About Bryan Dornan

Bryan Dornan is a financial journalist and currently serves as Chief Editor of RefiGuide.org. Bryan has worked as a mortgage loan officer in the industry for over 20 years and has a wealth of experience in providing mortgage clients with the highest level of service in the industry. Bryan's continual focus is to promote affordable home-ownership to consumers like you across the United States. He also writes for RealtyTimes, Patch, Buzzfeed, Medium and other national publications. Find him on Twitter, Muckrack, Linkedin and ActiveRain.

Everything You Should Know About First Time Home Buyer Loans

What Credit Score is Needed for a First Time Home Buyer Loan this Year? If you have your sights on buying a home this year, credit scores are probably on your mind. After all, the higher your credit score, the lower your rate, and the better chance you will be approved for the loan. What… Read More »

FHA Announces 40 Year Mortgage Loan 

Home buyers and homeowners have been waiting patiently for the FHA 40-year mortgage loan to be introduced to the financing market. During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people lost their jobs or had hours cut when the federal government encouraged lockdowns to reduce the spread of the virus. When that happened, many homeowners fell behind… Read More »

Can Crypto Currency be used When Getting a Mortgage to Buy a Home?

Have you been investing in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies? Then you probably wonder if you can use crypto to purchase a home or to get a crypto mortgage. The answer is complicated, depending on what you mean by ‘using crypto’ to buy a home. Let’s take a closer look. Traditional Mortgage Lenders And Crypto… Read More »

Updated Home Equity Loan Guidelines

How to Get a Home Equity Loan Are you thinking about getting a home equity loan? Wondering what they are all about?  A home equity loan is a second mortgage that gives you a portion of your equity as a single, lump-sum payment that you can use however you like. Home equity loans and HELOC… Read More »

When Should I Refinance My Home Mortgage

One of the hardest things to gauge as a homeowner is when is the ideal time to refinance your home mortgage. If anyone could precisely predict when mortgage rates will rise and fall, they could probably retire very wealthy. But even seasoned real estate and stock experts cannot predict the variability of mortgage rates. It’s… Read More »

How Does a Cash Out Refinance Work?

If you’re flush with equity in your home after rising home values in recent times, you aren’t alone. It’s estimated in some circles that homeowners have trillions of dollars of new equity in their homes in 2022. With homes continuing to soar in value and some states seeing a housing shortage, it’s understandable that many… Read More »

8 Tips When Refinancing a 2nd Home or Investment Property

Interest rates are still low in 2022, and this isn’t only a benefit for your primary residence. If you own a second home or investment property, it is a good time to find out if you can refinance your mortgage and save money. There are many similarities between refinancing your primary residence and second home,… Read More »

How to Buy a Rental Property

Millions of Americans rent instead of own, so it is often a good move to buy a rental property. If you manage it well, it’s possible to earn passive cash flow every month without doing too much. If you decide that you want to buy a rental property in the US, below are the essential… Read More »

2022 FHA Loan Limits

What Are the NEW 2022 FHA Loan Limits? Home prices have soared in 2021, and loan limits are trying to keep up. FHA 2022 conforming loan limits are almost as high as jumbo loans, and this could be the policy for the foreseeable future. After all, home prices don’t seem to be anywhere close to… Read More »

How to Buy a Second Home and Get the Best Rate

Have you done well with the equity in your home in the last year or two? You may be thinking about buying a second home so you can live in a different city, state, or even country. It’s estimated there were about 7.5 million second homes in the US as of 2016, or about 6%… Read More »

Top 9 US Spots to Retire and Buy A Home

Are you thinking about moving to a new city when you retire? You are in good company! About 65% of retirees say they want to move when they stop working or already moved. Most retirees say they want to stay near where they retired when they move, but about 40% say they want to live… Read More »

Guide to 2022 Loan Limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

The rapid rise of home prices during the COVID-19 era is fueling what could be the biggest increase in the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac conforming loan limit since 1970. An increase in the conforming loan limit allows home buyers wanting Fannie or Freddie-backed loans to avoid jumbo loans that are harder to get and… Read More »

How to Finance a Multi-Family Residence (MFR)

Are you interested in commercial real estate? Good! Investing in multi-family residences can be an outstanding investment that can provide you with steady cash flow for many years. Most of us don’t have the cash to buy a commercial property outright, so there are various commercial loans available that can get the deal done. Below… Read More »

How to Finance Fractional Home Ownership  

If you are interested in a vacation property or second home, you may wonder about financing fractional home ownership. Before you move forward, it’s important to understand what fractional homeownership is and how financing works. Fractional Ownership Overview Fractional ownership usually deals with owning a vacation property where several owners use it based on units… Read More »

Guide to Swimming Pool Loans and Financing

It’s no secret that swimming pool loans have become popular with homeowners across the country looking to maximize good living and property values. Many homeowners are unaware of the many secure and unsecure financing opportunities available today in the United States. How to Get the Best Swimming Pool Loans Many people love to have a… Read More »

How to Finance a 2nd Dwelling on Your Property

Do you have an older family member living in your home? You may want to have them move into another building on your property, which is known as an accessory dwelling unit or ADU. Some simply call it a mother-in-law unit. Building a second dwelling on your property can be a fine way to add… Read More »

How to Buy a Home with a VA Mortgage Loan

If you’re a military veteran or active-duty military, and you want to buy a home. You may be looking into a VA mortgage loan and wonder if it’s a good choice for you. For many active military and retired military, VA loans can be the way to go. Let’s take a closer look at these… Read More »

Is It Better to Refinance or Get a Home Equity Loan?

Your home is not just your castle. It can be a cash source for home renovations, repairs, college tuition, or an emergency fund. The equity you have built up can be tapped through a mortgage refinance or a home equity loan. What’s the difference and which is better for you? These refinance and home equity… Read More »

How Long Does It Take to Refinance a House?

Refinancing your house means you are getting a new home loan, so it can take some time. In many situations, refinancing a home takes 30 to 45 days. But the exact time to sit down at the closing table depends on many factors, and some of them you do not control. You might be able… Read More »

Florida First Time Home Buyer Guide

Over the past decade, Florida has expanded by more than 2.6 million people, the second-highest numerical population increase in the country, behind only Texas. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the state’s housing market is also expanding and values are rising. The coronavirus pandemic has put a damper on housing markets across the… Read More »

Alabama First Time Home Buyer Guide

While Alabama isn’t among the biggest U.S. states, it is one of the states in its region that’s added the highest number of residents over the past decade. In fact, Alabama ranks in the middle among all Southern states when it comes to population increase since 2010. The state’s population growth has a knock-on effect… Read More »

Nevada First Time Home Buyer Guide

Nevada is one of the fastest-growing U.S. states, both according to the total number of new residents since 2010 and the percentage growth rate resulting from the hundreds of thousands of new Nevadans. All that growth has made the Nevada housing market one of the most exciting in the country. Like the rest of the… Read More »