Blogs are a great way of getting new ideas and staying up to date on topics of interest – our LiveSmartOhio blog certainly falls into this category! There are also a few personal finance blogs that I read carefully, and often use in my student teaching. I wanted to share three of them with you […]
Mortgage
3 Things First-Time Homebuyers Should Know
Buying a home for the first time proves to be a learning experience. Here are three takeaways from my experience: Debt-income ratio plays a big role It may not matter if you’ve got plenty of cash stashed away for a down payment. A lender wants to see that your debt-income ratio is low, since studies […]
Dealing with Mortgage Troubles
First, remember that financial problems can happen to anyone. A job loss, divorce, or medical problem can cause even the most financially secure people to struggle with financial commitments. Having money trouble doesn’t make you bad, and it’s OK to ask for help. Prioritize your bills and pay your mortgage first. If things have gotten […]
What if I Cannot Make My Mortgage Payment?
As we’ve all learned, it is nearly impossible to live life without experiencing one hardship or another. In many cases, an unexpected economic change can jeopardize your ability to meet mortgage obligations and increases your risk of foreclosure. Data from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency finds that the most common family crises that threaten […]
How to Respond in a Foreclosure Filing
Once you receive a foreclosure filing or notice, a clock starts to tick off the days. If you’ve been following the series of Foreclosure Prevention, you are aware of Ohio’s Foreclosure Timeline and understand you should get assistance and file an answer to the mortgage servicer’s “complaint” against you right away. You, the homeowner, have […]
March Madness: Looking at Ohio’s Foreclosures
A simple scan of court cases today compared to those of three years ago will let you see that the number of foreclosure cases has diminished across the state of Ohio. In fact, in 2014, the annual sum of completed foreclosures declined 15% from 2013…but still remains at twice the level of normal activity from […]