Peter Boutell
Santa Cruz Sentinel
California, United States
Contact Peter
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Peter:
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand | New year’s resolutions for prospective homebuyers
The beginning of the new year is a good time to take a look at what it will take to become a homeowner. → Read More
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand
Around Thanksgiving each year, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and the Department of Housing and Urban Development announce the maximum loan amounts that they will accept from lenders for the next calen… → Read More
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand | Discount points may qualify you for larger loan
Although mortgage rates have been dropping, home prices have been climbing and buyers need all of the help they can get to qualify for the loan that they need to buy the home they want. → Read More
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand | Occupancy fraud in mortgages is not always obvious
When a homeowner decides to buy another home, it is not uncommon for that homeowner to ask a lender to refinance his home in order to create cash for the down payment for the new home. → Read More
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand
Although FHA loans are used by nearly half of all first-time homebuyers, these loans are by no means exclusively for first-time homebuyers and there are no minimum or maximum income limits. → Read More
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand: COVID-19 and mortgages for self-employed
The mortgage industry treats self-employed borrowers differently and during this time of Covid, rules have been intensified. → Read More
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand
Escrow accounts are also referred to as “impound” accounts and refer to the funds that the lender holds on the borrower’s behalf to cover property taxes and homeowner’s insurance. → Read More
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand
Some banks and mortgage companies like to advertise that their loans have low or no closing costs and will disguise how the borrower will pay for the costs that a new loan requires. The fact of the… → Read More
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand | Best refinance options are not always obvious
Lower rates benefit homebuyers by making it possible to either qualify for a larger mortgage (allowing the purchase of a more expensive home) or by making the principal and interest payment more af… → Read More
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand | Employment is not required to obtain this mortgage
A Reverse Mortgage may be an excellent option for those now in a challenging economic position due to the coronavirus. This pandemic has been a nightmare for those who have bills to pay but have lo… → Read More
Peter Boutell, Lending a Hand | Pandemic creates uncertainty in mortgage markets
It was just after the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) hit its all-time high towards the end of February, just over 29,000, which the wizards on Wall Street realized that this pandemic was not g… → Read More
Comparing mortgage rates is difficult
Whether you are purchasing a home or refinancing, it is only natural that you would like to get the lowest rate; however, everyone does not get the same rate. → Read More
Inspection reports not an automatic lender requirement
There is a lot of confusion surrounding the requirements and/or the need for inspection reports when purchasing or selling a home. Contrary to common belief, lenders do not automatically require in… → Read More
Mortgages and your retirement
A mortgage payment will put a severe burden on a retirement plan. If you are fortunate enough to have your mortgage paid off by retirement, even the responsibility of paying property taxes and home… → Read More
Time for home insurance check
In the past 12 months we have seen the 30-year fixed mortgage rate drop nearly 1%. While there is no telling what the future holds, January is a good time for homeowners to review the responsibilit… → Read More
Prospective homebuyers should make New Year’s resolutions
If you have been thinking about buying a home, the beginning of the new year is a good time to take a look at what it will take to become a homeowner. Do not get lulled into thinking that you will … → Read More
Options for paying mortgage insurance
Traditional residential mortgage lenders will not loan more than 80% of the value of a home without the additional protection afforded by mortgage insurance. This is due to the (perceived) increase… → Read More
Lower your interest rate with discount points
Although mortgage rates have been dropping, buyers still need all of the help they can get to qualify for the loan that they need to buy the home they want. Sellers may not realize that they are in… → Read More
To refinance or not to refinance
There has been a lot of press about rates lately which prompts the question that many homeowners ask: does refinancing make sense? Whether refinancing makes sense or not depends on many factors and… → Read More
FHA loans to the rescue
An FHA loan may be the only path to homeownership for some prospective homebuyers. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans have been around since the 1930s and have been very popular across the … → Read More