Mortgage News, Tips and Resources

Don’t get caught off guard by closing costs! Learn what they include, how to budget, and smart strategies to manage them as a first-time homebuyer.

Discover budget-friendly tips to enjoy the holiday season without overspending. Learn how to manage your expenses and spread cheer without breaking the bank.

Discover fall gifting ideas for real estate agents to strengthen client relationships and local business connections while enhancing community engagement.

Find out which Long Island neighborhoods are the best for raising a young family based on location, school districts, median home prices, access to transportation, local amenities, entertainment, and more.

First-time home buyers may qualify for various conventional and government-backed loans, such as those offered through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs.

Record-low housing inventories and more prospective buyers than sellers have led to competitive bidding wars characterized by little to no contingencies, “as is” contracts, higher opening bids and down payments, and more.

With close proximity to New York City, Long Island is a suburban oasis of activities, recreation, cuisine, museums, beaches, and culture for residents and visitors of all ages.

It’s best to have all documentation, financials, commitment letters, and mortgage options prior to making an offer on a property in the current, record-breaking spring home-buying season led by bidding wars, pent-up demand, and decreased inventory.

When researching and comparing the best mortgages for your needs, there are several options, such as conventional, government-backed, jumbo loans, and more—all of with unique requirements, features, benefits, and cost-saving incentives.

With this year’s winter real estate market again predicted to be one of the best ever, now is the perfect time to sell your home due to low interest rates, added demand, proactive buyers, increased digital marketing tools, and other trends.

To help make sure adults and children have a safe time trick-or-treating, we've compiled a list of Halloween safety tips. Contour mortgage is here.

The usually tepid fall homebuying season will continue gaining momentum due to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, more flexible remote work schedules, motivated buyers, additional space needs, and more.

With low inventory and interest rates, and home sales occurring at a record pace, it’s even more important for potential buyers to understand the home financing process, such as mortgage options, qualifications, down payment percentages, and other elements.

Home equity and mortgage loans can both be used toward home purchases repairs, improvements and other upgrades, but each financing type differs in requirements, benefits, tax deductions, and repayment terms.

Prospective first-time home buyers may qualify for several significant cost-saving incentives, such as government-backed loans and grants, tax credits and exemptions, financial assistance, and more.

Home equity is an invaluable investment that can be utilized to obtain a loan, line of credit, or refinancing, for value-driven expenses such as home improvements and emergency repairs, education costs, real estate investments, and more.

To rent or purchase? That’s the million-dollar question! You need to consider many factors, including the current housing market and your personal financial situation.

5 helpful tips to remember when you are moving into a new home.

7 Important items that will help you when you move into your first home.

First-time Long Island home buyers should seek assistance from mortgage pros, learn about different loans, plan ahead, and understand the closing process.