| Bloomberg (rates and bonds) |
| If you are interested in mortgage interest rates, you'll need to track the U.S. Treasuries Market. Fixed interest mortgages are tied to the 10 Year Treasury Note; Adjustable Rate Mortgages are tied to the shorter maturity bonds. |
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| Fannie Mae |
| Fannie Mae is a private, shareholder-owned company that works to make sure mortgage money is available for people in communities all across America. They do not lend money directly to home buyers; rather, they work with lenders to make sure they don't run out of mortgage funds, so more people can achieve their goal of homeownership. |
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| Federal Reserve Board Consumer Information |
| The Federal Reserve Board maintains a web page with consumer information, including a section on home mortgages. The section covers topics such as finding the best mortgage and understanding ARMs. |
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| Homebuyer Education by Freddie Mac |
| Freddie Mac is a publicly held corporation chartered by Congress to increase the supply of funds that mortgage lenders, such as commercial banks, mortgage bankers, savings institutions and credit unions, can make available to homebuyers and multifamily investors. This Freddie Mac site offers a step-by-step tutorial on the home buying decision process and the mortgage application process. |
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| Illinois Association of Mortgage Brokers |
| This is the statewide trade association for mortgage brokers. Owl Tree Mortgage Company is a member of the Illinois Association of Mortgage Brokers. |
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| Illinois Dept Financial & Professional Regulation |
| If you are shopping for a mortgage loan, it is important to determine if your prospective loan officer is licensed with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation as a registered loan originator. By law, all loan originators must be registered with the State of Illinois. You can check the status of a loan originator by clicking the link above. You can also check the status of an Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee through this site. |
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| MGIC (Private Mortgage Insurance) |
| MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE: MTG) is the parent of Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC). Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, MGIC serves more than 5,000 lenders across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. MGIC is the nation's leading provider of private mortgage insurance. If you are interested in learning more about private mortgage insurance, check out their website. |
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| Mortgage Bankers Association of America Consumer Information |
| The Mortgage Bankers Association of America is the preeminent association representing the real estate finance industry. Their consumer information site contains several tools and guides to aid in purchasing or refinancing a home. |
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| PMI v. Piggyback 2nd |
| Here is an article that compares PMI v. Piggyback financing. It's a good read for those who are trying to make up their mind about which direction to go. |
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| Should you use a mortgage broker? |
| Owl Tree Mortgage Company operates as a mortgage broker - so we certainly hope your answer is yes! However, the link above is a non-biased article in the RealEstateJournal.com, and is an interesting read for those who are deciding on whether to use a broker or a large bank for a mortgage loan. |
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| United States Postal Service Official Movers Guide |
| What happens after you complete the purchase process? This U.S. Postal Service site provides all kinds of tools and tips to help make the moving process easier. |
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