Work for yourself? Here's how to get a mortgage loan

If you run your own business — or are a gig worker, freelancer or independent contractor — financing a home could prove challenging. One of the first things lenders look for is a steady, verifiable income. Without a regular paycheck or W-2 statement, it can be harder to prove how much you make, and how reliably you make it. But just because you work for yourself doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to have a hard time getting a mortgage. 

Learn what's required to get approved for a loan when you’re self-employed by checking out my newest piece for Bankrate, available here.

Two-wheeled intensity

Jeff Steber has worn a lot of hats in his life, from carpenter to guitar builder to car customizer. But he’s most proud of his role as founder and CEO of Intense, the bicycle company he launched in 1993. Over the past three decades, Steber and his team have crafted high-caliber mountain bikes—renowned for their innovative designs, choice of materials and components, build quality, speed and durability.

Learn more about Intense and the rugged bikes they craft by reading my newest article for The Costco Connection magazine, available here.

Cineversary podcast honors 70th birthday of On the Waterfront

Michael Phillips and Stephen Rebello

In Cineversary podcast episode #70, host Erik Martin lights 70 birthday candles for Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront, starring Marlon Brando. Two esteemed guests join him this time around: Stephen Rebello, author of the forthcoming book A City Full of Hawks: On the Waterfront Seventy Years Later; and Michael Phillips, film critic for The Chicago Tribune. Together, they examine why this movie still matters seven decades later, what makes it a movie masterwork, salient themes, and more.

To listen to this episode, click here or click the "play" button on the embedded streaming player below. Or, you can stream, download, or subscribe to Cineversary wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Castbox, Pocket Casts, PodBean, RadioPublic, and Overcast.

Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at Cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com.

   

Demystifying the facts behind down payment assistance

Down payment assistance programs help aspiring home buyers afford the upfront costs of buying a home. Typically administered by state or local housing finance agencies and nonprofit organizations, DPA programs offer a mix of grants, deferred-payment loans, forgivable loans and mortgage tax credit certificates to eligible buyers.

While DPA programs are common, many buyers are confused about who can qualify for assistance and how they work. To help clear up some of the most persistent down payment assistance program myths, why they endure, and the facts about applying for and getting DPA, read my first article for new client Quicken Loans, available here.