Blog | Norma Halvorson

Loan Options With No Down Payment

Perhaps one of the most challenging things about buying a home is saving for the downpayment. Collecting such a large sum of money can be difficult. The truth is that most buyers actually think that they need more than they actually do to buy a home. The downpayment doesn’t need ...

Why Bargain Hunting is a Bad Idea

It seems like every month there is a new website offering deals on everything from electronics to travel. In fact, the “coupon industry” is booming. This trend has conditioned people, more than ever before, to look for bargains and become determined to pay well below the market price for merchandise. There’s ...

Bi-Weekly Mortgage: Could It Help You?

Photo by Designer491 via Shutterstock The term “bi-weekly” means every other week. If you get paid bi-weekly, you usually get your check every other Friday. When it comes to a mortgage, typical amortization plans (payments of principal and interest) use a 30-year/360-month calculation. But many lenders offer a bi-weekly plan too. In ...

Where Are Mortgage Rates Headed?

Photo by Dede via Pixabay Mortgage rates in 2019 are as low as they’re ever been. The downward trend caught a lot of people by surprise. In 2018, there were predictions that they’d be on the rise, possibly moving to 5 percent and higher. Instead, they’ve ducked comfortably under 4 percent. Will ...