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Kim Porter
Editor
About
Kim Porter began her career as a writer and an editor focusing on personal finance in 2010. Since then, her work has been published everywhere from Forbes Advisor to U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, NextAdvisor, Credit Karma, Bankrate, and more. Connect with Porter on LinkedIn or check out her tweets at @kimsavesmoney.
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How To Get Equity Out Of A Paid-Off House
Paying off a mortgage is a huge milestone. It usually takes years to accomplish, but you finally own your property free and clear. Plus, you unlock other ways to borrow money. It’s possible to get equity out of a house... -
Escalation Clause: What Is It And How Does It Work?
Creating a strong purchase offer is critical when you’ve found a home you want to buy. Essentially, you want to tell the seller you’re both qualified and serious about buying the home. In some cases, you may even write an... -
Best Tax Software For Small Business Of August 2024
Taxes can be complicated if you own a small business. And while you have many online tax software options for your business, you’ll want to choose one that’s user-friendly, inexpensive and provides quality customer service. You should select a product... -
5 Cities Where You Can Buy A House For Under $300K
In 2022, the median home sales price surged to $479,500 before steadily dropping to $416,100 by mid-2023. While home prices are at historical highs, they vary widely depending on where you want to live. The good news is that it’s... -
Essential Guide To HFA Loans
If you’re on strong financial footing but you can’t save enough for a down payment, a housing finance agency (HFA) loan might be an option. These mortgages allow down payments as low as 3% and provide financial assistance to help... -
Lower Home Equity Review 2024
is an online lender that provides home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) of $15,000 to $500,000. The company also offers a unique HELOC and refinance combo, where you can refinance your home and take out a line of credit in... -
New York Housing Market 2024: Trends & House Prices
When Covid-19 hit in 2020, New York's suburban and rural areas were considered buyer's markets. "That really shifted and they became seller's markets in spring 2020," says Mihal Gartenberg, a licensed associate real estate broker with Coldwell Banker. "[With NYC],... -
Underwater Mortgage: Everything You Need To Know
If you owe more on your home than it’s worth, your mortgage is considered “underwater.” Hundreds of thousands of U.S. homeowners find themselves in this situation every year. Meanwhile, other homeowners may have low home equity if they recently took... -
What Happens If I Don’t File My Taxes?
Though some Americans with low income are technically not required to file tax returns, the IRS generally expects you to submit a return if you meet the earnings criteria. If you’re supposed to file a 2023 tax return but don’t,... -
American Express Rewards Checking Account Review 2024
American Express National Bank, Member FDIC, launched its first-ever consumer checking account early last year—and didn’t hold back. The touts no account fees or minimums, competitive interest rates, plus Membership Rewards® points when you spend on the accompanying debit card.... -
How To Get Closing Costs Waived
Once your lender approves you for a home loan, you’re not quite at the finish line yet. You’ll still need to pay for closing costs, which are upfront fees related to the mortgage. Buyers can expect to pay between 2%... -
FHA Loan Closing Costs
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans are mortgages that offer flexible eligibility guidelines to help borrowers. FHA loan borrowers may qualify with lower credit scores and smaller down payments than other mortgage programs. But like with most mortgages, borrowers still pay... -
Guide To Land Loans
If you want to build a house or a commercial property, a land loan can help you secure a location. However, land loans are considered risky investments for lenders because there’s no property to serve as collateral. That means they... -
Guide To USDA Construction Loans
If you’re looking to build a new home, a USDA construction loan could be the key to making your project a reality. USDA construction loans can provide funds for purchasing land, plus the financing for construction costs and other necessities.... -
Guaranteed Rate Mortgage Review 2024
Guaranteed Rate is a Chicago-based lender that offers mortgages and personal loans in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Though it operates primarily online, you can visit one of Guaranteed Rate’s 390 branches across the U.S. With Guaranteed Rate, borrowers... -
PrimeLending Mortgage Review 2024
PrimeLending is a Dallas-based home lender that offers mortgages in all 50 states, but physical branches are only available in some locations. Homebuyers can choose from a range of purchase mortgages—including conventional, jumbo and government-backed loans from the Federal Housing... -
FHA Loan Down Payments
For many prospective homebuyers, coming up with a down payment can be a massive obstacle to homeownership, especially when home prices are high. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans are one of several mortgage programs that offer low down payments. What... -
What Is A Hard Money Loan?
If you’re looking for a way to finance a real estate purchase, you could try a traditional mortgage—or look at alternative options, like a hard money loan. A hard money loan is a short-term, secured loan that usually comes from... -
Clear To Close Timeline Explained
“You’re clear to close!” Those are the magic words every mortgage applicant longs to hear after weeks of waiting, providing documents, making phone calls and answering emails. But what happens after you get that good news? How long until you... -
What Is A Purchase Money Mortgage?
If you’re running into problems qualifying for a conventional mortgage to buy a home, there are other options you can explore. One such option is a purchase money mortgage, also known as seller or owner financing. A purchase money mortgage... -
CrossCountry Mortgage Review 2024
CrossCountry Mortgage is a Cleveland-based direct lender with more than 600 branches across the U.S., operating in all 50 states. The lender says it can close loans quickly, but its website lacks some key information and borrowers pay origination fees... -
Mortgage Loan Originator: What Do They Do?
For most home buyers, applying for a loan or refinancing can be daunting and confusing. Fortunately, the real estate industry has professionals and institutions dedicated to easing your mind. Mortgage loan originators are here to walk new and returning buyers... -
Freedom Mortgage Review 2024
Freedom Mortgage is a Florida-based mortgage lender that specializes in providing government-backed loans from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Freedom Mortgage is one of the nation’s largest nonbank... -
What Are Water Rights?
The average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water at home every day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. As such, laws are often put in place to govern water usage. In the U.S., water rights are state... -
Regions Mortgage Lender Review 2024
Alabama-based Regions Financial Corp. offers consumers a full range of financial services: banking, investing, credit cards, auto loans, student loans, personal loans and mortgages. Regions originates mortgages in Washington, D.C. and 22 states, but most of its home loan business... -
What Is A Quitclaim Deed?
If you want to transfer your interest in a piece of real estate to someone you know, a quitclaim deed can be a fast and simple way to do it. You’ll need to follow some technicalities to make the transaction... -
Ultimate Home Inspection Checklist
If you’re like most homebuyers and sellers, you don’t have the expertise to identify every problem a home inspector might find. A home inspection checklist can help you learn what areas to examine to know the safety issues a home... -
What Is The Gift Tax Rate?
If you’re planning to make a large gift of money or property to someone—whether a family member, neighbor, friend or otherwise—then the gift tax should be on your radar. -
A Guide To VA Renovation And Rehab Loans
If you’re eligible for a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan and you’re willing to buy a fixer-upper, a VA alteration and repair loan can provide the necessary financing to purchase the home and make repairs. You can...
About
Kim Porter began her career as a writer and an editor focusing on personal finance in 2010. Since then, her work has been published everywhere from Forbes Advisor to U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, NextAdvisor, Credit Karma, Bankrate, and more. Connect with Porter on LinkedIn or check out her tweets at @kimsavesmoney.