Living in Beachwood Canyon: Here’s What It’s Like
Beachwood Canyon is wedged into the eastern portion of the Santa Monica Mountains and sits directly below the iconic Hollywood Sign. It is home to one of the original Hollywood Hills neighborhoods, Hollywoodland, perched on the southern facing ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on July 20, 2018 in Communities
8 Incredible Fannie Mae HomePath Alternatives
What is Fannie Mae HomePath?
The banking crisis and ensuing real estate market collapse of 2008 made it very difficult for many borrowers to continue making their mortgage payments. A big increase in real estate owned (REO) properties followed....
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on June 25, 2018 in Financing a Home
Living in Beverly Hills - Here's What it's Like [Insider's Guide]
Beverly Hills is clearly the most famous area in Los Angeles County and perhaps Southern California. It is both a place (a stand-alone municipality within Los Angeles) and a symbol (the embodiment of the entertainment industry, fame, and wealth....
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on June 25, 2018 in Communities
Los Feliz is a Great Place to Live. Here's Why.
If you drove through Los Feliz without knowing its history, you’d hardly be able to tell the significant role the neighborhood and its residents played in the early days of the motion picture industry. There are no shrines, statues or ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on May 19, 2018 in Communities
Living in Echo Park – Here’s What it's Like [Insider’s Guide]
Echo Park is one of the best neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Echo Park borders Silver Lake, Chinatown and Downtown Los Angeles. It occupies 2.4 square miles of Central Los Angeles, with Echo Park Lake sitting in the middle. It has a population of ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on May 14, 2018 in Communities
6 Steps of the Mortgage Loan Process: From Pre-Approval to Closing
There are six distinct phases of the mortgage loan process: pre-approval, house shopping; mortgage application; loan processing; underwriting and closing. Here's what you need to know about each step.
1. Mortgage Pre-Approval
Mortgage ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on March 21, 2018 in Financing a Home
'Active Under Contract' Property Status: Everything You Need to Know
“Active Under Contract” is a real estate term that indicates the status of real property (single family home, condo, townhome, etc.) that has been put up for sale wherein a seller has accepted an offer from a buyer, but the deal has not ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on March 21, 2018 in Buying a Home
Best Neighborhoods in Los Angeles [Insider's Guide]
If you ask an Angelino about the best neighborhoods in Los Angeles, you might get 4 million different answers. Some folks love to live near the beach. Some choose a neighborhood based how far it is from their workplace. Others seek the right ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on March 2, 2018 in Communities
What Credit Score is Needed to Buy a Home?
Have you ever asked yourself, “What credit score is needed to buy a house?”
The short answer is: Lenders typically want to see a minimum FICO score of 620.
The long answer is: It depends.
Lenders weigh more than just your credit score ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on October 17, 2017 in Financing a Home
Making an Offer on a House [Step-by-Step]
If you’re a home shopper who’s made your way to this article, there’s a good chance you’ve already been pre-approved for a loan, searched houses online, viewed a few in-person, and narrowed down your choice to the home you ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on August 5, 2017 in Buying a Home
How do Realtors Get Paid? What Every Buyer and Seller Should Know
Realtors get paid on a commission basis, usually 5 to 6 percent of a home’s sales price, which is split between the listing broker and buyer's agent. Fees typically come out of the sellers’ proceeds while buyers generally pay nothing to ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on August 2, 2017 in Buying a Home
15 Common Real Estate Questions
Real Estate FAQs
As you might imagine, real estate agents field quite a few questions every day. People are naturally curious, and it’s an agent’s job to guide folks through the often-complex world of home buying and selling. You might ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on July 19, 2017 in Buying a Home
Fannie Mae HomeReady | Unbelievable 3% Down Program
What is Fannie Mae HomeReady?
Fannie Mae HomeReady is a low down payment mortgage for creditworthy, low to moderate-income borrowers. Down payments can be as low as 3%. Both first-time or repeat home buyers are eligible. In late ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on July 12, 2017 in Financing a Home
California First Time Home Buyer Mortgage Programs
First Time Homebuyer Programs in California
Houses in California are expensive when compared to other states. Buying a home here can be very challenging for first-time homebuyers, especially younger folks who've not built up the kind of cash ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on July 5, 2017 in Financing a Home
California Home Loans: All the Options Explained
Tired of renting and ready to buy a home in California? Perhaps you relocating to California? Or, maybe you already live here and have decided it’s time to move up to a bigger home? Whether you’re first time buyer or a seasoned ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on July 5, 2017 in Financing a Home
First Time Home Buyer Mortgage Guide
First Time Homebuyer Programs
There are five major first time homebuyer program categories.
The first three are backed (insured) by federal government agencies. They include FHA, VA and USDA programs. Each is broadly available to borrowers in any ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on July 5, 2017 in Financing a Home
What are Mortgage Loan Limits?
What is a Loan Limit?
A mortgage loan limit is a monetary cap; the maximum amount loaned to consumers from lenders to purchase or refinance a home. Loan limits, along with several other factors like borrower credit and the type of property ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on July 2, 2017 in Financing a Home
California Conforming, FHA & VA Loan Limits by County
California Loan Limits
California Conventional Loan Limits
California conventional loans limits cap the size of mortgages so that they meet Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines. Those two government-sponsored entities (GSEs) buy mortgages and ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on July 2, 2017 in Financing a Home
VA Loan Programs: Pros & Cons
VA home loans are guaranteed (but not made) by the US Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA). The actual loans are underwritten and funded by private institutions (mortgage companies, credit unions and other lenders). The VA’s ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on June 28, 2017 in Financing a Home
Definitions for Common Real Estate Terms | Real Estate Glossary
Active Under Contract The status of real property (single family home, condo, townhome, etc.) that has been put up for sale wherein a seller has accepted an offer from a buyer, but the deal has not yet closed.
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage ...
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Posted by Tony Mariotti on June 25, 2017 in Buying a Home