By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Dropping Mortgage Insurance and Reducing Your Monthly Housing Costs Your monthly mortgage payment includes more than just principal and interest. For many homeowners, private mortgage insurance adds a substantial cost that doesn’t build equity or provide any direct benefit to you. Understanding how to remove PMI can save you […]
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn First Home Buyer Mistakes: Learn from Others’ Errors Before They Cost You After helping thousands of first-time buyers navigate home purchases, we’ve seen patterns emerge. The same mistakes repeat across different buyers, markets, and circumstances. While every situation is unique, certain errors appear so consistently that they’re almost predictable—and
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Cost of Homeownership: Understanding All the Hidden Expenses Everyone loves looking at homes online. It’s exciting to calculate what your mortgage payment would be at different price points or interest rates. But here’s the problem most first-time buyers discover too late: Zillow isn’t a budgeting tool. It’s a dream
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Understanding Real Estate Agent Commission for First-Time Buyers Real estate commission is one of the largest costs in home transactions—but most first-time buyers don’t understand how it works, who pays it, or whether it’s negotiable. The confusion around commission structures, recent legal changes, and what you can actually negotiate
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn First Time Homebuyer Checklist: Assess Your True Readiness Whether you’re feeling pressure to buy because “it’s time” or genuinely ready to transition from renting, this comprehensive checklist helps you assess your actual preparedness honestly. Being ready to buy isn’t about hitting an age milestone—it’s about meeting specific financial, professional,
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn First Time Home Buyer Assistance and How to Build Your Support Team Whether you’re a young adult navigating your first home purchase or a parent helping guide the process, knowing who to turn to and where to find help transforms an overwhelming journey into a manageable one. The difference
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Gift Money Rules and How Family Can Help With Your Down Payment Whether you’re a parent considering helping your young adult purchase their first home or you’re in your twenties wondering if family assistance is even allowed, gift funds can dramatically accelerate your path to homeownership. The good news?
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Rent vs Buy Calculator and the Real Math Behind Your Housing Decision Whether you’re a young adult trying to decide if homeownership makes sense now or a parent helping your twenty-something navigate this choice, the rent versus buy decision isn’t as simple as most calculators suggest. The real question
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Side Hustles to Make Money and What Lenders Actually Count as Income Whether you’re a young adult accelerating your path to homeownership or a parent watching your twenty-something build toward their first house, side income can dramatically shorten the timeline. But here’s what most people miss: not all side
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn How to Start Saving Money for Your First Home Down Payment Whether you’re a parent helping your young adult save for their first home or you’re in your twenties building toward homeownership, that first chunk of savings feels both exciting and overwhelming. The good news? Getting to your first
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn What Is the 50 30 20 Budget Rule for First-Time Home Buyers? Whether you’re 18 learning to budget for the first time or a parent teaching your young adult money management, the 50/30/20 budget rule provides a framework that works in real life—not just theory. This isn’t about restricting