04
Jan
By First Rate Financial Group
Mortgage

How To Keep Your Address Private

How To Keep Your Address Private There are not many parts of your life that are private anymore. Today, it is relatively easy for someone to go online and look up your address in just a few minutes. At the same time, there are some people who have an easier time keeping their lives private. Celebrities, public officials, and other people who are frequently in the public light are able to conceal their addresses. Even if you aren’t famous, what do you need to do to hide your address?

Talk To A Real Estate Agent

If you want to keep your address private, the first thing you should do is talk to your real estate agent. There is a great chance that they have worked with someone who wanted to keep their address private in the past, and they can provide you with a list of steps you should take. Make sure the home you purchase is pulled off the MLS quickly. That way, someone has to go to the local Town Hall if they want to look up your home.

Use A Trust

You may also want to consider placing your home in a trust. A trust will specify how your assets are distributed after you pass away. You can use a trust to hide real estate purchases, meaning that only the name of your trust is going to be listed in public records. That way, people cannot find your address by simply looking it up online, as they will simply see your trust represented.

Form An LLC

You may also want to consider forming an LLC, also known as a limited liability company. The vast majority of locations do not restrict LLC ownership. This means that you can set up an LLC, specify the LLC as the owner of the property, and keep your name out of the public light. You may want to reach out to an attorney who can help you form an LLC.

Keep Your Address Hidden

The internet is a powerful tool, but you should not resign yourself to having your address listed online. Consider checking out a few of these options, and reach out to a professional if you would like help hiding your address after you purchase a new house.

 

28
Dec
By First Rate Financial Group
Mortgage

Lower Your Interest Rate During The First Couple Of Months With A Buydown

Lower Your Interest Rate During The First Couple Of Months With A BuydownIf you are thinking about purchasing a house today, you have probably realized that mortgage rates have increased significantly. This has made it much harder for people to afford home loans, and these higher rates have had an impact on the lender’s business as well. In an effort to make it easier for people to afford a home, you might be able to access something called a buy-down loan or a buy-down mortgage. It could help you save a significant amount of money during the first few months or years of your loan.

How A Buydown Mortgage Works

If you decide to go with a buydown mortgage, your interest rate will be lower for a temporary period of time. For example, it might be two percent lower for the first year, 1.5 percent lower for the second year, and then one percent lower for the third year. It will normalize for the rest of the loan. Because the interest rate is lower, your monthly payments will be smaller for the first few years. This could be an attractive option for a buyer who expects his or her income to go up in the future. Or, this option could be provided by a custom home builder to get more people through the door. 

Who Funds The Buydown Account?

There are different ways a buydown account might be funded. It could be provided by a home builder, or it might be provided by the seller if you are purchasing the house from somebody else. It might even be offered by a mortgage lender that is having a difficult time getting people to sign mortgages. Depending on the current interest rates, there are different options available. For example, some buydowns give you a one percent break for two years, while others might start with a three percent break the first year, dropping by one percent each year until it normalizes.

Is A Buydown Mortgage Right For You?

Like any option, there are pros and cons. If you lower your monthly rate during the first few years, it is possible that the rest of your mortgage might have higher payments than it would otherwise have had. Be sure to talk to a professional who can help you figure out if this is the right option for your needs. 

20
Dec
By First Rate Financial Group
Mortgage

Mistakes To Avoid When Organizing Your Home

Mistakes To Avoid When Organizing Your HomeIf your house has a tremendous amount of clutter in it, you might finally think it is time to do something about it. Now is the perfect opportunity for you to get your house organized, and you probably want to start by tackling the piles of clothing and paper in the middle of the floor. Before you jump in feet first, take a look at a few mistakes you need to avoid when organizing your home.

Buying Boxes Before Assessing The Situation

You might be ready to start throwing items in boxes, but you need to assess how much you have first. If you don’t understand just how disorganized your house is, you will have a difficult time purchasing the right storage bins. Make sure you measure your drawers, closets, shelves, and even the space underneath your bed. That way, you understand exactly how many storage bins you need before you go on a shopping spree.

Not Scheduling The Organization Spree Ahead Of Time

You need to pick the right time to organize your house. Make sure you are focused and energetic, but ensure you are not distracted by something that might be more appealing. Even though the right time is not going to magically reveal itself to you, you need to be intentional about when you decide to start organizing your house.

Rearranging Instead Of Organizing

There is a difference between rearranging your house and organizing it. We are arranging your house simply means making it look “neat” and “clean.” It does not necessarily mean it is organized. You need to be intentional about where you place your items, and you must make sure you get rid of items you no longer need. Make sure that once you put an item in a certain location, you want it to stay there for the foreseeable future. This is particularly true when it comes to books, clothing, and pantry supplies.

Avoid These Mistakes When Organizing Your Home

There is no single right way to organize your house, but these are a few of the most common mistakes to avoid. Make sure you have a plan in place before you start organizing your house. That way, you can complete the job in a timely manner.