Here are some excellent tips on making the most out of your mortgage:
1. Don’t rush to pay off your mortgage – Interest rates in 2018 are sure to rise. A quarter-point hike will increase the APR on your credit card, auto loan, etc… that has a variable interest rate. Tackle your most expensive debt first.

“Don’t rush to pay down or pay off your low-rate, tax-deductible fixed-rate mortgage. Use the cash instead to pay off other higher-cost debt, or max out your tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts, like an IRA or 401(k),” says Greg McBride, CFA, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.com.

2. If you have an adjustable-rate mortgage consider refinancing to a fixed-rate loan – With rates expected to rise, it’s likely that you will be paying more when your rate term is up. There are predictions that mortgage rates will rise to 5% in 2018 and could exceed that by 2019.

3. Do not wait it out for a price drop on the dream house you want – NAR expects prices to steadily increase throughout the year. The number of available houses for sale is at it’s lowest inventory since it began being tracked in 1999. Home scarcity, with high demand, equals higher prices. If you wait, you’re in danger of losing out to someone else.