Articles Contributed to by Sharon Duffy

First Time Home Buyers with Bad Credit
Before, it was easier to find lenders who would give home loans to first-time home buyers with damaged credit.  Credit scores were ignored when applying for an FHA home loan in the past.. Nowadays, however, most lenders won’t even consider a borrower unless their...

Reverse Mortgage Checklist
Our reverse mortgage checklist will walk seniors through the reverse mortgage process to help them better understand how they can tap into their home equity without dealing with mortgage payments. . Here are the required steps:. Study the reverse mortgage terms...

The Ultimate Guide to Credit and Credit Score
Credit represents the ability of a borrower to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future. A credit score is a number representing the risk which a borrower presents to a lender, or the likelihood that the borrower will be...

Understanding Home Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the process by which a homeowners rights to a property are forfeited because of failure to pay the mortgage. If the owner cannot pay off the outstanding debt or sell it via short sale, the property then goes to a foreclosure auction. . If the property does not...

Buying Your First Home, The Survival Guide: Getting Pre-Approved
Editor’s Note: This article is the first in Lender411’s Buying Your First Home, The Survival Guide trilogy. Skip to the second entry, Calculating Costs or the third, Choosing a House.. If you grew up in America, it's possible you’ve spent time gazing at...

15-year Fixed Rate Mortgages Defined
A 15-year fixed-rate mortgage offers homeowners a way to pay off their home purchase twice as fast as with a conventional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.. How do 15-year fixed-rate mortgages work?Fixed-rate mortgages are the most common type of mortgage loans. With a 15 year...