Great Places to Live in Maryland

Q: How can I finance work needed on a fixer-upper?
A: According to the Millennial Housing Commission, few lenders are willing to administer home improvement loans. Most prefer to make home equity loans or unsecured consumer loans because they are easier to manage. Home improvement loans usually require inspections and irregular draws on the loan [...]

Q: What is a bridge loan?

A: It is a short-term bank loan of the equity in the home you are selling. You may take out a bridge loan, or interim financing, to help with a knotty situation: closing on the home you are buying before you close on the property you are selling. [...]

Q: What is a wraparound loan?
A: Also called an all-inclusive mortgage, it is where a new home loan is placed in a subordinate or secondary position to the original mortgage and the new loan includes the unpaid balance of the first.
The wraparound allows the buyer to purchase a home without having to qualify for [...]

Q: How do growing equity mortgages work?
A: Also called GEMs, these fixed-rate mortgages have monthly payments that increase in increments of 3 percent or more to reduce the principal loan amount. They are often written by the lender at a below-market interest rate and have shorter terms.
A GEM lets you pay off the mortgage earlier, [...]