Home Buying Guide - Download Yours Today

I'm pleased to announce that our home buying guide is now available for immediate download. Better still, you get the home buying guide plus the mortgage and credit guide for the price of one.

About the Home Buying Guide
This home buying guide was developed specifically for first-time home buyers. The home buying guide, and the mortgage guide that comes with it, provide a solid introduction to the world of home buying and mortgage loans. Spend a couple of hours with these clearly written, easy-to-read guides, and you will be better informed and more comfortable with the entire home buying process.

Download your copy today.

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

First-Time Home Buying Tutorial

We've created a handy little tutorial for first-time home buyers. It's all about buying a first home, and it's jam-packed with information and related resources.

Some of the main sections include:

• Financial self-assessment
• Credit review process
• Finding a real estate agent
• Choosing a mortgage
• The mortgage process
• House hunting
• Home inspections
• Closing / settlement

Check it out:
First-Time Home Buying Tutorial

I hope this tutorial helps you when buying your first home!

~Brandon

The Ultimate Home Buying Checklist

Maybe I'm a real estate geek, but I love a good home buying checklist. I love them so much that I've created what I think is the mother of all home buying checklists.

I call it: 101 Steps to a Smoother Home Buying Process

This isn't just any home buying checklist. In true overachiever fashion, I've created a home buying checklist that's also a list of related resources. While reading this checklist, you'll see hyperlinks galore leading to further reading on that particular topic.

So it's a home buying checklist, but it's also a list of recommended reading.

Check it out:
The ultimate home buying checklist

10 Basic Steps to Buying a Home

When learning about the home buying process, it's wise to start with the basic steps to buying a home.

I like to call this the "skeleton of your home buying education." Once you understand the basic home buying steps, you have a skeleton of knowledge that you can build on and expand. Okay, maybe that's a little Edgar Allen Poe of me ... but you get the point.

So I've taken the liberty of creating a home buying skeleton for you. This new article is more than an article -- it's a road map of the home buying process with links to plenty of additional advice. I hope you find it helpful.

Go there now:
Home Buying Steps: 10 Basic Steps to Buying a Home

~Brandon

Buying a Home in San Diego - New Resource Posted

In my last post, I mentioned that we were building home buying resource pages / city profiles for some of the hottest real estate markets in the U.S.

We started with Austin home buying, which I mentioned previously. Tonight, we finished the next city profile in line -- this one's all about buying a home in San Diego.

The San Diego housing market is hot, and prices continue to climb out there. So a San Diego home buyer needs all the help he or she can get. We hope this page will fill in some of the gaps. It offers information on San Diego geography, neighborhoods, home builders, schools and more.

Check it out:
San Diego home buying page

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

Buying a Home in Austin - New Resource Page Available

We've begun a massive project to offer "city profile" pages for some of the hottest real estate markets in the U.S. First up on the block is Austin, Texas.

So if you or someone you know will be buying a home in Austin, please feel free to direct them to the home buying resource page below.

Learn more:
Austin home buying guide

More city profiles on the way!
We have a long list of city profiles to work on next. So whenever a new resource page is posted, we will blog about it here to keep everyone informed.

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

The Different Types of Mortgage Loans - Home Loans 101

One of the most frequent home buying questions I receive is "What type of mortgage loan should I choose?"

I don't dare answer this question with anything resembling a recommendation. It's just too big of a decision for me to make on behalf of another person. But I'm happy to share the way I do respond to such questions.

First...
Ask yourself the following questions and write down your responses. How long do I plan to live in the home? How much can I afford to put down up front? How much can I comfortably afford to pay each month?

Second...
Review the different types of mortgage loans and see which one best matches your responses to the questions above. When reading about types of mortgages, pay careful attention to any sentence that starts with "This mortgage might be a good idea for you if..." Also pay attention to any pros and cons mentioned for each mortgage types.

Third...
Here are some of my favorite articles about the types of mortgage loans, just to get you started.

• Top 9 Mortgages Explained
• Understanding the Different Mortgages
• Choosing Between Fixed-Rate & Variable-Rate
• Interest-Only Home Loans
• Zero-Down Mortgage Loans

And here's another good tutorial off-site at Mortgage-X. I hope that helps. It's the best I can do besides actually recommending a mortgage type.

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

Buying a HUD Foreclosed Home - New Section of Website

Recently, I was conducting some online research for a home buying article, and I had trouble finding a "one stop shop" for information on HUD home purchases.

The mission of Home Buying Institute is to be a one-stop shop for home buying information of all kinds -- including tips for buying a HUD home. So, we took it upon ourselves to add a new section of the website dedicated to buying a HUD foreclosed home.

What you'll find inside:

* Tips and advice from different authors
* Links to additional resources off-site
* And much more on the way soon

Go there now

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

Finding a Home Inspector - Quick Tips

Before we talk about finding a home inspector, let's make sure we are on the same page. If you have any doubt as to whether or not you need a home inspection, let me put that question to rest.

Yes, you need a home inspection!

At the time of this writing, home inspections average around $300. That's a small price to pay for peace of mind. A competent home inspector will examine your home from every angle, from the roof to the foundation. If there are any major problems with the house, you'll know about it.

You'll even get a list of minor discrepancies, which makes a handy "fix it" list you can use once you own the home.

Finding a Home Inspector - Where to Look
If you know somebody who recently had a home inspection, that's a good place to start. Just make sure the home inspector is certified by a professional organization like the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). In fact, the ASHI's website is a great place to look as well. You might also take a look at HomeInspection.com.

