Stephen Katz Mortgage Blog

In today’s economy, many people are looking for ways to save money on their expenses, and one of the big costs is homeowner’s insurance. This is particularly true as homeowner’s insurance costs continue to rise in most places throughout the country. Here are some ways people can decrease their ho...

  A real estate agent can help you understand everything you need to know about buying a home. The process of buying a home generally starts with determining your buying power; that is, your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity. If you give a real estate agent some basic information ab...

Uncle Sam helps you in three ways when you own your home.   1. Purchase - When you buy your home, most of the cost are not tax deductible. But there is one exception that is worth finding. The IRS says you can deduct interest in the year that it is paid, and that is usually part of each monthly p...

Especially for first-time homebuyers, using a seasoned agent is a smart move. As a first-time homebuyer, you should seriously consider getting your own agent. Although the Internet makes some aspects of finding homes easier than it was 20 years ago, a good real estate agent has access to lots of ...

Whether you are renovating one room or the whole house, it's a good idea to think through the process of creating a budget for your project.  No matter the size of your renovation, it will be a big deal because it's happening under your roof. Starting with a realistic budget can reduce the stress...

Electricity is a mystery to many people, but there are rules that govern how your home's electrical system should work. Every house should have an electrical panel with a main shutoff, whether it’s circuit breakers or fuses. The number of circuits will vary with the electrical loads in the house....

Piggyback loans, which fell from the forefront during the housing downturn, are making a comeback as home values start to pick up.  Piggyback mortgages – when a borrower takes out a second mortgage in the form of a home equity or line of credit – accounted for 3.8% of the loans originated in 2012...

If you’re in the market to buy a home, take advantage of rates while they’re still low. There are realtor and builder signs up everywhere, but what’s it going to take to get into one of these homes? Like many young couples, buying your first home is a rite of passage as adults. Sometimes that big...

With the exit of a few big firms from the short sale facilitation arena, they have not only left a hole in the market, but they’ve also allowed for some terrible misconceptions to spread across our profession. Unfortunately, the reasons these firms gave out as to why they have stopped short sales...

As the housing market continues to rise and interest rates remaining attractive, first-time homebuyers are looking to purchase. Buying a home can be an easy and enjoyable process if well prepared. Buying a home should not be a frustrating process. To be prepared and confident in the process, a mo...