Author: Lending Agent
Key takeaways Amid concerns about a potential recession, you may be drawn to paying off your mortgage early, but experts advise this usually isn’t the best idea. Paying off your mortgage gets rid of your monthly payment, but it also causes you to reduce your cash savings. For homeowners who owe a small amount on their mortgage, paying off the loan may make sense. As of early 2025, economic uncertainties have given way to rising concerns over a recession. These concerns have been largely triggered by the slew of new tariffs, spending cuts and firings of federal employees enacted by…
PeopleImages/Getty Images Key takeaways Mortgage origination is the process through which the lender approves and creates your loan. Steps in the mortgage origination process include getting preapproval, applying for the loan, waiting for loan processing and underwriting and attending closing day. Many lenders charge a fee for originating a mortgage, which typically costs between 0.5 percent and 1 percent of the loan amount. What is mortgage loan origination? Mortgage loan origination is the process your lender goes through to establish your loan after you apply for a mortgage. When you close on your loan, you’ll pay a mortgage origination fee,…
In recent weeks, mortgage rates have fallen ahead of the Federal Reserve’s March meeting, and the spring homebuying season is underway. Are rate cuts on the table for the year ahead, and how might factors driving Fed policy impact mortgage rates? Here’s an outlook. How the Fed influences mortgage rates and home sales There are times when the Federal Reserve very clearly sets the tone for mortgage rates. Early in the pandemic, the Fed slashed rates to zero, and mortgage rates followed, plunging to record lows. Then, in 2022, the Fed began to raise rates aggressively. Mortgage rates soared, going from…
Dividend-paying stocks are getting some attention from Wall Street as recession worries and anxiety over President Donald Trump ‘s tariff policy rattles the market. This is only the second week of March, but the S & P 500 is already off more than 5% in the month, while the Nasdaq Composite is toting a 6.5% decline. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed below its 200-day moving average on Monday for the first time since November 2023. Dividends can give investors some cushioning when tumultuous markets shake up their portfolios. “Dividends can help reduce volatility in a time of greater uncertainty…
With fiscal and geopolitical developments dominating the news cycle, it would be easy to forget that interest rates prefer to take their primary cues from economic data. This is an important reminder considering tomorrow morning brings one of the most closely watched economic reports: the Consumer Price Index (CPI). CPI is one of only a few inflation reports from the U.S. government. It is also the out 2 weeks earlier than its only real competitor. Because of that, and the fact that rates are greatly impact by inflation, CPI is one of the biggest potential sources of rate volatility. There…
The sell-off in stocks is now into its fourth week, and plenty of momentum stocks have broken down amid the carnage. On Tuesday, the S & P 500 , Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite pulled back yet again after President Donald Trump announced he is imposing additional steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada, effective Wednesday. The declines came one day after all three major averages were routed amid mounting concern on Wall Street that the U.S. faces an imminent recession. Against this volatile backdrop, CNBC Pro screened for S & P 500 companies whose shares have quickly been…
Just before I left for vacation, I wrote about a possible hedge strategy in the S & P 500 against resistance levels. Since then , the S & P 500 is about 8% lower and we are carrying the hedge. From a technical point of view, I’m watching a possible support zone in the S & P 500 ranging from 5,675-5,400 as we trade right in the middle of that zone — around 5,540. So, we’re possibly in the support zone confirmed by diverging market internals that suggests we’ve reached oversold status. That’s despite the severity and pace of the headlines…
If you’ve never owned a home — or you have, but not recently — you might qualify for a first-time homebuyer loan or assistance. First-time buyer loans typically have more affordable rates and more flexible requirements, such as a lower minimum down payment or credit score. Many help buyers afford the costs of closing and the down payment through grants and low-interest loans. The median age of first-time homebuyers is 38 years old, according to the National Association of Realtors. First-time homebuyer programs by state Each U.S. state operates a housing finance authority (HFA) to encourage homeownership, among other responsibilities.…
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Goldman Sachs is turning bullish on GE HealthCare as the outlook on the Chinese market improves. Analyst David Roman upgraded shares of the medical technology stock to buy from neutral and hiked his price target by $15 to $100. Roman’s refreshed target for shares implies an advance of 17.2% above Monday’s closing level. Roman said the firm’s previous thesis on the stock revolved around growth between 4% and 5% in the company’s base business offset by headwinds to China sales. Now, he said that sales in the country are stabilizing and can return to 2023 levels by 2026 — faster…