Is your property located in a flood zone? According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the answer is yes.

FEMA says all properties are in flood zones — it’s just a matter of whether that zone is considered low, medium or high risk. (more…)

If you want to refinance your existing 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, your first thought is probably to refinance into another 30-year home loan. (more…)

Title insurance is a policy that protects your mortgage lender from potential claims against your property.

Because the property serves as collateral for the mortgage, a lender does not want to give someone money to purchase real estate, then have a third party dispute the borrower’s right to that property. (more…)

When you buy a home, your lender will order an appraisal to determine the fair market value.

The appraisal is important to the lender because the home serves as collateral for the loan. If you’re unable to repay your mortgage and the lender forecloses, it wants to be able to sell the home to recoup the money it lent you, so it has to make sure you’re not overpaying. (more…)

If you’re shopping for a home, you’ll probably come across at least one property that’s listed as a short sale. (more…)