APM BLOG

Have you been thinking about purchasing a home sometime this year? As you prepare for that exciting journey, you’ll want to check your credit score. Your credit score, often referred to as your FICO® score, is calculated using your credit history on file with the credit reporting agencies. No matter what your score is, you can work on boosting it by following a few simple tips.

Buying a home can be exciting. You know you want to buy a house, but where should you begin? The ideal place to begin the home buying process is with getting a pre-approval for a home loan.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced an increase in the baseline conforming loan limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans in 2020. For most of the U.S. the limits have been increased to $510,400, up from the 2019 limit of $484,350 for one-unit properties.

For some higher cost areas, the limit has been increased further, to a maximum of $765,600. This varies by county, and a full list of counties with corresponding limits can be accessed on the FHFA website here.

Special statutory provisions establish different loan limit calculations for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  In these areas, the baseline loan limit will be $765,600 for one-unit properties.

This time of year, many of us gather for a holiday meal with family and friends… sometimes on several occasions. It’s a time of showing gratitude, but sometimes it’s difficult to find ways to show gratitude as a family, especially if you have little ones. Here are some ideas of things you can do during the holidays – or even year-round.

Getting ready to buy a home is the beginning of an exciting journey! Once you’ve found your dream home and you’re ready to buy, how do you decide what type of mortgage loan fits your needs? Should it be a fixed rate loan, adjustable loan, FHA loan, or something else?

Veterans Day is November 11, and while it’s a day off for many Americans, sometimes it’s a struggle to remember not only WHAT Veterans Day is, and how best to celebrate it.

Many young, single, career-focused, and financially savvy adults are realizing that buying a home is the right decision for their personal and financial goals. In fact, more than 90% of Americans believe homeownership is the first step on the road to wealth. And the U.S. government agrees. The Department of Housing and Urban Development promotes homeownership to people from all economic backgrounds, because homeownership is an important means of wealth accumulation.

Halloween is a holiday that is loved by so many, and of all ages. Trick or treating is, of course, the highlight for many kids… what kid doesn’t love throwing on a costume, walking with their friends around the neighborhood while collecting loads of all your favorite candy? I loved taking my candy home, dumping it out to organize and categorize, in alphabetical order (doesn’t every kid do that?), and then trading with siblings and friends. Here are a few safety tips for kids, pets and adults to ensure the night is everything they have imagined and more!

One of the most important factors which determines your home loan qualifications and rate is your credit score. If you are at the beginning of the home buying process, it’s important to understand how your credit score can impact your ability to get a mortgage loan, as well as the interest rates you may be offered. Understanding your credit is one of the first steps you will take to becoming a home buyer, so let’s get started.

Buying a home is undoubtedly one of the most difficult decisions you’ll make. After debating the pros and cons of homeownership -- and there are many -- you’ll have a whole new set of questions that will keep you up at night. Yes, you’ll have tons of question to ask of your real estate professional. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a knowledgeable, credible agent with lots of experience who may even answer those late-night questions before you tap snooze the next morning. Hiring a realtor that fits your expectations is imperative to the home-buying process. So, where do you start?

Whether you are considering to rent or buy a home, you may want the convenience of technology to help you through the process.

We’ve got a list of the some of the top apps that can enhance your real estate search.

It’s not uncommon to think that selling a home is easy to do – especially with all the information readily available on the Internet about what to do and how to do just about anything these days.  But having a real estate agent goes much deeper than saving a commission, and often can cost a seller thousands of dollars.  Before you unknowingly jump into the process of selling your home, learn more about the disadvantages of for sale by owner so you're well informed about the process and can make the best decision.

Summer is coming to an end, school is back in session and the sidewalks are starting to disappear under a blanket of vibrant leaves. Morning takes a bit longer to appear and evening seems to show itself much sooner each day. Fall is in the air!

Home is what you create in the place that you live. It isn’t always a brand new updated house. Sometimes it means you put in a little sweat equity to turn a house into your dream home.

Whether it’s a huge remodel project or a light fixer-upper, there are renovation home loans that can help you with that!

Have you started dreaming about your perfect home? Maybe you found just the charmer you were looking for in that mid-town location but it’s a fixer upper and needs extra love and attention. The price might be within your range, but can you afford the costs of all the repairs and remodeling needed to turn it into your dream home? Good news for you - whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or looking to refinance or invest, American Pacific Mortgage has fixer upper home loans that can make purchasing and renovating a home an affordable option! These loans are called Renovation Loans.

The summer days are still long and warm, but there are the tell-tale signs of the waning days… school has either just started or is getting ready to start for kids all across the country. The first day of school is a one some parents look forward to with relish, while others dread. It can be tough to transition back to a more regimented schedule for both parents and kids. Getting back in the groove of packing lunches, restarting carpools for after-school activities, meeting new teachers and sitting down each night to help with homework can be stressful. Here’s a list of 10 things you can do to be sure you and your child feel mentally prepared for the new school year ahead:

Student loans can pose problems for many first-time home buyers trying to qualify for a home loan. This isn’t a news flash for most of us with student loan debt, but it also doesn’t have to mean the end of the road for the dream of homeownership.

As Veterans and Servicemembers, you have worked hard for our country and when you’re ready to embark upon or continue your homeownership journey, American Pacific Mortgage is happy to be able to give back to you through our VA Loans. You don’t want to miss taking advantage of all the benefits these loans have for you! In addition to flexible and lenient qualifying guidelines, other benefits include 100% financing when qualified and no mortgage insurance requirements.