Filling out a mortgage application may not be at the top of your list of relaxing leisure activities. But it doesn’t have to be as dreaded as a root canal, either! With a little education and preparedness, you can nip those fears in the bud and conquer your application with confidence.

Needless to say, since 2008, income verification has become very important – arguably the most important factor – in qualifying for a mortgage. However, with half of millennial workers already freelancing, and that number steadily increasing, it’s important to know how to qualify when work doesn’t look like a nine-to-five.

Everything you wanted to know about mortgage rates but were afraid to ask. You probably already know that a mortgage rate is an interest rate — the one that your mortgage lender charges you to borrow money. But how is it determined, who determined it, and how will you know you’re getting a fair shake? Here’s what you need to know:

You may be saying to yourself, “Of course I want to own a home, but I wonder if I even qualify.” We can help.

So you’ve decided you want to buy a house – congrats! You’ve budgeted carefully and crunched the numbers to get a sense of what you can afford but, before you spend valuable time searching for your perfect dream home, there’s one more crucial step you ought to consider: getting a pre-approval letter.

You probably already know that a mortgage is the loan you need to buy a house when you don’t have several hundred thousand dollars of cash on-hand. You may or may not, however, know that the word “mortgage” originates from the Latin and Old French words for “death pledge.”

You got a mortgage and bought a home. Between keeping the yard mowed, setting up smart home devices, maintaining gutters and all the other responsibilities that come with being a homeowner, refinancing may have never crossed your mind. Is it the right move for you? Let’s discuss.

We know that navigating your way around the homebuying process can be daunting, especially as a first-time homebuyer. That’s why we’ve put together this A-Z of key terms that you may encounter as you embark upon this process – and remember, if you still find yourself stumped, you can feel free to get in touch with Simplist’s expert loan officers.