3 Ways Parents Can Help Grown Kids Own a Home
When responsible first-time home buyers need help buying a home, the family bank can sometimes lend a hand. Younger home buyers face a mountain of obstacles, including rising home prices…
Marilyn Lewis
Marilyn is a personal finance writer for NerdWallet. Her focus is on helping readers protect their finances when buying a home and getting a mortgage. Her writing has been featured in numerous media outlets, including MSN, The San Jose Mercury News and The Providence Journal. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Washington. When she’s not writing, she is walking trails and beaches in the Pacific Northwest and reading incessantly, whether it’s literary fiction or the backs of cereal boxes.
Posts by Marilyn Lewis:
Love That Home’s View? See How Much More You’ll Pay
A house with a fabulous view can be hard for a home buyer to resist. But seeing the mountains, water or city lights from the comfort of home comes at…
NBKC Bank Mortgage Review 2018
NBKC Bank isn’t a household name, but the mortgage lender hopes to change that by being audacious and nimble. The Kansas-based lender closed $2.4 billion in mortgages in 2017. By…
What It Takes to Refinance a Jumbo Loan
Refinancing a jumbo loan isn’t for the faint of heart. Get ready for tough application requirements and demands for documentation. “I tell everybody — we kind of joke about it…
Home Equity Loans: What Are They and How Do They Work?
A home equity lump sum loan, home equity line of credit and cash-out refinance are loans that use your property as collateral. To qualify for any of these loan products,…
Easy Home Touch-Ups to Bring All the Buyers to Your Yard
If you’re planning to sell a home in spring, prepare now for the crucial (and fun) job of luring home shoppers. Homes that look loved and well-maintained get more attention…
Dog-Friendly Designs Attract Home Buyers and Remodelers
Some eras are defined by bumper crops of new babies, like the 1980s and ’90s, when baby boomer parents birthed the millennial generation. Today, a new twist: We’re in an…
Do Your Own ‘Comps’ to Gauge Home Value
When you buy or sell real estate, you’ll want to get a good idea of the property’s value. Understanding value helps you set a price when you’re selling. After all, you don’t…
Documents Needed for a Mortgage Preapproval: A Checklist
Getting preapproved for a mortgage before you go home shopping isn’t required, but it is a good idea, especially in a seller’s market, where competition among buyers is intense. Unlike…
How to Apply for a Mortgage
You’ve said yes to a home. Hooray! Now you need a mortgage. Take a big breath — it’s not every day you apply for a loan with that many zeros. Before…
