Your income and down payment don’t just influence your mortgage they define  your buying power. This week’s Buying Power Breakdown shows exactly how fast things can change based on just two numbers. 🔹 Scenario 1 Income:  $120,000 Down Payment:  $60,000 Estimated Max Home Price:   ≈ $767,099 Estimated Monthly Payment:   ≈ $4,900 With a strong income and a solid down payment, buyers in this range unlock significantly higher home affordability even at identical rates, taxes, an

Unlocking what you can truly afford every Friday! Navigating the housing market can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to understand exactly how much home you can afford. That’s why every Friday, we bring you Your Weekly Buying Power Breakdown  a simple, transparent look at what your real  purchasing power is. Whether you're renting, saving, budgeting, or exploring multi-family “house hacker” opportunities, we break it all down based on: ✔️ Your income ✔️ Curre

Buying a home in Queens? You’re going to hear a lot  of new terms at closing—and two of the most confusing are Title Insurance  and Homeowners Insurance . Even though both are essential parts of a smooth purchase, they protect you from totally different  risks. Here’s the breakdown every first-time buyer should know. 👇 ✅ What Is Title Insurance? Title insurance protects you from past problems  with the property’s ownership—issues that happened before  you b

Yesterday, the Federal Reserve announced a 0.25% rate cut , aiming to ease borrowing conditions and support economic growth. But if you were expecting mortgage rates to drop right along with it, you might’ve been surprised because mortgage rates actually went up. Confused? Let’s break down what’s really happening behind the headlines. 👇 💡 The Real Reason: Mortgage Rates Follow Bonds — Not the Fed Directly While the Fed’s benchmark rate affects short-term lending (l

Buying a home is exciting—but figuring out the best loan option  can feel overwhelming. Two of the most popular low down payment programs are the FHA Loan  and the Conventional (HomeReady/Home Possible) Loan . Both are designed to help first-time homebuyers, but they have key differences. Let’s break it down. 💰 FHA Loan (3.5% Down) ✅ Credit score as low as 580 ✅ Only 3.5% down ✅ Flexible debt-to-income ratio (up to 54% ) ⚠️ Mortgage insurance require

Buying your first home is one of the biggest milestones in life and it all starts with a clear plan. The LJ Mortgage Team is here to make sure you feel confident, informed, and excited every step of the way. Here’s your ultimate First-Time Homebuyer To-Do List  to help turn your dream into a front door with your name on it! ✅ 1. Check Your Credit Score Think of it as your financial selfie  — it shows lenders a snapshot of your financial health

Have you ever opened your escrow statement and wondered why your monthly mortgage payment suddenly went up or even down? You’re not alone! Many homeowners are surprised by these changes, but the explanation is simpler than you think. 🔎 What Is an Escrow Account? An escrow account is set up by your lender to cover property taxes and homeowner’s insurance  on your behalf. Each month, part of your mortgage payment goes into this account, and when tax

When buying a home, there are a lot of new terms and processes to understand — and one of the most important is the escrow account . An escrow account  is a special savings account managed by your mortgage lender. Each month, a portion of your mortgage payment is set aside into this account to cover important bills like: 🏠 Property Taxes 🔒 Homeowners Insurance This way, when those big annual or semi-annual bills come due, your lender pays t

Another closing, another happy homeowner all thanks to the unbeatable teamwork between LJ Realty Team  and LJ Mortgage Team Inc.  When...

It’s celebration time again at LJ Realty Team! We’re proud to announce the successful closing of another home this time at 37 Lee Ave,...

Congratulations to our outstanding realtors and mortgage brokers at LJ Realty  and LJ Mortgage Team Inc.  for making this dream a...

Are you sitting on home equity but don’t want to disturb your low-interest mortgage? A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)  might be your...