Recommended Reading

• How to Find a Qualified Home Inspector (off-site, About.com)
• Home Inspector Certification Associations (off-site, AskTheBuilder.com)
• 7 Questions to Ask a Home Inspector
• A Guide to Home Inspections

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

Buying a Home After Bankruptcy - There is Hope

Many people think it's impossible to buy a home after filing for bankruptcy, that the act of bankruptcy ruins their credit for all eternity.

This is simply not the case. Granted, if you're buying a home after bankruptcy, you'll face certain obstacles that the typical home buyer wouldn't face. But it's certainly not impossible ... not by a long shot.

For this blog post, I've hand-picked a few articles I think will be helpful to you. And as always, remember that these articles don't take the place of a financial advisor. Always seek help from a professional when buying a home after a bankruptcy filing.

Recommended Reading

• Buying a Home After Bankruptcy - Are You Ready?
• Getting the Best Mortgage Loan With Bad Credit
• Bounce Back Fast After Bankruptcy (off-site, MSN)
• Buying a Home After Bankruptcy (off-site, Quicken Loans)
• Bad Credit Mortgage 101

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

Texas Home Loans - New Section of Website

Continuing in our mission to provide state-specific mortgage information to home buyers, we are proud to announce the latest addition covering Texas home loans.

As always, we will continue to build this new section with quality tips and advice. It will offer a variety of mortgage information unique to home buyers in the great state of Texas ... our own home state!

You'll also find some good information on Texas home buying at the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation.

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

Note: The information on our website is intended to educate you in the home buying and mortgage process. It is not meant to replace the valuable information provided by a financial counselor or advisor. Always seek professional assistance or counsel when buying a home or obtaining a mortgage loan.

Ohio Home Loans - New Resource Posted

We've just created a new section of Home Buying Institute that offers information on Ohio home loans.

It includes helpful information on finding a mortgage lender in Ohio, shopping for the best rate, understanding the qualification process and more.

Go there now

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

Buying a First Home - New Resource Posted

Buying a first home can be exciting and scary at the same time. As a first-time home buyer, you have to learn a lot about the process and the terminology. It can be overwhelming at times.

I hope to remove some of that fear and make the process much smoother for you with a new resource I've just published. It's a tutorial on buying a first home ... a "must read" for any first-time home buyer.

Buying a First Home - A Tutorial for First-Time Buyers

Happy home buying,

~Brandon

40-Year Mortgage Loans - New Article Posted

A recent survey of some of the top mortgage lending institutions found that approximately 30% were now offering some form of 40-year mortgage loan.

But when is the 40-year option a wise choice? Is it a good idea for first-time home buyers? A new article posted to Home Buying Institute will help you answer these questions and more.

Are 40-Year Mortgages a Good Idea?

And remember ... never trust a single source of information when researching mortgage loans. Mortgages are an important topic and they deserve extensive research. To help you take your research even further, here are some additional resources about the 40-year mortgage:

• 40-Year Mortgage is a Risky Move (MSN Money)
• Is a 40-Year Mortgage Right for You (BankRate.com)
• 40-Year Loan, Or Modify the 30 and 15 (Mortgage Professor)

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

Buying a Mobile Home - New Section at HBI

I've had a few readers email me to day there's a lack of info online about buying a mobile home. So I'm pleased to announce we've addressed this problem by creating a new section of Home Buying Institute, dedicated to buying a mobile home.

Many elements of traditional home buying apply to mobile homes as well. But with mobile homes, there's also a whole new set of considerations, such as the foundation, the financing, septic systems, water sources, etc.

We hope the new section of our website will address many of these unique considerations.

Go there now

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

Low-Income Home Buying Programs - A Tutorial

Low-income home buying programs are a hot topic. At least, a lot of people come to Home Buying Institute searching for info on that topic.

Up until now, we've had bits and pieces of information about low-income home buying programs, but nothing comprehensive. That's why we are proud to announce a new tutorial on low-income home buying programs.

Like many documents on this website, the new tutorial is a "living document" ... which means we will add a lot more information to it over time.

Share Your Resources
Do you know of some good online resources that talk about low-income home buying programs? If so, let us know and we will add them to the tutorial page.

Visit the new tutorial

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

Florida Home Loan Section - Now Open

Continuing in our efforts to build a state-by-state collection of mortgage advice, we are proud to announce that the Florida home loan section is now open.

Though it's in its infancy, we plan to add new articles and resources on a regular basis. In true Home Buying Institute fashion, it will soon be the largest collection of its kind.

Send Your Articles
If you have an advice article about Florida home loans, feel free to submit it for publication. You can find our publication policies here.

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

California Home Loan Info Center - Now Open

We are proud to announce a new section of Home Buying Institute, full of advice and information on California home loans.

We started with California home loans after reviewing data from our on-site search tool. It seems quite a few people are coming to the site and searching for phrases related to "California mortgage loans" ... "California home loans" and the like.

This new section is actually the tip of the iceberg, because we are also hard at work expanding HBI to include home loan info on all states in the U.S. Obviously, this will take some time to develop, but you can get a look at the work in progress if you'd like.

Send Your Articles
If you have an advice article about home loans in a particular state, feel free to submit it for publication. Please review our publication policies here.

Happy home buying!

~Brandon

International Real Estate Section - Now Open

We just started a new section of Home Buying Institute dedicated to buying a home overseas. Apparently, it's a topic that interests a lot of people (based on the requests we've received).

Our website is obviously geared toward an English-speaking audience. But these days there's a lot of folks from America, England, Canada, etc. looking to buy property overseas. We hope this new section of the website will be a helpful resource for such people.

Send Your Articles
If you have an advice article about buying a home in a foreign country, feel free to submit it for publication. Please review our publication policies here.

-Brandon