If you are buying a new primary residence and own the home in which you currently live, you will have to make a decision: sell it or rent it out….
Property Appraisals, Appraisal Valuation Models, and Appraisal Waivers: What is the difference?
A crucial part of the mortgage loan underwriting process for any home loan is determining the property value, as it is the collateral for the mortgage loan. The value of…
Verification of Employment: What is it?
Being able to verify a borrower’s employment is a critical aspect of the mortgage lending process. Mortgage lenders are required to obtain an outside party verification of employment even if…
Rapid Rescore: How To (Quickly) Clean Up Your Credit Scores
When applying for a mortgage loan, one of the determining factors used to qualify for a mortgage loan is your credit score (also known as a FICO Score). Your FICO…
Loan Amortization: How Does It Work?
Have you ever wondered what portion of your mortgage payment goes towards paying down the principal loan balance? The answer is that it changes slightly on every payment you make…
Credit Checks: Soft vs Hard Credit Inquiries
One of the critical parts of a mortgage application process is having your mortgage lender complete a credit check. While borrowers are often apprehensive about having their credit scores pulled,…
2024 Conforming Loan Limits
The 2024 conforming loan limits have just been officially announced by the Federal Housing Finance Agency and we at Bluefire Mortgage Group are ready to start offering conforming loans up…
Down Payment Changes For 2-4 Unit Properties
Overview The mortgage lending landscape is constantly changing to meet market conditions. One of the areas where changes are welcomed is the minimum qualification requirements for specific loan programs/products. Recently…
Making Your First Mortgage Payment
Congratulations, your mortgage loan has been funded and the escrow on your purchase has successfully closed. Once the celebration has ended, oftentimes borrowers find that they were so caught up…
Easy Ways To Improve Your Credit Scores
Dealing with poor or damaged FICO credit scores can seem like fighting an unending battle. Perhaps you have been sliding to the bottom of the mountain for years due to…