Jack Guttentag
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Mortgage interest rate fundamentalsSep 24, 2016 6:00 am - The largest financial transaction most homeowners undertake is their home mortgage, yet very few fully understand how mortgages are priced. The main component of the pri...
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HECM reverse mortgages strategies for seniorsSep 17, 2016 5:00 am - Many senior homeowners are attracted to the idea of using a reverse mortgage to draw additional funds, but are so fearful of making a costly mistake involving their hous...
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How do you know whether mortgage refinancing pays?Sep 10, 2016 5:00 am - If you took out a 7.5 percent mortgage in 1994 and still have it, refinancing it in a 3.5 percent market is a no-brainer; you don't need much analysis to know that refin...
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Do large principal payments reduce monthly payments?Sep 03, 2016 6:00 am - On home mortgages, a large payment to principal reduces the loan balance, and with it the "fully-amortizing monthly payment," or FAMP. FAMP is the level monthly payment ...
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Do HECMs work for owners of expensive homes?Aug 27, 2016 4:00 am - As a federally insured program under FHA, the HECM reverse mortgage program is not designed to help the wealthy. In calculating maximum draw amounts, the highest propert...
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How to pay off a 30-year mortgage in 15 years - without being scammedAug 13, 2016 5:00 am - The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage is far and away the best option for homeowners because of the low interest rate. All other things the same, including originations fees, ...
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Is making extra mortgage payments better than refinancing?Aug 06, 2016 5:00 am - Many mortgage borrowers view extra payments and refinancing as alternatives and are confused as to which would serve them better. This article is directed to them. While...
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Should home-sellers pay the settlement costs of buyers?Jul 30, 2016 7:00 am - Q. In an effort to sell my house I agreed to pay up to $8,000 of the buyer's closing costs. Is there anything I can do to keep the amount as far below $8,000 as possible...
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How to unleash the HECM reverse mortgage marketJul 23, 2016 5:00 am - Editor's note: This is the second column is a series that began last week in HomesSaturday.. Last week's article indicated that the HECM market is not a shoppers' market...
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How to unleash the HECM reverse mortgage marketJul 16, 2016 5:00 am - Editor's note: This is the first column in a series that continues next week in HomesSaturday. The need for a robust reverse mortgage market is large and growing. At the...