Shoprate - Expert Opinion

Fannie Mae survey says mortgage rates may stay relatively flat

According to a recent Fannie Mae survey, only about three in ten Americans believe that now is a good time to buy a home. Roughly the same number of people believe that mortgage rates will stay relatively [...]

MARS Rule makes legitimate home refinance deals easier to spot

The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Reserve have teamed up to ban one of the most despicable practices of fake home refinance brokers: advance fees. According to consumer protection experts at th [...]

Cutting through the choppy mortgage rate market

If you're like most homeowners, you're watching today's mortgage rates with a sense of awe and a silent rage. If you just closed a deal on a home refinance loan, you may be wondering if you should h [...]

Buying a home becomes less expensive, but renting costs more!

With high rents, low mortgage interest rates and low real estate prices, today is a great time to consider purchasing investment property. How is buying a rental different from buying a principal residence? [...]

Do you qualify to refinance your mortgage?

The best mortgage rates keep getting better. But you may have avoided getting mortgage quotes and applying to refinance because you have doubts about qualifying. The news is full of stories about how much harder it is to get [...]

Four tips to avoid phony mortgage brokers

The Miami Herald paints a tragic portrait of a refinance deal gone horribly wrong. Reporter Toluse Olor [...]

Washington mortgage rates stay low amid cool real estate market

Mortgage rates in Washington, as in most other parts of the country, remain near all-time lows. However, the expiration of the nationwide real estate tax credit has caused a drop in home sales and a similar decline in Washing [...]

PA mortgage rates stay low as election impacts home loan deals

Pennsylvania mortgage rates remain at all time lows. However, residents of the Keystone State must contend with the fallout from recent election results that have made some of the region's employers and lawmakers nervous abou [...]

Be careful! The best mortgage rate does not equal the best mortgage deal

Mortgage refinancing: understanding pricing variances If you spend any amount of time searching for the best mortgage rate, the first thing you'll notice is that it's harder than it looks. Rates v [...]

I can put 20 percent down, why take out an FHA mortgage loan?

In the good old days (say, before the end of 2008), home buyers with a down payment less than 20 percent had lots of options -- get a second mortgage, get a piggy-back loan, take on mortgage insurance until home equity reached 2 [...]