The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit
Looking for the first-time home buyer tax credit? You may be thinking of the federal program implemented under the Obama administration. We hate to be the bearer of bad news,…
Emily Starbuck Crone
Emily is a former NerdWallet writer covering mortgages and homeownership. She's been writing about personal finance since 2007, with work published in USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Consumers Digest, The Christian Science Monitor and Business Insider.
Posts by Emily Starbuck Crone:
Jumbo Loans: When a Regular Mortgage Isn’t Enough
What is a jumbo loan? A jumbo loan is a mortgage used to finance properties that are too expensive for a conventional conforming loan. The maximum amount for a conforming…
Online Legal Services: Small Business Money-Savers
When starting or growing a business, it’s tempting to cut costs by tackling projects yourself. When it comes to legal matters, a DIY approach works sometimes, but it can be…
The Down Payment Reality Report
As more millennials reach the ages when they’re considering buying their first homes, the dire predictions that they would be too burdened by student loans or are too fond of…
Why You Should Consider a Mortgage Recast
Mortgage recasting is one way to reduce your monthly mortgage payments. It’s less common than refinancing or modifying a loan, and it’s rarely advertised, but it decreases mortgage payments for…
FHA Mortgage Insurance: What You Need to Know
When deciding between an FHA mortgage and a conventional mortgage, the most important difference is arguably the mortgage insurance that the Federal Housing Administration requires. This insurance typically can’t be canceled…
Should You Make Biweekly Mortgage Payments?
When you buy a home with a mortgage, your payments are due monthly by default. In an effort to pay off their mortgages faster and pay less in interest over…
25 Tips for First-Time Home Buyers
Buying a home can be nervewracking, especially if you’re a first-time home buyer. Not only is it probably the biggest purchase of your life, but the process is complicated and…
IVF: How Prospective Parents Can Pay for Treatment
Joyous. Magical. Momentous. Life-changing. Certain adjectives commonly describe having a child. Nikki McDermott, a 31-year-old woman in Lake Worth, Florida, learned another one during the conception process: expensive. After struggling…
How Much More It Costs to Own vs. Rent in Your State
Owning a home is often considered the American dream — and it’s an expensive one. Homeowners in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., pay from 33% to 93% more for…
