How to Size Up Your Property Tax Assessment
As property values rise, a creeping tax looms. Left unchecked, property tax bills can swell over time. To prevent this annual pain in the pocketbook from getting out of control,…
Hal M. Bundrick, CFP
Hal M. Bundrick is a personal finance writer for NerdWallet. He is a certified financial planner and former financial consultant and senior investment specialist for Wall Street firms. Hal advised families, business owners, nonprofits, and trusts, as well as managed group employee retirement plans in the South and Midwest. Since hanging up (burning) his suits and ties, Hal now works to make money matters understandable and jargon-free. He enjoys aimless travel and – since he lives in the South – air conditioning.
Posts by Hal M. Bundrick, CFP:
HomeReady and Home Possible: Loans With 3% Down for 2018
For years, the Federal Housing Administration was the king of the low-down-payment mortgage mountain. Now, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored enterprises that provide capital to the mortgage market, are…
Buying a House in 2018: What You Need to Know
Buying a house is a minefield full of “I didn’t know thats.” From choosing the right home to qualifying for the best mortgage, you want to minimize the things you…
How Replacement Window Costs Add Up
Home window replacement costs could use a little transparency. Budget estimates can be wide-ranging, and the case for energy-efficient windows may not be open and shut. The national average window…
Tile Installation Costs: How to Know What You’ll Pay
Tile, typically a bathroom and kitchen flooring essential, has been used in more home-design applications in recent years. Today’s hardwood-simulating planks, subway and marble-look tiles, as well as other new…
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage: Good or Bad Idea as Rates Rise?
An adjustable-rate mortgage, with its lower initial interest rate and monthly payment, can seem a tempting alternative to a higher fixed-rate loan when mortgage rates are rising. “People are trying…
How to Get a Home Equity Loan If You Have Bad Credit
Getting a loan when your credit score has taken a downward slide can be tough. Your home may hold the answer — with the value that it has accrued over…
7 First-Time Home Buyer Programs
Buying a home is so hard, they should make it an Olympic event. It’s not just the paperwork; it’s the terminology, the fees and the number of people involved. It’s…
What Down Payment is Required?
The down payment. Cue the dramatic, fear-filled suspense music. Yeah, it’s scary. Coming up with enough cash to put down when buying a house is the single biggest roadblock for…
FHA Loan Down Payments
It’s a big roadblock on the path to homeownership: the down payment. FHA loans offer low down payments and accounted for about 13% of all home loans in 2016, according to…
