How-to's for the First-time Home Buyer: Getting a Loan and Staying Within Budget

If you're a first-time home buyer, a loan may already be on your to-do list. Here are a few helpful tips to help you through the process:

Why Should I Switch to a Fixed Rate Mortgage? Or Adjustable?

Generally, mortgages can be categorized as fixed rate and adjustable rate. As their name implies, fixed rate mortgages will mean you have a fixed interest rate and steady monthly payments. An adjustable rate mortgage means your monthly payments could change if interest rates change.

How do you know if you should refinance your mortgage? If you think that the refinance wave has passed you by, think again. Mortgage rates are only slightly higher now than the bottomed-out low rates we saw a few years ago.

Reasons To Be Optimistic About Mortgages in Florida

Home prices in Florida are steadily rising. This means it's a more advantageous period for buyers who want to buy or swap homes, especially compared to market conditions years ago. For mortgages in Florida that suit every type of budget, We Florida Financial is a trusted name among credit unions in the area.

We Florida Financial provides four types of home loans to cater to the different needs and situations of our members.

If you’ve been thinking of buying a second home, you may not want to wait much longer. You may have heard that mortgage rates are expected to rise this year, which means waiting could cost you. Securing a mortgage for your second home now, while rates are low, means you can buy more home for your money.

If retirement is in your 5 to 10 year plan, you may be starting to think about buying your retirement home now. Or, you might want to buy a second home as a vacation home for your family. Either way, now is a good time to buy.

Wrap up this holiday season by going green with gifting.

No, we don’t mean wrapping your gifts in recycled paper. But before putting away all the holiday gifts you recently received, think of a few people on your list who can use something you already have but don’t need.

It may be an unopened present you got from someone this year that you have no use for – but this person would love. It might be a promotional item you received from work or a business you frequent. It can be an unused gift card that’s just sitting in your wallet. Look around and you’ll be amazed at how much you can find – and how much money you can save in advance of next year’s season!

In the throes of a worldwide pandemic, most of us find ourselves spending more time at home in a new reality that is far from the norm. Like everything else in life, we can choose to react to our circumstances with complaints and annoyance or we can embrace them and make a bad situation positive and beneficial. The latter is of course, the better way to go. Here are 7 suggestions that will help us make the best of our newly -found spare time.

We are all live busy and hectic lives. If many of us could afford it, we would pay for a personal assistant to help with chores, run errands and keep us organized.  The good news is that as credit union members, we already have a right-hand assistant. It’s called electronic banking.  And it’s free.

The real estate landscape can be tough for first-time homeowners with no equity. Many people struggle to meet the demands of everyday bills and still find space in the budget to put something away for a family home. Let's take a look at how long you could spend saving for a down home. Then, we'll look at an alternative loan program that can help you get into your dream home faster.

You may have heard of a home equity loan. Sometimes financial institutions refer to this type of loan as a second mortgage. Basically it’s using the equity you’ve built up in your home to take out a large amount of money for something specific. People use these types of home equity loans for a variety of things. They are divided into two categories, a home equity line of credit or a regular home equity loan, which is a large lump sum given to you.

Help! I am buried in a pile of stuff! What can I toss and what should I keep?

In today’s consumer-driven world, we all tend to over accumulate. Decluttering is not only a popular buzz word but is actually a healthy habit. Getting rid of unnecessary material items helps one to function better in less crowded surroundings and very importantly, eases the psychological stress and anxiety that comes with owning and caring for too much stuff.

Americans move an average of 11 times in their lifetime. Packing up and moving out of your home is a big undertaking. Especially when you have accumulated years of “stuff”. Moving across town is tough. But moving across the country? Now that can be stressful. I moved from Texas to Florida last year and I learned a lot of definite “to-dos” and even more importantly, “what not to-dos”. If you’re planning on relocating to a different city or even state, here are some things to think about before making the big move.

When you’ve outgrown your home or are in need of an update, you have two options: renovate or relocate.

Refinancing. You hear the term in the media almost every day especially in this low rate environment. Refinancing means paying off your existing mortgage with a new one. Should you do it? Consider these five reasons why refinancing may be right for you.