By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Reverse Mortgage Requirements: Do I Qualify for a Reverse Mortgage? “Am I eligible for a reverse mortgage?” This question deserves a clear, comprehensive answer—because understanding qualification requirements helps you determine whether this retirement tool aligns with your situation before investing time in the application process. While the basic age […]
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn NEXA Mortgage Rebrands as NEXA Lending: The Complete Story The mortgage industry watched with interest as the nation’s largest mortgage brokerage announced a major rebrand in October 2025. NEXA Mortgage—long known for championing the “Brokers Are Better” movement—rebranded as NEXA Lending and shifted its messaging from broker advocacy to
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Home Insurance Reviews: How to Review Coverage and Reduce Costs Most homeowners set up their insurance when they purchase, then never look at it again until they file a claim—and that’s when they discover they’re either dramatically overpaying for coverage they don’t need, or dangerously underinsured for what they
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 Reverse Mortgage Monthly Income: Supplementing Retirement Cash Flow “Can I use my home equity to create monthly income?” This question resonates with countless retirees discovering their fixed income doesn’t stretch as far as anticipated. Social Security provides a foundation, perhaps supplemented by a modest pension—but rising costs, healthcare expenses,
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Understanding Your Home Equity Access Options You’ve built equity in your home—congratulations. But now you’re facing a choice that feels more complicated than it should be: cash-out refinance or HELOC? Both let you tap into that equity, but they work in fundamentally different ways. Choose wrong, and you could
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Retirement Income Strategy: Positioning Home Equity Within Broader Planning “How should home equity fit into my retirement income plan?” This strategic question deserves thoughtful analysis beyond simple “should I or shouldn’t I?” considerations. Your home represents substantial accumulated wealth—for many retirees, their largest asset—yet it often sits idle while
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn How to Find and Stack First Time Home Buyer Assistance Programs Whether you’re a parent helping your teen navigate the path to homeownership or a young adult researching your options, first time home buyer programs represent thousands of dollars in assistance that most people never discover. If you’re wondering
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Buying your first home represents one of life’s most significant financial decisions. First time home buyer tips encompass everything from mortgage rate buydown strategies to rent vs buy calculations. This comprehensive guide addresses every critical decision in your homeownership journey. The path to homeownership demands careful planning across multiple
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn Active real estate investors managing properties for decades eventually face a critical transition: aging reduces capacity and desire for tenant calls, maintenance coordination, and operational headaches, yet selling accumulated portfolios triggers massive capital gains taxes potentially consuming 30-40% of equity through federal and state taxation plus depreciation recapture. A
By Jim blackburn By Jim blackburn You just filed your taxes and discovered that $18,000 in rental property losses sitting on your Schedule E can’t reduce your W-2 income by a single dollar. Your CPA mentioned something about “passive activity loss limitations” but the explanation left you confused about why you pay taxes on income