Home Buying
Learning Center: Pros and Cons of 15- and 30-Year Mortgages
No one has a crystal ball to see 15 years ahead, much less 30, but if you can swing a higher payment, a shorter term will save you a lot of money.
In our Fundamentals series, Rate Simple breaks down loan concepts for ordinary people.
Owning your home outright after just 15 years. What an appealing idea! Some of us have shirts older than 15 years. The trade-off is, of course, higher monthly payments. A home buyer considering a 15-year mortgage should make a careful assessment of income and fin...
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Home Buying
How Home Buying Is Different Right Now
With interest rates that previous generations could only dream of and a low housing supply, the market is red-hot despite the chill over the rest of the economy.
Household Finances
The True Cost of Late Mortgage Payments
Learn about the cost and other impacts of missing a mortgage installment.
Mortgage Refinance
2 More Good Reasons for a Cash-Out Refinance—and 1 Terrible Reason
Convert equity to cash with a timely cash-out refinance, but if you don't have a sensible plan for the money you're better off leaving it in the home.
Home Loan
Here's Why Your Debt-to-Income Ratio Is So Important
A low DTI paves the way for a competitive mortgage.
Getting Started
Don't Make These 4 Common Mistakes of First-Time Homebuyers
As record-low interest rates battle with record-low inventory, you can benefit by learning what first-time buyers wish they'd done differently.
Home Loan
The Secret to Getting the Best Interest Rate
Do this to get a low interest rate so you can save thousands over the life of a loan.
Personal Loan
4 Good Uses for a Personal Loan—and 1 Bad Use
From debt consolidation to home improvement, you can put a personal loan to smart use.
Personal Loan
Cash for Whatever: Check Out Personal Loans
Personalized terms and lower interest than most credit cards make personal loans a viable method of getting cash fast.
Personal Loan
A Personal Loan Can Lift You Out of Credit Card Debt, Raise Your Credit Score
A personal loan is the flexible financial tool that lets you consolidate and pay down debts sensibly.
Solar News
Large-Scale Solar Projects on the Rise in 2020
The dependability and the cost-effectiveness of solar power shine in a year of much uncertainty.
Solar News
The Rising Cost of Electricity
The lowdown on residential rates.
Solar Basics
Solar Panel Payback Period
How long will it take to break even?
Solar Basics
Panel Tech: the Breakthroughs
Technological leaps in solar energy systems then, now, and in the future.
Solar News
Where Solar Is Soaring and Why
These 10 states set the examples to follow coast to coast.
Solar Basics
Solar Panels: Fact vs. Fiction
Let's get to the truth about renewable energy.
Solar Incentives
How Strong Net Metering Benefits You
All about the incentive system and technology that monetizes your home's solar energy output.
Green Living
The Impact Solar Panels Have on the Environment
Learn about three major benefits.
Solar Basics
The Dos and Don'ts of Cleaning Solar Panels
Got debris buildup? Read how to wash your panels without damaging them.
Solar Basics
4 Drawbacks to Leasing (and Why People Still Do)
In the long term, the benefits of buying are tough to beat.
