Cindy Bergen

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Is This Your Situation: Does My Home Have the Items Today’s Homeowners Really Want?

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 13, 2026
Is This Your Situation: Does My Home Have the Items Today’s Homeowners Really Want? The Housing Satisfaction Gap: What People Want, but Don’t Have report, measured the gap between the home features people want and the features they currently have in their own homes. Here’s what made the list, and what you can do to close your home’s satisfaction gap so you get top dollar when you’re ready to sel

Watch That Auto Loan Payment When Buying a New Car

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 11, 2026
Watch That Auto Loan Payment When Buying a New Car The size of your monthly auto loan payment matters, mainly because it affects how much debt you have. Most importantly, mortgage lenders look at your debt-to-income ratio when you apply for a home loan. What is a debt-to-income ratio? This ratio measures how much of your gross monthly income is eaten up by certain recurring monthly payments. W

Is There More Than One Credit Score?

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 10, 2026
Is There More Than One Credit Score? he free credit score that your bank, credit union or credit card providers furnish when you check your credit is just one of many credit scores that you might have. When you apply for a mortgage, there's no guarantee that the score you get from your credit card company is the same one that your lender will see when it checks your credit history. This usually

Is the Mortgage Interest Deduction a Big Deal?

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 09, 2026
Is the Mortgage Interest Deduction a Big Deal? One of the financial benefits of owning a home is that you may qualify to deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage loan each year on your federal income taxes, something that can reduce your tax bill. Many homeowners can qualify to deduct the interest they pay each year on up to $750,000 in mortgage debt. This includes primary mortgage loans and

Can Closing A Credit Card Hurt Your Score?

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 08, 2026
Can Closing A Credit Card Hurt Your Score? When you close a credit card account that you no longer use, you might lessen the average age of your credit accounts and increase your credit-utilization ratio. Both can cause your three-digit credit score to drop. According to FICO, the length of your credit history accounts for 15% of your score. If you close an older credit card account, even one t

IRS Makes Retirement Plan Changes for 2026

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 07, 2026
IRS Makes Retirement Plan Changes for 2026 The Internal Revenue Service has issued a release explaining changes in retirement plan limits for 2026. Below is a summary of this release. The provisions can be complex, so current and prospective plan participants should work with a financial professional. Highlights of changes for 2026 The annual contribution limit for employees who participate in

Can You Deduct Your Moving Expenses?

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 06, 2026
Can You Deduct Your Moving Expenses? Before Congress passed the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, you could deduct moving expenses if you were making your move because you were starting a new job in a different location or your employer transferred you to a new job that required a move. By claiming these deductions, you could lower your income tax bill for the year in which you moved. You did have to

Retirement

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 05, 2026
Retirement If you are fortunate enough to be among the most affluent members of retirees, you may want to consider living in a luxury retirement community. The number of people who meet their criteria is growing steadily, with Baby Boomers making up a high percentage. These communities offer the best of the best in high-end amenities and services for those who reached retirement with a substan

How To Stay in Your Own Home as You Age

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 04, 2026
How To Stay in Your Own Home as You Age While the desire to stay in the comfort and independence of your own home as you age is a reasonable one, there are many unique and unexpected challenges that may need to be considered before making the decision. The changes in balance, decreased mobility or the risk of falling as we grow older all require home modifications to make safety the No. 1 priorit

Home Equity and Investment Properties

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 03, 2026
Home Equity and Investment Properties One of the benefits of owning a home is building equity in that property over time. Equity is the difference between what your home is currently worth and how much you owe on your mortgage. If your home is worth $460,000 and you owe $200,000 on your mortgage, you have $260,000 in equity. Having more equity is a positive when you sell. You’ll earn a higher p

Build Your Escrow Account Buffer

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 02, 2026
Build Your Escrow Account Buffer When you take out a mortgage, lenders usually require you to create an escrow account. When you pay your mortgage each month, your lender will deposit a portion of your payment into this account. Your lender will then use the funds in this account to pay your property taxes and homeowners’ insurance bills on your behalf when they come due. How much you pay each

The (Not So) Hidden Costs Of An FHA Loan

By Cindy Bergen Realtor - January 01, 2026
FHA Loan costs FHA loans are mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration. They are popular because borrowers with a FICO credit score of at least 580 can take out one of these loans with a down payment as low as 3.5% of their home’s purchase price. These loans are also attractive to borrowers with lower credit scores. FHA guidelines state that you can qualify for one of these loan

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