Tarikuz Zaman

10/16/2025

When you make a mortgage payment, the funds are first applied to interest (and other fees if applicable) , then whatever is left is applied against the principal. If you increase the amount of your payment or make extra payments, every single penny is applied against your principal. You can be mortgage free years earlier and that can significantly improve your financial picture.

09/24/2025

$0 Down Doesn’t Mean $0 Out of Pocket..

Yes.. 100% financing programs exist (VA, USDA, certain grants). But even with those, you’ll still need cash ready. Here’s where most buyers get surprised:

1. Down Payment

You don’t need 20%. Many programs require 3%–3.5%, and some are truly zero down. But “zero down” only solves the down payment, not the rest.

2. Upfront Costs

Before closing, expect to pay for:

- Inspection
- Appraisal
- Earnest money deposit

That’s usually $2K–$3K out of pocket, due before you ever get the keys.

3. Closing Costs (the big one)

Plan on 2%–4% of the purchase price.
On a $400K home, that’s $8K–$16K.

Pro Tip: Negotiate for the seller to cover them with a seller credit

**Some programs will cover both down payment and closing costs, but usually at the expense of a higher interest rate.**

Takeaway:

You don’t need 20% down. You don’t need to be wealthy.
But you do need to understand the real costs of buying a home so you can plan, negotiate, and avoid last-minute surprises!!

09/07/2025

A now-viral TikTok clip from a 1999 Boy Meets World episode shows Cory and Topanga stunned to hear a house costs $80,000. Back then, it was a punchline, a lighthearted moment about two young adults entering the “real world.”

For millennials today, that joke stings. An $80,000 price tag wouldn’t even cover a down payment in many markets, and plenty of people in their 30s and 40s, who once assumed they’d be homeowners by now, are still renting.

Why homebuying keeps getting delayed:
🔹 Home prices have skyrocketed
🔹 Income hasn't kept up
🔹 Student debt is a major burden
🔹 Fewer affordable homes
🔹 Tighter lending rules

Full report:

The median age of first-time homebuyers is now 38. Here’s what homes cost the year you hit that milestone.

08/05/2025

Another masterpiece from the legendary Nagarbaul James and Talented Rajib Rahman