Our Blogs
The Pros and Cons of Federal Housing Administration Loans or FHA Loans in NJ
Ready to buy a New Jersey home but don’t have a down payment saved? Your homeownership dreams are still within reach with a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan. The United States Federal Housing Administration provides […]
5 Reasons To Get A Conforming Loan In New Jersey
If you’ve been looking into getting a home loan, you’ve probably been confronted with a lot of terminology that can make it challenging to determine what different types of loans entail and what is the […]
How a Mortgage Broker Can Help You Get a Loan Even if You Have Non-Prime Mortgage
Many of us believe that we can’t get a mortgage with a poor credit score. The truth is that you can get different types of loans even if you have poor credit. In the case […]
Mortgage Broker vs. Direct Lender: Finding the Right Loan Partner for You
Mortgage Broker vs. Direct Lender: Finding the Right Loan Partner for You If you’re in the process of buying a property, you might consider consulting either a mortgage broker or a direct lender. Many make […]
The Differences Between Mortgages and Home Equity Loans
Deciding to purchase a home is an exciting time. However, it can also be very stressful if you don’t understand the distinctions regarding mortgages vs. home equity loans. How do you know what’s best for […]
What is Pre-approval for a Mortgage and How to Qualify
Anyone buying a home who is not in a position to pay cash will probably need to take out a home mortgage. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage can simplify the process when real estate agents […]
Benefits of Working With a Mortgage Broker
Looking for a Mortgage can be quite a troubling step in buying a new home, especially for a first-timer. There is quite a bit of legwork to do, not to mention the countless headaches and […]
What Is A Jumbo Loan And How Do They Work
Whenever people shop for a home, checking out the kind of mortgage that’s best for them is among its most vital components. However, what would happen if you need to get a mortgage that has […]
FHA Loan vs. Conventional Loan: A Detailed Comparison
FHA Loan VS Conventional Loan Whenever you want to buy a home but have limited funds for a down payment, you may consider the conventional and FHA loans as these can help you whenever […]
5+ Practical Reverse Mortgage Tips for Senior Homeowners
For the elderly aged 62 years and above, a reverse mortgage can be a lifesaver—a source of funds to cover a senior’s living expenses. A reverse mortgage is one of the easiest ways to get […]
Adjustable Rate Mortgage vs. Fixed Rate Mortgage
When you need to get a mortgage, you are required to choose between adjustable rate mortgage and fixed rate mortgage. The choice you make can impact your borrowing cost significantly. Therefore, it is very important […]
Home Lenders vs. Mortgage Brokers: Which One to Select?
Are you planning to make a loan for your new home in Bergen County? Good news, you can get your loan approved from several places, so you have many options. However, there’s a catch to […]
What’s the Best Way to Navigate a VA Mortgage Loan in Bergen County?
A VA mortgage in Bergen county is relatively easier to get than traditional loans. But, did you know that the best way to navigate a VA loan is to prepare for the worst? And by […]
Why Rookies Should Get FHA Loans
FHA loans are getting popular than conventional ones among rookies and first-time home buyers in Bergen County — and there’s a logical reason behind that. 1. Federal Government Backs You Up FHA loans in Bergen […]
5 Things Best Mortgage Broker Companies Have in Common
Your mortgage broker is one of the determining factors in getting a great mortgage deal in Bergen County. Hence, you should know how to spot the cream of the crop among all the brokers in […]
Spring Cleaning – Beyond the Basics
With March upon us, we are getting ready to open the windows, dine al fresco and appreciate longer, sunnier days. Before we can truly enjoy all things Spring, we should all use the last days […]
2018 Real Estate Trends and Expectations
Overall, the 2018 real estate market looks positive. Both on a national level and a local New Jersey level, we expect this to be a healthy year for buyers and sellers alike. While we don’t […]
10 Things That Turn Off Home Buyers
Looking to sell your home? Make sure you get top dollar for it by avoiding these 10 common mistakes which can make a huge impact on how potential buyers view your home. Dirt – The […]
Holiday Decorating Hacks 2017
December is supposed to be full of joy, right? So, why is everyone so stressed out?!? Stop worrying about decorating for the holidays and follow our simple holiday hacks for a festive, yet quick and […]
Wire Transfer Fraud: Devastating, Convincing and in our Area
We have all heard of those email frauds about a Nigerian prince ready to give away millions if only you will help him cash one check, right? We would never be victims of something so […]
Hurricanes: Will they impact home prices?
