December 2008

As anyone who has recently applied for a mortgage has discovered, credit reports are no longer evaluated by humans, and instead are numerically scored by computer software (the most common: “FICO” scores). Similar systems are used to underwrite all other consumer loans, though not as comprehensively as in the mortgage business, where the larger sums […]

If you are contemplating a home addition, small or large, renovation or full-scale pop-top, to a home you already own or are about to buy, there are two overriding financial objectives. First, to navigate the maze of carts and horses littering the mortgage horizon. How do I finance an addition I haven’t yet built? I […]