Welcome Home Loan Program

Reservations for the Welcome Home Grant begin this Thursday, March 1st, 2012.

This is a great opportunity to receive up to $5,000 towards down payment or closing costs assistance. This grant becomes available once a year so now is the time if you are thinking of purchasing a home. As with all loan programs, restrictions do apply.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati (the FHLBank) has established and set aside funds for the Affordable Housing Program (AHP) funds to help encourage homeownership. These funds are available to Members as
grants to assist homebuyers under the Welcome Home Program. Read more »

First-time Homebuyer Mistakes to Avoid

Most first-time homebuyers almost always make a few mistakes when buying their home. Sometimes they pay too much, choose the wrong type of mortgage or forget to budget for needed home improvements.

Working with a trustworthy, experienced lender can help prevent such mistakes. But homebuyers also need to take responsibility for their budgets and choices. An excellent place to start is by developing a short- and long-term outlook on their purchase.

What are the three biggest financial mistakes of first-time homebuyers? Read more »

Home Buyers More Upbeat

Do you think that now is a good time to buy a home? There are hints that our economy is recovering from the recession of the last 3 years which has turned the real estate industry upside down. With interest rates and home prices at historic lows, this could mark one of the best times in history to consider buying a new home.

Home buyers are becoming more upbeat today as they seize the opportunity to snatch up properties at very low prices and at very low interest rate. If you are a potential home buyer considering Read more »

House Hunters Out of Hibernation?

Traditionally, spring is when prospective homebuyers come out of hibernation and begin the hunt for their next home. But with the unrest in the economy, budget battles in Washington and an unsteady housing market, many house hunters are wondering whether it is the right time to buy.

Will The Drop In Mortgage Interest Rates Boost Housing?

 

Homeowners who refinance are usually in one of two categories, they either want a more affordable monthly mortgage payment or are looking to lower their debt by shortening the repayment term on their home loan.  Those seeking a more affordable payment will either look for a lower interest rate or a longer term. Those seeking Read more »

FHA Price Increase Starting April 18, 2011

Starting with FHA loans with case numbers assigned April 18, 2011, the FHA annual mortgage insurance premium will increase. At the time of this writing, no increases in the FHA Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium are planned, but new borrowers will have the annual mortgage insurance calculated with an additional 25 “basis points”.

4.25% 30-year Fixed Rate Still Available for Some

As a result of the market today and yesterday, getting a 30 yr fixed rate in the low 4’s is pretty much gone….UNLESS the borrower qualifies for the Ohio Bond Money Program through the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA). Qualified borrowers can still obtain a 4.25% 30-year fixed interest rate with 1% origination.

Read more »

Secrets to a Strong Credit Score

Keeping  good credit: A few tips to keep your finances safe

Several factors that can favorably impact your credit score include the age at which you first obtain credit, the number of creditors you are active with and — most importantly — how you pay your bills. Even late library books can have an impact.

A credit score is composed of information about a person’s credit history, amount of outstanding debt and the type of credit the person uses.

Not only can credit card debt and missed loan payments damage one’s credit — but outstanding medical bills, non-payment of rent and even unpaid library fines can also negatively impact one’s financial future. Read more »

Rates Take a Bashing

Chris Farr   November 16, 2010  9:30 am

It was bound to happen. Rates have been at historic lows for a couple of months but the trend last week had rates trending up.  The MBS market saw an initial sell off in the morning, an eye-popping 75 points within minutes of the opening, and then a slow grind back throughout the day to previous day’s closing levels. Then the bottom fell out. Read more »

Borrowers are asking, “Where’s my 3.75%?”

Chris Farr Nov 8, 2010

As loan officers we are constantly asked “where are the rates today” and as we give our honest and insightful answers we typically get challenged by what people hear in the media. It’s not that people are wrong about what they hear, it’s that consumers don’t understand what is being said or what is necessary to obtain the best rates.  I heard, as many consumers heard, that rates were at 4% or even less with ‘no points’.

There are a few things that consumers should understand... Read more »

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