Parents ask all the time where to stay. 

The time to close might be harder I would look at heloc.

Often times, their approval processes are slow.Credit Unions - Their member structure also subsidizes their financial structure so they can also be a source of low-cost financing.

You are giving the end buyer of the loan (not the broker) the interest upfront instead of over time therefore you get a lower rate.

Mortgage recasting, also known as re-amortization, is a process that allows homeowners to lower their monthly mortgage payments by applying a lump sum toward their principal balance.

So, now more than ever is the time to build a local team in Detroit. 

If there's enough duplexes that it's likely you find one you like in a reasonable amount of time (less than a year), then start looking at them in your preferred area.

Timing schedule for materials Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Based on the prices, now seems like it's probably a pretty good time to buy in Galveston. 

Refinancing isn’t an option yet because of the way we purchased it (unless someone has a bank that will look at the deal differently) our original plan was to pay off our balloon in early 2027 when it is due which the bank will treat as a purchase and then we would wait until we are able to refinance so probably 2028 and then we could pull out a good chunk of equity at that time.