First American Blog - The First Word

When you apply for a mortgage, your lender will provide a Good Faith Estimate, often referred to simply as a GFE. A GFE is a government-standardized form that gives estimates of the charges and fees that will be associated with closing your transaction. The lender is required to issue the GFE within three business days after receiving your loan...

Building a brand new home on an empty lot gives you a great deal of flexibility and freedom as a homeowner. There is no prior house to renovate or add onto; you basically have a blank canvas to make all your own. So if you are the first one to live in your home, can you skip the title insurance? 

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage involves having a lender evaluate your financial data to determine whether you qualify for a loan, as well as the maximum amount. This is done by having a loan officer review your income, savings, credit report and debt-to-income ratio. Getting pre-approved can provide mortgage borrowers with numerous benefits...

Despite a slight dip in existing home sales in June of this year, prices continue to go up and overall sales remain near a three-and-a-half-year high, according to the National Association of Realtors. While purchases of existing homes fell 1.2 percent to a 5.08 million annualized rate, a lot of that drop appears tied to smaller inventory and...

A new housing and retail development on Detroit's riverbank could encourage future homebuyers to get off the sidelines and into the homeownership game, as the units are geared toward young professionals. The $60 million project, which the developer hopes will be finished by early 2016, will include three- and four-story town houses, apartment...

Recent reports in the media showing that the U.S. housing market is increasing in multiple facets may inspire some future homeowners to get off the sidelines and into the action sooner rather than later.