Robby Oakes Mortgage

Chapel Hill Mortgage Lender | Robby's Blog about Mortgages in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Crystal Coast area of NC

  • Home
  • Our Main Site
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Mortgage Calculator
    • First Time Home Buyer Tips
    • First Time Home Seller Tips
    • Home Appraisal
    • Home Inspection
    • Loan Checklist
    • Loan Process
    • Loan Programs
    • Mortgage FAQ
    • Mortgage Glossary
  • Contact Us

Housing Market Index Shows Builders Continue To Have A Positive Outlook

October 17, 2013 by Robby Oakes Leave a Comment

The National Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index dropped two points to 55 from September’s revised reading of 57. Builder concerns over labor costs and availability and economic uncertainty related to the federal government shutdown were noted as factors contributing to the lower reading for October.

Filed Under: Housing Analysis Tagged With: Housing Analysis,Housing Market,Home Builder Confidence

Get The Lowdown On Private Mortgage Insurance

October 16, 2013 by Robby Oakes Leave a Comment

You may have heard the term Private Mortgage Insurance when looking to finance real estate. What is PMI, and how do you know when you need to purchase it?

The answer can be hard to find among all the real estate jargon you’re hearing lately. Below is the short version of what you need to know.

Filed Under: Home Mortgage Tips Tagged With: Home Mortgage Tips,Private Mortgage Insurance,Home Buyer Tips

Nail The Final Walkthrough Before Closing

October 15, 2013 by Robby Oakes Leave a Comment

By the time you get to the final walkthrough on your property, the home buying process is almost complete. However, it is still important to pay close attention to this final step, as it will be crucial in the success of your home purchase.

The final walk-through is your last opportunity to ensure that everything in the home is in working order and that there are no potential problems waiting for you when you take over ownership of the property.

Filed Under: Home Buyer Tips Tagged With: Home Buyer Tips,Seller Tips,Final Walkthrough

4 Tips On Giving Your Mudroom A Makeover

October 11, 2013 by Robby Oakes Leave a Comment

From crunched-up leaves stuck to bottoms of shoes to bulky coats shed as soon as kids walk through the door, mudrooms are ideal for keeping outdoor dirt, wet clothing and outerwear from being strewn throughout your home.

Mudrooms not only keep the rest of your house clean, but they also designate a spot for those last-minute grabs, such as coats, umbrellas and purses, when you’re running out the door. These rooms are great catchalls; however, an organized mudroom can make your life and those hectic mornings much less stressful. Below are smart tips for getting your mudroom ready this fall.

Filed Under: Around The Home Tagged With: Around The Home,Home Improvement,Mud Room

5 Strategies To Secure Your Home Against A Break In

October 10, 2013 by Robby Oakes Leave a Comment

Having your home broken into is completely violating. Burglars don’t just steal your stuff; they steal your peace of mind. While this is the sort of thing you think will never happen to you, it’s worth the time and effort to make sure you’re not a target.

Below are five strategies to help secure your home against a break-in.

Filed Under: Homeowner Tips Tagged With: Home Break In,Homeowner Tips,Around The Home

Tips On Passing Your Home Inspection With Flying Colors

October 9, 2013 by Robby Oakes Leave a Comment

Home inspections are a tense time for everyone. Sellers are fervently hoping that nothing major is wrong with their home that could hold up the transaction.

Buyers are eager to hear that their new house is in prime condition. Whatever the wishes, one thing is for sure; any news from an inspector is usually bad news.

Filed Under: Home Selling Tips Tagged With: Home Inspection,Home Buyer Tips,Home Seller Tips

When Is It A Good Idea To Use A Home Equity Loan?

October 8, 2013 by Robby Oakes Leave a Comment

A home equity loan is a type of loan that allows you to use the equity of your home as collateral. It is an option that home owners have available to them and that some people use to pay for major expenses such as home renovations, college education or medical bills.

These types of loans became popular in 1996 because they provided a way for consumers to circumvent their tax charges for that year, which eliminated the deductions on the interest for most consumer purchases.

Filed Under: Home Mortgage Tips Tagged With: Home Mortgage Tips,Home Prices,Home Buyer Tips

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 7, 2013

October 7, 2013 by Robby Oakes Leave a Comment

This week’s economic news commentary has been dominated by the “what ifs” of a government shutdown; opinions of potential consequences are limited only by the number of commentators sharing their opinions. Unfortunately, more concrete examples of the shutdown were evident last Tuesday and Friday.

The Department of Commerce delayed release of August’s Construction Spending report that were due last Tuesday and The Bureau of Labor Statistics delayed the release of September’s Non-farm Payroll and Unemployment that were due last Friday.

Filed Under: Housing Analysis Tagged With: Mortgage Rates,Jobless Claims,Financial Reports

Do Fence Me In, Here Are A Few Good Yard Fencing Options

October 4, 2013 by Robby Oakes 2 Comments

Whether you just got a puppy, have newly mobile children or built a pool, there are a multitude of reasons for wanting to keep people and animals in your yard, while preventing other from entering. Picking the perfect fence can be difficult, so below we’ve outlined the main fencing materials to choose from and characteristics to consider about each.

Filed Under: Around The Home Tagged With: Around The Home,Home Improvement,Home Renovations

Do Those Additions Really Add Value To Your Home?

October 3, 2013 by Robby Oakes Leave a Comment

When you own a home, there are additions that you can make to the property that will improve the value of your home. For example, a newly renovated kitchen or bathroom is a popular choice that will really make the home more desirable to buyers.

Filed Under: Home Selling Tips Tagged With: Home Seller Tips,Home Prices,Home Renovations

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 261
  • 262
  • 263
  • 264
  • 265
  • …
  • 298
  • Next Page »

Robby Oakes


Robby Oakes

CIMG Managing  Director
NMLS# 91606

How can we help?

Connect with Us

CIMG Residential Mortgage

Quick Links

  • Our Main Site
  • Accessibility Statement
  • NMLS Consumer Access
  • Privacy Policy
©2025 Robby Oakes Mortgage Team
Corporate Investors Mortgage Group
NMLS# 39460.
Licensed to Do Business in the State of NC

Equal_Housing_Opportunity

Copyright © 2026 · Powered by MySMARTblog

Copyright © 2026 · Genesis Sample Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in