What is “APR”?

APR is short for “Annual Percentage Rate.” The APR is the percentage figure that expresses your total cost of obtaining and financing a loan, i.e. what you’re truly paying for that mortgage. The APR is the percentage figure that takes the true Note Rate (the interest...

Credit Reporting 101

In this credit crunch, lending is becoming much more credit-driven and minimum required credit scores of 680+ or 700+ are the norm. Your goal should be to get in the 700 range, but the higher the better. (Credit scores range from 350-850, 850 being the highest one can...

Online Interest Rate Quotes

Every once in a while, a new client or referral will tell me that they saw rates that were lower than what I may be quoting. I appreciate having this conversation because I’m given an opportunity to tell them why. Not why the rates I’m quoting may be...

Credit Reporting and How to Avoid Junk Mail

I had a meeting with a client the other day and we were discussing credit reports and how many pieces of junk mail he receives from credit card companies soliciting him to open up new credit cards. Obviously he’s on some list (or lists) because, if you’re not aware,...

If Your Monthly Payment is About to Reset…

I want to share a situation that comes up all too often in this market: I got a call a few weeks ago from a woman that bought her condo in 2005 with a 5% down payment. She was put in a 3/1 Interest Only ARM (fixed at a set interest rate for the first 3 years of the...