Lender-Paid Mortgage Insurance (LPMI): What It Is, How It Works & Whether It’s Worth It

If you’re planning to buy a home with less than 20% down—whether you’re browsing a house for sale in Seattle, WA or checking out a home in Austin, TX—you’ll likely encounter mortgage insurance in some form. Most buyers are familiar with borrower-paid mortgage insurance (BPMI), the monthly PMI you pa

Settlement Statement vs Closing Disclosure: What’s the Difference?

When you’re preparing to close on a home, you’ll receive several final documents outlining your loan terms, closing costs, and the exact amount each party must pay or receive. Two of the most important are the closing disclosure and the settlement statement (also called an ALTA settlement statement

Small Steps Higher, Same Stubbornly Low Territory for Existing Home Sales

Existing-home sales posted another modest gain in October, rising 1.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.10 million , according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Sales are now 1.7% higher than a year ago as lower mortgage rates helped offset the drag from the government shutdown

Rising Rates Pull Applications Lower, but Year-Over-Year Gains Hold Firm

Mortgage applications moved lower last week as rates continued drifting higher for a third straight week. MBA’s Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending November 14 showed a 5.2% drop in total volume on a seasonally adjusted basis and a 7% decline unadjusted. The Refinance Index fell 7% from t