In New Jersey, we understand firsthand the devastation hurricanes can cause. It seems this year the headlines never stop regarding the next big storm barreling towards Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. What’s next? […]
Low Inventory and High Prices? The Latest Real Estate News
Like all markets, the real estate market has seen its shares of highs and lows. We devour all articles and opinions real estate related, so we thought we’d bring you the latest news in the […]
5 Hidden Costs of Buying New Construction
Buying new construction can be very appealing. Everything is brand new and you get to pick out features based on your tastes. While, at Cornerstone Capital, we don’t advise against new construction, we want all […]
Upgrade Your BBQ
Summer is in full swing and we are loving it! Trips to the shore, nights on the boardwalk and back yard BBQs are on everyone’s To Do List, but often the burgers and hot dogs […]
Green Home Ideas
Whether you already have a lot of green home elements at your house or are looking to start, we have a few simple ideas to help you out. At Cornerstone Financial our goal is always […]
A Green Thumb For Everyone
Spring has Sprung! And with that crab grass and weeds are in full effect! Here is a quick check list to make sure you are on top of your spring yard maintenance to ensure a […]
Tech Tools for Selling Your Home
Ready to sell your home? Not surprisingly, your home’s presence on the web and social media is an essential element to get it sold. With that in mind, we have put together the latest in […]
Are certain home prices Lucky?
In our quest of all things real estate, especially the finance side of things, we came across an interesting article on Trulia related to the impact of the numbers in your price and the correlation […]
Easy Home Updates Under $500
Just moved in, ready to move or just want to spruce things up? Especially with the weather so cold out, this is a great time for a home improvement project! And you don’t need a […]
Making the Numbers Dance…. Part 2
I am going to say something that will likely make your head explode, so I would encourage you to get some towels and maybe a mop before reading the next sentence. There is nothing wrong […]
Next Gen Home Finding Tools
Planning a move? Not sure how to decide which neighborhood will be perfect for you? There’s an app for that! There are multiple choices when it comes to home finding apps (Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, etc), […]
Our Favorite Holiday Hacks
The Holidays are a time of celebration, family, love and joy! Unfortunately, they can sometimes lead to extra stress as well. We wanted to help keep your holidays stress free, so we’ve scoured the internet […]
Fun, Easy Ways to Give Back to Your Community
November is a month of thanks and there is no better way to count your blessings then by giving back to your community. Often people want to do something, but don’t know where to start, […]
Winterize Your Home
Doesn’t everyone love the fall weather? Crisp, cool mornings with sunny, warm afternoons! While we can enjoy fall now, we all know it is only a matter of time before those cool mornings become frigid. […]
Fall Decorating
With September we welcome Back to School celebrations and Labor Day… and the feeling of fall on the horizon. At Cornerstone Financial, we always think about our clients, past and present, and love to empower […]
New Home Decorating: Where do you start?
Summer is the most popular time for people to move and 2016 was no exception! With a very busy summer here at Cornerstone Capital, we are so happy to have helped many new home owners […]
TEN COMMANDMENTS WHEN APPLYING FOR A MORTGAGE
#1) Thou shalt NOT change jobs, become self-employed or quit your job. #2) Thou shalt NOT co-sign a loan for anyone. #3) Thou shalt NOT buy a Vehicle (or you may be living in it)! […]
Smart Home Technology: DIY
As home owners, we all know the overwhelming necessity of home maintenance. Is your yard perfect? Are the gutters clean? Does your deck need re-staining? There always seems like something needs attention! Now, on top […]
Making the Numbers Dance…. Part 1
Toward the end of my tenure with Washington Mutual- which coincided with the end of Washington Mutual- in an ill-conceived act of bravado, management continued to pay us to stick around while they decided what […]
New Jersey Beach Towns – Where Should You Invest?
One of the best investment opportunities to look out for are New Jersey beach towns. It’s common for people to travel down to the sunny Jersey shore beaches to enjoy the sparkling waters, friendly locals, […]
Tips and Tricks: Digital Home Search Tools
As we covered in a previous post, there are multiple internet based home search tools out there – whether you are using one or all of them, be sure to know these tips so you […]
What exactly is Houzz?
Although it started in 2009, Houzz feels to be a new buzz word lately. Have you heard these from your friends: “I just get lost in the Houzz pictures every night,” “I bought that on […]
Your Cash is No Good Here
The blogs that come most easily are directly inspired by questions or concerns voiced by actual mortgage clients…. Unfortunately this one came from a complaint. I hate complaints, they are Kryptonite to businesses that work […]
Underwriting and Truth….. Part 2
Although it sounds relatively simple, the price we are now paying for the abuses that took place 10+ years ago are those damn HOOPS. Although the computer generated approval, and the specific (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac/FHA) […]
Underwriting and the Truth, Part 1
At a recent town hall meeting a 24-year-old self-described “Hispanic” man complained about the ‘hoops he had to go through’ to get a mortgage’, to which Hillary Clinton replied, “You are three times more likely […]
The Right Home Search Tool to Find Your Dream Home
Here at Cornerstone Capital, we pride ourselves in helping people achieve their dream of becoming home owners. While providing the best financial solution to buying a home is critically important, some may say it is […]
A Day in the Life of a Mortgage Broker
The other day I got a call from a man on behalf of his parents. They were- as he described them- ‘old school, off the boat’, which was evident when he asked them my questions […]