Rates began ticking up in the wake of the election and the upward trend is expected to continue, albeit at a slower pace compared to the first few post-election months. If you are currently in the market for a home, you may be concerned about battling increasing prices and upward trending rates. But, you could have the option to tackle affordability by buying down your rate.

As RPM’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, Julian Hebron, explained in a recent CNBC article, “Buying your rate down, or ‘paying points,’ means you’re paying an extra fee on top of standard loan fees like appraisal, underwriting and a credit report to get a lower rate.” While this option costs more upfront, it could pay off in the long run. Since points are pre-paid interest, the benefit comes in the form of interest cost savings down the road.

How do you…

At some point during your homebuying process, the topic of title insurance is likely to come up. Like most types of insurance, title insurance is better to have and not use than need it and not have it available. But what is it, why do you need it, and how does it work?

What is title insurance?

Title insurance is a specialized insurance policy that protects you and your mortgage lender against mistakes made in a title search. If you find a home and there’s not a clear title to it, title insurance protects the bank – and you – if there’s a problem. A clear title means you’ll be able to occupy and use the property the way you want, and that you’re able to sell or pledge your property as security for a loan.

There are generally two types of title insurance: lender’s and owner’s…