Anna DeSimone

You can pause your mortgage payments without penalty for up to 12 months if you have incurred a job loss, income reduction, sickness or other issue impacted by the coronavirus. First, you need to find out who “owns” your loan.  The mortgage servicer collects your payments each month, however, the actual loan may be have…

If you’re looking to purchase a new home, there are many advantages to buying a home that has  energy efficient features. These may be homes in a new housing development, a modular or manufactured home, or an existing home that was upgraded by the current owner. Energy features can include any of the following: solar…

A New Year’s resolution that’s definitely worth keeping is to get ready to buy your first home in 2020. The most important thing you can do is begin organizing your financial paperwork. Mortgage lenders will ask you for a long list of verification documents to prove your income, savings, and your personal debt. The more…

Down payment assistance can be a free grant, or it can be a loan that is enough to cover a 3.5% or 4% down payment on a home. Many housing agencies offer higher amounts to also cover closing costs and/or home repairs. Loans might be in the form of a silent second mortgage,  also known as…

Twenty-two million people in America live in manufactured homes. According to the Manufactured Housing Institute’s 2018 Manufactured Housing Facts, such properties now represent about 10% of new home construction, with an average sales price of $70,600. The median household income of homebuyers is $30,000. The Institute states that–for the same size home–the cost is about half…

Non-traditional credit is a category of documentation that supplements, or sometimes replaces, the need for a consumer credit report. Non-traditional credit procedures are used for people who have no credit score or minimal credit history. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now accept loans from borrowers with no credit score, and this rule applies to conventional,…

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Section 203(k) program enables homebuyers to finance both the acquisition and repair costs together in one  mortgage. For example, if you are able to purchase a home “as is” for $150,000 and it will cost $50,000 for renovations, you can obtain a mortgage for $200,000. How it works.  First, you…

Thank you for visiting the Housing Finance 2020 blog! I have been receiving a number of requests from readers, asking about where they can find grant money and financing assistance.  I am happy to send you free information, but need to know what state you live in, and the name of a major city close…

A FIFTY PERCENT DISCOUNT is available to law enforcement officers, school teachers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians when buying a HUD-owned property under HUD’s Good Neighbor Next Door Program. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers this unique program to persons who are employed in certain professions that contribute to the local community.…

What to do when you have no credit score or minimal credit history As consumers, we have no control over the rate of interest or the cost of housing. However, we do have some control over our credit rating. If you are willing to take a pro-active approach and complete a few extra steps, you…