A Checklist For The First Time Home Buyer

Buying your first home can be an exciting yet stressful endeavor. After all, it is one of the biggest purchases you will make in your lifetime and if you’re not familiar with the process, it can be a little intimidating. Understanding the steps involved will help you navigate through thinking about buying a home to closing the deal.
What is it Really Like in a Day in the Life of a Loan Officer?

Congratulations! You’ve passed all the requirements and you are officially on your way to a brighter future in the real estate industry. You should be proud of yourself! We certainly are! Now, you’re ready to truly experience what it means to be a loan officer. It’s a fast-paced world with ample opportunity for advancement, and with that comes great responsibility. You’ve come this far and that shows you’ve got the start of what it takes to excel in a highly competitive and rewarding field. So, now let’s take a look at a typical day of a successful loan officer.
Top 6 Benefits of Living In a Condo vs an Apartment

Urban living is an enjoyable lifestyle for many. Many people prefer to live in a perfectly sized space inside a greater building and community of other homes. The shared building means there are always people to say hello to in the hall and trade neighborly favors over time. While most people achieve this by living in a luxury apartment, this strategy has a few inherent downsides. An apartment does not belong to the resident, and there are some things you just can’t do.
How to Start Saving for a Home in the New Year

Was your New Year’s resolution to save up for your first home? Buying your first house is a huge achievement, and part of that is the financial commitment. When you are ready to submit a sales contract to purchase a home, you must include an earnest money deposit. Once the contract ratifies and in many cases in order to settle on the home, you must have the down payment. That down payment needs to be somewhere between 5% and 20% of the total home’s sale price, which means thousands of dollars saved for a nice home.
What Are the Hidden Costs of Buying a Home in DC?

Buying a home is a huge decision for everyone. It gives you the ability to settle down permanently without monthly rental payments. The money you pay is an investment in your future, not in your present. However, at First Savings Mortgage of D.C., we often see and hear of people choosing to rent because they feel that the “hidden costs” of home buying will be more than they can handle. For this reason, we are shedding light on the mysterious question of, “What are the hidden costs of buying a home in DC?” The truth may surprise you.
Benefits of Going with a Direct Lender with In-House Loan Processing and Underwriting vs a Mortgage

A factor that plays a major role in the progress of your mortgage is the type of company you use. It makes a huge difference if you use a mortgage brokerage or a direct lender.