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Her Escrow Statement Added $250 a Month. Only $75 of It Is Permanent.
About 65% of escrow accounts are projected to run short this year. The statement shows one bigger payment, but two…
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Your Premium Rose Two Years Straight and Your Dwelling Limit Never Moved. Here Is How to Force a Rebuild-Cost Re-Run
A premium increase is a rate decision. A stale dwelling limit is a coverage decision, and it is the one…
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Down Payment Assistance Is Usually a Second Mortgage. Ask These Three Questions Before You Sign
Forgivable, deferred, and repayable assistance are three different obligations wearing the same name. Here is what each one actually costs…
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Your HELOC Is 40% Drawn. Your Next Mortgage Lender Sees That Balance, Not the One After You Pay It Down
A payment made three days before the lender pulls credit usually does not show up. Here is what a drawn…
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Selling Next Year? Three Exterior Projects Beat a Kitchen Remodel by $19,600
Only five of the 28 projects in the latest Cost vs Value report return more than they cost, and eight…
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Before You Install a Security System, Look Up Your City’s False Alarm Fines
Monitoring is the price you get quoted. The permit fee and the escalating false alarm fines from your city are…
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Mortgage Rates Just Hit an 11-Month High. That Is Exactly When a Second Quote Pays the Most
When rates climb, the gap between what two lenders quote the same borrower widens. Here is what Freddie Mac’s own…
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Your Dishwasher Is Under Both a Manufacturer Warranty and a Home Warranty. Which One Do You Call First?
When an appliance is covered by both a manufacturer warranty and a home warranty, the order you call matters. Call…
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Your AC Is 12 Years Old and Straining Through This Heat Wave. Repair Again or Replace Now?
A 12-year-old central AC struggling in a heat wave forces a fast decision. Here is how to tell if it…
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Paying Extra on Your Mortgage This Year? Check for a Prepayment Penalty Clause First
Most conventional loans no longer carry a prepayment penalty, but some still do. Before you send a lump sum or…
