10 Mistakes to AVOID When Buying a Home There are many important steps to consider when getting ready to buy your home. These are just some of the most common pitfalls you can get into that can come in the way of you and your new home. 1 - Don't change jobs, become [...]

Hello! This is Joe Harris with Morgan Financial and here is your “Joe Knows Mortgages MINUTE.” This week, we answer the question: When is my first mortgage payment due? Typically, your monthly mortgage payment is due at the first of every month. However, your first payment is not be due until the [...]

Hello! This is Joe Harris with Morgan Financial and here is your “Joe Knows Mortgages MINUTE.” This week, we answer the question: What is prepaid interest? You're getting ready to close on your home, your lender sends your closing disclosures for you to review, and you see a section for "prepaid interest" [...]

Hello! This is Joe Harris with Morgan Financial and here is your “Joe Knows Mortgages MINUTE.” This week, we answer the question: When is flood insurance required on a home? When it comes to getting your home insured, flood insurance is not typically covered by traditional homeowner's insurance. The good news is, [...]

Hello! This is Joe Harris with Morgan Financial and here is your “Joe Knows Mortgages MINUTE.” This week, we answer the question: Can I buy a home with cryptocurrency? Crypto currencies are a hot new topic these days! But can cryptocurrency be used to buy a home? The answer to this question [...]

Hello! This is Joe Harris with Morgan Financial and here is your “Joe Knows Mortgages MINUTE.” This week, we answer the question: How will the Federal Reserve's interest rate increase affect mortgage rates and home prices? Two weeks ago, the Federal Reserve announced their 75 basis-point increase to interest rates. How has [...]

Hello! This is Joe Harris with Morgan Financial and here is your “Joe Knows Mortgages MINUTE.” This week, we answer the question: What does the Federal Reserve's 75 basis-point rate increase mean for the housing market and consumers? The idea behind the rate increase is that the Federal Reserve is trying to [...]

Hello! This is Joe Harris with Morgan Financial and here is your “Joe Knows Mortgages MINUTE.” This week, we answer the question: Why shouldn't you make any large purchases before closing on a home? Any major purchases (such as a new car, RV, or furniture) made after loan application, but before closing, [...]

Hello! This is Joe Harris with Morgan Financial and here is your “Joe Knows Mortgages MINUTE.” This week, we answer the question: What's the difference between Homeowners Insurance and Mortgage Insurance? Homeowners insurance protects you, the homeowner, from damages to your home or loss, such as in cases of natural disaster or [...]

Hello! This is Joe Harris with Morgan Financial and here is your “Joe Knows Mortgages MINUTE.” This week, we answer the question: What's the difference between Interest Rate and APR? Interest rate is just the percentage of interest that you pay on your mortgage loan principal amount. APR stands for Annual Percentage [...]