Posts by Brian Wickert
Accunet’s First Full-House Sponsorship for Habitat for Humanity
Accunet is excited to support its first full-house sponsorship for Habitat for Humanity! Accunet has been a proud supporter of the Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity for over a decade, but this is the first full-house sponsorship we’ve done…and it’s going great! So what exactly is a full-house sponsorship you ask? Well, we will begin to…
Read MoreThe Accunet Mortgage Show (11/27/16 Episode)
It’s another week, and we’re still seeing rates tick upward as Freddie Mac’s weekly survey came in at 4.03% this week on a 30-year-fixed. What was the last time rates were above 4%, and what do inflation expectations have to do with the increase? Accunet president Brian Wickert and millennial loan consultant David Wickert discuss…
Read MoreMortgage FAQ: How to Research a Condo
#100words (Or Less)- Your Adopted Condo Family Like marriage, you’re marrying not just your spouse, but the whole family too. And buying a condo can kind of be the same thing. You get your new home but you also get to jump in the boat with all your neighbors. So do good homework before you…
Read MoreMortgage Down Payment FAQ: 5% or 10%
#100words (Or Less) – Too Long To Break Even Sometimes you are better off keeping your own cash in your own checking account. Like Tuesday’s theme, maybe slugging your entire life savings into your down payment is not the most prudent plan. For example, let’s examine the difference between a 5% and 10% down payment…
Read MoreWhat are negative interest rates?
The Federal Reserve is the bank for the American economy.The United States Treasury is the lender for the American government.In Europe, it’s the European Central Bank. In Japan, it’s the Bank of Japan. In China, it’s the People’s Bank of China. Lenders in those nations can park their money overnight or long-term with those lenders.…
Read MoreTop 5 Tips When Buying A Condo
Tip #1: Review the Association Budget Take a look at the association budget – are there adequate reserves being set aside for future major repairs and maintenance? If the association isn’t saving up for future repairs, then what typically happens is that owners are socked with “special assessments” which can range from a few thousand…
Read MoreWhy a 4.0% increase in Wisconsin home values may not apply to YOUR home
Home Prices up 4% in Wisconsin The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s latest Home Price Index for the second quarter of 2015 (Q2 2015) shows home values are up 4.0% on average on Wisconsin residential properties. But that varies from a low of 1.8% in the Superior/Duluth Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) to a higher of 5.9%…
Read MoreChief Market Watcher
This is Brian Wickert, Chief Market Watcher. Last week was all about the US economy, the US jobs report and an increased likelihood that the Federal Reserve would raise rates at its next meeting in September. And mortgage rates were creeping up. But that was last week. Yesterday, China announced it was devaluing its currency…
Read MoreChief Pre-Approval Officer
This is Brian Wickert, Chief Pre-Approval Officer. Almost everyone knows they should get a pre-approval letter when they’re looking to buy a home, regardless of whether it’s their first time or tenth time buying. But most lenders only check a borrower’s credit, and they don’t verify income or down payment. Turns out, it’s the income and…
Read MoreWill your down payment be a gift?
Gifts from relatives and domestic partners are an acceptable source for both down payment and closing costs when financing a primary residence or vacation home. Gifts cannot be used when financing a rental property.
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