Mortgage prequalification gives you an idea of how much house you can afford without hurting your credit. Learn more about the prequalification process.

Learn how blanket mortgages finance multiple properties with one loan, review pros and cons, requirements, and alternatives, and decide if one fits your goals.

Mortgage preapproval helps you set a home budget and strengthen your offer. Learn what you need, how it works and when to apply.

Tiitle defects can create costly problems long after you've completed your home purchase. Learn how title insurance can help protect you and your lender.

A title search examines public records to confirm a property’s rightful, legal owner. Learn how title searches work and what issues they can uncover.

In some states, you’re the owner of your home when you close, in other areas, you’re not. This depends on the defeasance clause in your state.

Learn what a joint mortgage is, how co–borrowers qualify and share responsibility, plus key pros, risks and exit options before you apply with confidence.

When you buy a home, you may not be able to finance the entire loan. Your loan-to-value ratio, or LTV, determines how much you need to put down in cash.

A mortgage preapproval letter shows you how much a lender has conditionally approved you for. It lasts for a few months and may strengthen your offer.

Mortgages are loans that allow you to purchase a home. The right loan for you may depend on your preferred down payment, interest terms, and more. 

In a dry closing, everything but the payment is completed at closing. Learn how dry closings work, what risks are involved, and what states allow dry funding.

A desktop appraisal is a property valuation that is completed remotely by a professional appraiser. Find out whether a desktop appraisal is right for you.

Mortgage lenders use many factors when approving you for a mortgage, including the contents of a tri-merge credit report. This report contains your scores.

Encumbrances limit the ways in which you can use your property. They range from zoning laws to utility easements, and some are inextricably tied to the land.

In real estate, “contingent” means that certain conditions must be met before the sale closes. Learn how contingencies protect all parties involved.

HUD refers to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Learn more about how HUD works, what it does, and how it helps renters and home buyers.

The interest rate determines how much you'll pay the lender to borrow money while APR factors in additional costs for a more complete picture of a loan's cost.

A deed of trust is a legal document used to secure a home loan in some states. Learn how it works, how it compares to a mortgage, and what happens in a default.