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Down Payments Don’t Have to Be 20%

If you’re planning to buy your first home, saving up for all the costs involved can feel daunting, especially when it comes to the down payment. That might be because you’ve heard you need to save 20% of the home’s price to put down. Well, that isn’t necessarily the case.

Exploring 20-Year Mortgage Options

20 year mortgage

Nearly 78% of all home mortgages created last year were for a 30-year term, according to the Urban Institute. But have you ever considered a 20-year term? A shorter term will save tons in interest payments, and you will build equity faster and be mortgage free sooner, even though you will pay a bit more monthly. New proposed legislation could help first-time homebuyers reduce the cost of a 20-year mortgage or provide down payment help.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering a 20-year mortgage:

The 4 Biggest Mistakes First Time Home Buyers Make (and how to avoid them!)

new home owners

Searching for homes to buy in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County or the surrounding communities in West Central Minnesota can be hard.  For one thing- there’s a lot of ground to cover! But these tips can make it a lot easier for house hunters in the central lakes area.  Also by calling a REALTOR at with our Homes and Lakeshore team, we will help you avoid all the mistakes many homes buyers make.

If you’ve never been through the home buying process before, it can be easy to make missteps or to get caught up in small details that really don’t make much difference. With that in mind, we’re here to help. We’ve pointed out four of the most common house hunting mistakes, as well as how to avoid them. 

Wondering if You Qualify for a Mortgage but are Afraid to Ask?

first time homebuyer

You’ve been working steadily, built up good credit and even managed to put some savings away. So now you might wonder if you could finance a home purchase. You’re not alone. Most Americans— over 79 percent recently surveyed by Bankrate.com—still believe that owning a home is a vital component of achieving the American dream.

If you have not yet been through the mortgage process, it’s a little daunting to see if you qualify. With this simple guide, you can calculate a few answers ahead of time- or fix problems- before talking to a lender.

Tips for a First-time Home Loan

first home

6 things to do before applying for a mortgage Acquiring a home not only represents something tangible that is your own, but is also an asset that typically increases in value over time. The equity created in home ownership comes in handy if you later when you retire, or if you want to fund a … Continued