If you purchase a property with less than 20 percent down, you most likely will end up paying private mortgage insurance, more commonly referred to as PMI. PMI, although it may allow you to secure a home loan without saving up 20 percent, it will cost you every month in the form of a PMI payment, which is on top of your mortgage and taxes every month. For many homeowners, this extra payment can be quite costly, as PMI can run as high as a few hundred dollars, depending on the loan program and the amount of the down payment.

Many homeowners just assume that they have to pay PMI. While this used to be the case, homeowners today can now opt for single-pay mortgage insurance, which reduces the long-term mortgage payment.

Single-Pay Mortgage Insurance

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Do you fancy yourself to be a mortgage know-it-all? After all, you’ve been down the mortgage road before, bought a few properties, and think you have a pulse on mortgages and how to secure a competitive one.

Unfortunately, there may be a quite a few things about mortgages you aren’t aware of – things that could cost you big in the long run. Here are a few mortgage trivia questions to keep you on your toes:

True or False: I can figure out my mortgage payment using my interest rate.

False! The cost of your home and the interest rate do not tell the entire story of the mortgage payment for your Plano residence. Instead, look to your loan’s annual percentage rate (APR), which includes not only the interest you will pay on your loan, but the points,…

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No one wants to think about an intruder breaking into their home. It’s a scary prospect, which is why so many homeowners, instead of preparing themselves in the event of an attempted break-in, choose to ignore it. However, ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.

In fact, home security should always be a consideration, regardless of where you live. And, with today’s wireless technologies and remotely accessed systems, protecting your Tomball home and your family has never been easier.

Wireless Home Security Systems

Yesterday’s home security systems were of the wired variety, which meant pulling wires through walls and making holes in your otherwise flawless walls. But wired systems were also susceptible to damage, and many intruders would be able to…

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Renting may be a good decision if you are not yet ready or able to purchase a home. But before you sign a rental agreement, there are a few things to consider:

Pets

If you are a pet owner, you will certainly be on the hunt for an apartment that allows pets. But you should also be aware that many apartments only allow pets up to a certain size or weight. I had a friend who had to move from her apartment after her puppy began to grow much larger than she thought it would. As the apartment building only allowed pet up to 30 pounds, and her growing puppy was quickly topping 50 pounds, she had to uproot and find a new apartment, right in the middle of her lease.

Also, if you don’t have pets, be aware of apartment buildings Downtown Austin that do…

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A new homebuilder has come to town in North Texas. Along with more homebuilding options for North Texans, MainVue Homes (Henly Properties), one of Australia’s biggest builders, is offering a modern aesthetic that is sure to turn some of the traditional designs we are used to seeing on their collective heads.

Peter Haynes, the managing director of Henley Properties, poses the question of why we should still be building in homes that look like grandma’s house. With traditional homes a mainstay in North Texas up until this point, MainVue homes are certainly a change. 

MainVue Homes, which feature clean lines, modern finishes and materials, and plenty of wide, open interior spaces, are a far cry from the traditional finishes and classic materials used…

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Although international buyers are certainly nothing new to America, these last few years have brought about a surge in foreign home buyers.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has kept tabs on foreign buyers since 2007. Here are their findings:

Foreign buyers are usually one of two varieties: (1) those buyers with permanent residences outside of the U.S., who usually purchase homes for vacations or investment; and (2) those buyers who are recent immigrants to the United States or those on temporary visas who are here for professional or educational purposes.

In the last 12 months, international clients purchase more than $68 billion worth of U.S. properties, which totaled 6.3 percent of all U.S. existing home sales. Among foreign buyers,…

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Given the popularity of Austin and its swiftly advancing business centers, it’s no wonder that fabulous new home communities are cropping up in nearly every corner of the city. City professionals, in particular, are searching for upscale, gated communities in Austin and, like the real estate itself, these communities have been designed to impress.

Here are just a few of Austin’s top gated communities:

Avery Ranch

First of all, Avery Ranch has a very desirable location, right between Cedar Park and Round Rock and, second of all, it winds around a stunning golf course. Is there really anything better in Austin?

If you want to know what Avery Ranch has, a better question would be: What doesn’t it have? Tennis courts, five community centers,…

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Ask many a person in Houston why it’s so great to live here and you will likely receive one of three answers: (1) because the weather is beautiful; (2) because you can golf at one of the city’s countless golf courses: and (3) you can golf at nearly any time of the year because the weather is beautiful!

Luxury homes in Houston are often surrounded by equally impressive golf courses, so finding a beautiful home in one of Houston’s many golf communities usually isn’t a problem. Here is just a sampling of some of the fantastic offerings that abound in Houston if you are looking for luxury, golf course community living!

Greatwood

As just of what seems to be a hundred master-planned communities in Houston, Greatwood has it all: a prime Sugar Land…

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Austin new home communities are chalked full of features that are sure to suit even the most demanding buyers. Here are just a few new home communities in Austin that are worth a closer look:

Villa Montana

Villa Montana which, by the way, was created by Beau Theriot, a renowned interior designer, features stunning, European styling, pedestrian walkways lit by antique lanterns, and beautifully paved concrete streets, all of which evoke the beauty of a bygone era. If you’re looking for a custom home masterpiece, then Villa Montana is certainly for you. With some of the best home builders in Texas working here, you simply can’t go wrong.

In addition to the stunning estate homes masterfully situated throughout the community, Villa Montana features…

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Coppell is growing by leaps and bounds, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down any time soon. As such, finding new home communities here is a cinch; perhaps your only problem may be choosing from the many new home communities that grace this dynamic city! Here are a few of our favorites:

Red Hawk

The new home community of Red Hawk holds the distinction of being Coppell’s first luxury patio home community. Tucked comfortably near Denton Tap and Bethel School Roads, Red Hawk enjoys a lovely location among the area’s many mature trees.

This patio home community boasts maintenance-free living for everyone from small families to city professionals and empty nesters. Further, its prime location near both Dallas and Fort Worth, as well as the…

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