credit score Articles

The Pennymac Mortgage Blog is where you'll find unbiased, useful info to help save you money, time and peace of mind during the mortgage process. If you have a mortgage or are about to get one, we think you'll find info here you can't always get elsewhere.

What is a Conventional Loan?

03.21.23

A conventional loan is a type of mortgage that is not part of a specific government program, such as Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) loan programs. However, conventional loans are commonly interchangeable with "conforming loans", since they are required to conform to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s underwriting requirements and loan limits.

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What happens if I declare bankruptcy?

01.23.23

Generally speaking, people file for bankruptcy during extreme financial hardships: the inability to repay large debts, have outstanding mortgage payments or they are facing foreclosure. Bankruptcy can offer some people a clean financial slate, but should only be considered as a last resort in resolving loan debt. Here is everything you need to know before filing bankruptcy.

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Everything You Need to Know About the VA Funding Fee

10.12.22

Establishing good credit takes time, and The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loan program is designed to help our service members and veterans achieve homeownership. With a government-insured VA home loan, eligible service members, veterans and their families can enjoy low interest rates and no down payments on qualified mortgages, while also eliminating the need to purchase private mortgage insurance (PMI).

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When is the Best Time to Buy a House?

09.20.22

When you’ve decided you want to move or buy a home, you might be wondering how important timing is. For some things in life, timing is everything. But for buying a house, timing is only part of the equation. Still, timing does play an important role in your homebuying experience and ultimately how much you might end up paying for your new house, so it’s important to consider when it’s a good time to buy a house.

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Mortgage Rates Explained

07.25.22

Understand how mortgage rates work and get answers to your frequently asked questions.

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What is a Co-Borrower?

06.01.22

Adding a co-borrower to your loan means that they are equally responsible for the mortgage and have equal ownership.

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How to Improve Your Credit Score During the Home Buying Process

08.28.19

Your credit score is a simple number that tells a complicated story. A huge part of your financial history — from long-term debt to a few scattered missed payments here and there — can be summarized by this number. This little figure can have a big impact on your life, as it is one of the major factors that your lender uses to determine what loan terms you can qualify for.

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9 Common Mistakes First Time Homebuyers Make and How to Avoid Them

07.05.19

Buying your first home can be a fun and exciting process that awakens feelings of freedom, security, and even creativity. It can also be a source of confusion, worry, and fear when you are confronted with the many decisions to be made.

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