buyer, but the most common reason is the Debt-to-Income Ratio is too high. If you owe too much of your monthly income...
TERA GILBERT - Texas US Bank Mortgage Loan Officer
NMLS# 543330
