Buying a house is a big deal, so first of all, congratulations! However, if you’re a new homeowner, or perhaps an experienced homeowner who just hasn’t yet figured out what an escrow statement is, you may be realizing that it’s a hard document to decipher. Never fear: We’re here to help you figure it out. First of all, it’s important to understand that your monthly mortgage payment covers more than the payment on your house. We’ll break down what exactly comes out of the mortgage payment, how your escrow account is used, and what is included in your escrow statement.

Buying a house is one of the biggest decisions many people make in their lifetimes. With so much emotional energy, debt, and cold, hard cash on the line, no one wants to make a mistake. Luckily, by taking time to make a solid plan about specific needs and priorities before buying, home buyers can substantially reduce the chances of making a mistake. Here are five of the most important factors to consider before signing on the line.

It hardly bears saying that buyers shouldn’t take the home-buying process lightly. Not only is it a lot of money to drop, but they’ll need to live and be happy in that home for the next several years at a minimum in order to make it a worthy expenditure. The best way to choose correctly is to balance priorities, such as safety, area home values, family accessibility, and overall fun. We’ve broken down these categories below with a few suggestions in each to hopefully make buying a house easier and more fun.

This video highlights just a few of the many Florida homeowners insurance risks that shoppers should keep an eye out for when buying a house.  Spotting and addressing these risks will not only protect your investment, but your family as well.