Buying your first home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make. Download our first-time homebuyer’s handbook to learn what’s involved.
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Is life insurance right for you?
Don’t wait to start thinking about life insurance. The sooner you consider your options, the more choices you’ll have available to you. Bank Midwest Insurance can help you
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Remain alert and follow these tax scam tips
Tax season also means scam season. Thousands of people have lost millions of dollars and personal data to tax-related scams. New variations of scams appear every year. Remain alert and follow these tax scam tips provided by the IRS.
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Buying A Home In The Off-Season Can Have Its Advantages
With the exception of a few sun belt states, shopping for a house in the winter just seems off. The traditional time to go from listing to listing is spring and summer. But while things slow down this time of year, there are some hidden advantages to choosing it as your buying season. In fact,…
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Benefits of health savings accounts for businesses and their employees
Healthcare costs in the U.S. have never been higher, and that means businesses and employees need to be strategic about how they fund medical expenses.
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Building a House vs. Buying: What is Right for You?
Building a house vs. buying. It’s a question that faces many who enter the housing market. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or you’re looking for something that better fits your family’s needs, it’s a question that you’ll likely have to consider. Whatever direction you decide to go, it’s important to compare the positives and negatives…
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Don’t Trust Pop-ups
If you’re known to dabble in a little online browsing, odds are you’ve encountered a pop-up once or twice. There are times when you may think, “Wow, that’s a great deal!” and click on a pop-up. If you ever see a pop-up, put down the mouse. Why? That pop-up could be malicious or dangerous. There…
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Focus on Seniors: Watch Out for Holiday Scams This Season
Holidays are a busy and stressful time of year. There’s traveling and planning for visitors. Buying and wrapping presents for loved ones. Avoiding the flu. Cybercriminals know the hectic nature of holiday preparation and attempt to take advantage of anyone who may not be paying close attention, particularly older adults. It’s crucial that the elderly…
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It’s Time To Get Smart About Credit
October 18, 2019, is Get Smart About Credit day! The American Bankers Association Community Engagement Foundation works with banks around the country to raise awareness about the importance of using credit wisely. This national campaign aims to help young people develop responsible credit habits — from building a credit history to making responsible decisions regarding…
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Note the Rules of Using Gift Money Toward a Down Payment
Down payments are challenging for many first-time homebuyers. It seems that the initial financial stab at home ownership is among the greatest roadblocks of owning a home. The transition from renter to homeowner or to vacate their parents’ basement as they save up is taking longer and longer. Family members willing to pitch in financially…
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How to Have the Life Insurance Talk
There are some tips to keep in mind to begin the conversation about life insurance.
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Beware of Phone and Internet Scams
Older adults are increasingly the targets of scammers who use deception and fear tactics to convince the elderly to send money or provide personal account information. Make sure your loved ones are aware of these common type of scams. Common Phone and Internet Scams Grandparent Scam A common telephone scam is the “grandparent scam” where the fraudster calls…
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Taking Inventory of Your Homeowners Insurance
Flooding, hurricanes, fires or tornadoes. We know they can happen. If you haven’t witnessed it personally, just turn on TV or your computer to see the devastation in our region and elsewhere in the country. It’s hard to imagine the actual experience of having your home destroyed or living in temporary shelters. This inability to fathom the horrors of natural…
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What Not To Do Yourself Before Selling Your House
It’s not all that uncommon. You tried to fix something in your house using all the analytic skills you apply to other parts of your life, inspired by how easy it looks on HGTV. With all the best of intentions, however, what seemed simple turned into an obviously less-than-expert job. In fact, even your Realtor…
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Why Should I Use a VA Loan
The VA loan is one of the best mortgage loans there is. Here are some reasons why. First, VA guarantees the loan for 100% of the appraised value of the property (technically, the loan is for the Notice Of Value amount, which in most cases is the same thing). This guarantee means that the lender…
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How Does a Full Appraisal Really Work?
The appraisal process is a combination of science and opinion—but mostly science, even though the value that the appraiser delivers is called an “opinion of value” as of the effective date of the appraisal. Here’s how the process works: First, the appraiser describes the house being appraised (the “subject”) in a standardized way: living space…
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Is Buying a Home With a 20% Down Payment Standard?
A 20% down payment is anything but standard. Making a smaller down payment does involve some form of mortgage insurance (MI). Conventional loans are available with as little as 3% down.
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How to Protect Your Priceless Valuables
You can’t predict if or when someone might attempt to steal your possessions, but you can anticipate it and take measures to reduce your risk of loss.
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First Time Homebuyer Reality Check
Many first-time homebuyers have stars in their eyes when they first begun house-hunting. Their ideal is a house that is move-in-ready, offers the number of bedrooms/baths/square footage they’re looking for, is in a great neighborhood and, of course, is within their budget. Matching all that criteria is often a tall order, especially the move-in-ready aspect of…
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Saving for your house
Moving into your own house can be exciting and frightening at the same time. Before transitioning from renting to owning a home, you’ll need to create a savings plan that not includes your down payment (typically 5 to 20 percent of the home’s value) but also a reserve fund to cover unexpected emergencies. Saving for…
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