Freedom First Advice Center

February 10, 2023

Understanding the Components of a Mortgage Payment

If you’re preparing to purchase your first home, you’re probably scratching your head more than you anticipated. Between the complex terminology and variety of home loan options, the home-buying process can become confusing rather quickly.

One area that first-time homebuyers struggle the most to understand is their monthly mortgage payment. Unlike a car loan, it’s not as clear-cut. And most real estate websites and financial calculators only focus on the principal and interest portion of your payment – which can be very misleading.

Before you get your hopes up and realize that the house you’ve been eyeing is out of your price range, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the components of a mortgage payment.

February 10, 2023

Is it Wise to Pay Off Your Mortgage Early?

Homeownership offers a multitude of fiscal benefits. Aside from the obvious, a place to live, you can build equity in the property and eventually live rent-free. But owning a home is also a significant investment that can last for decades.

Today, most mortgages have terms that extend up to 30 years or more. While this makes the monthly payments affordable, decades of interest payments can add up to a substantial sum.

July 11, 2022

5 Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a Home

Buying a home can be exciting, and with the quick pace of the market today, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment. The competitive real estate market can lead people to make home offers before they’ve done their due diligence. The result can be buying a home that doesn’t really fit their needs or wants, or worse costs more than they planned on spending.

April 21, 2022

Tips for Buying a Home in a Seller's Market

Tips for Buying a Home in a Seller’s Market

Picture this — you're in the market for a new home, and you quickly find one that is perfect. It has all the features you’ve been dreaming about and seems to be in your price range. So, you put in an offer.

August 12, 2021

Should I Buy a House Now?

Q: I’ve been saving up for a down payment with plans to buy a house and feel ready. But, with the real estate market hotter than ever right now, I’m wondering if I should go ahead with my purchase or push it off until the market settles down. Should I buy a house now?

A: The real estate market has been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Coupled with several factors, like falling interest rates, moratoriums on foreclosures or evictions and an increase in demand, prices have driven upward across the country.

June 18, 2021

When Is the Best Time to Refinance a Mortgage?

If you’re a homeowner, you’ve probably thought about refinancing your mortgage at some point. After all, home loans are long-term, usually ranging from 10 to 30 years. A great deal can happen in that time, including interest rates dropping, your home value increases, the introduction of new loan types, among other market changes.

While refinancing your mortgage may seem to be extra work for you, lowering your interest rate by just 1 percent on a 30-year mortgage could save you thousands of dollars. Perhaps you’re in the position to pay off your loan quicker and want to reduce your term. There are many perks to refinancing we will discuss in this article.

November 11, 2019

Should I Refinance My Home Mortgage?

Q: Many of my friends have refinanced their mortgage recently, and they’re urging me to do the same thing. Money is always a bit tight, and the thought of an extra few hundred dollars a month is very tempting. Should I refinance?

A: Refinancing a mortgage is essentially paying off the remaining balance on an existing home loan and then taking out another mortgage, usually at a lower interest rate. It may sound like a no-brainer, but there are lots of factors to consider before deciding to refinance.