For the majority of homeowners, mortgage loans are the largest source of debt they will take on in their lifetime. This does not, however, discourage the millions of potential homebuyers from considering this financial obligation. In fact, the federal government ensures that homeownership remains a possibility and goal for many by offering significant tax breaks on their mortgages. Here’s everything you need to know about tax deduction qualifications, as well as how to maximize them.

Change is the new norm for this year’s housing market. President Trump called for a review of the Dodd-Frank Act, FHA mortgage insurance premium cuts were suspended, and now the year’s inflation forecast is no different. In fact, according to Freddie Mac’s latest outlook on inflation and the housing market, consumer price inflation has started rising—but it might not continue throughout the rest of the year.

For many homebuyers, choosing the perfect mortgage can be challenging. Whether they’re looking to buy a complete fixer-upper or purchasing a home with a couple necessary upgrades, it’s difficult to identify the most cost-effective strategy—but we might’ve found it for you.

Buying a home will likely be the most important purchase you make in your life, so it’s imperative to consider every financial factor prior to buying. For starters, you have to find a house you can afford in an area you enjoy. Then, you need to consider your closing costs, down payment plan, and monthly mortgage payments from thereon out. With these payments completed or saved for, many homeowners are shocked to learn that yes, you do have to pay annual property taxes—and they completely differ based on where you’re located!

Every year, thousands of people enter the real estate market and buy a home, whether it’s the first home they’ve ever purchased or the second home they’ve considered buying for years. For every one person that makes this commitment, however, there are several that still remain on the fence. According to various industry experts, one of the main reasons these potential homebuyers refrain from buying is fear. Fortunately, there are many ways to overcome each home buying fear and make the purchase you’ve always wanted to make. Here’s a list of today’s most common real estate fears and how to overcome them:

According to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), over 75 percent of respondents believe homeownership is a significant part of their American dream. The survey also highlighted that one of the most common inhibitors to making this dream a reality was affordability, as many don’t think their incomes will cover their mortgage payments—but you don’t actually need to be making the big bucks to buy a home these days!

Before jumping in to a big home renovation project, most homeowners ask one very important question: When is the best time to renovate your home? Of course, a good time to begin home renovations is when you have the time and money to invest in the project. The best time may also depend on the type of renovation you’re looking into. Let’s break it down based on month:

Today, millennials will do anything they can to save a little extra cash—especially when it comes to credit score evaluations. As a result, credit score services have overwhelmed potential homebuyers with advertisements for free credit score assessments. While some of these services may be helpful, it’s important to remember that many do not provide the most widely accepted FICO Scores. Let’s take a closer look using VantageScore as an example. 

According to Zillow, the number of “fixer-upper” homes on the market is now 12% higher than 2012. This means home remodeling is on the rise—and we’ve got the perfect renovation loan options to make financing the remodel as simple and smooth as possible. Between Fannie Mae’s HomeStyle mortgage and the FHA’s 203K mortgage, the renovation loan will be a one-time-close with multiple financial benefits. Let’s take a closer look to determine which renovation loan is right for you.

In July of 2010, President Obama signed The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act into federal law. According to the Dodd-Frank Cheat Sheet, the Act “implements changes that, among other things, affect the oversight and supervision of financial institutions, provide for a new resolution procedure for large financial companies, create a new agency responsible for implementing and enforcing compliance with consumer financial laws, introduce more stringent regulatory capital requirements, effect significant changes in the regulation of over-the-counter derivatives, reform the regulation of credit rating agencies, implement changes to corporate governance and executive compensation practices, incorporate the Volcker Rule, require registration of advisors to certain private funds, and effect significant changes in the securitization market.”