The experts of this show featured Christopher Spaker, AMP, President, CNB Mortgage Company, and Carmen Lonardo, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, RE/MAX Realty Group.

Is it better to own your own home or rent?  The answer depends on many factors.  What’s best today may change if the circumstances of your day-to-day life change.  Here are a few points you should consider if you’re weighing the options of buying versus renting.

I'm a first-time homebuyer, and I don't have a lot of cash to put down on a house. What type of mortgage would be best for me?

It depends. There are generally two ways that private mortgage insurance (PMI) can be removed from your mortgage loan. The first is if you request PMI cancellation directly from your lender. The second is through termination by your lender.

There's no doubt about it--owning a home is an exciting prospect. After all, you've always dreamed of having a place that you could truly call your own. But buying a home can be stressful, especially when you're buying one for the first time. Fortunately, knowing what to expect can make it a lot easier.

Question: Can I use a piggyback mortgage as an alternative to private mortgage insurance (PMI)?
Answer: If your down payment is less than 20 percent of the purchase amount when you buy a house, the lender will likely require that you buy PMI to ensure repayment of the loan. PMI premiums can significantly increase your monthly housing costs, and are no longer tax deductible (as of 1/1/2014). To avoid paying monthly PMI premiums, you may want to consider getting a piggyback mortgage, sometimes called an 80-10-10 mortgage.

Question: Should I refinance my home mortgage?
Answer: Mortgage refinancing refers to the process of taking out a new home mortgage and using some or all of the proceeds to pay off an existing mortgage on your home. The main purpose of refinancing is to obtain a lower interest rate or lower your monthly payments by extending the term of your loan. Remember that if you extend the term of the loan, you will reduce your monthly mortgage, but you will end up paying more total interest over the years.

Question: What's private mortgage insurance (PMI), and can my mortgage lender require me to have it?
Answer: Lenders generally require you to purchase PMI if you are borrowing more than 80 percent of the value of the home you are purchasing (i.e., your down payment is less than 20 percent). Once you reach 20 percent equity in your house, your lender should remove the requirement for PMI.

Question: Do I need to let my homeowners insurance company know that I'm refinancing my mortgage?
Answer: Yes. Once you've received a commitment letter for your refinance, call your insurance company or agent. Generally, you'll need to provide the name, address, and phone number of your new mortgage lender so that your policy can be updated and proof of insurance issued.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued new mortgage rules that took effect in January 2014. The new mortgage rules were mainly put in place as a way to end irresponsible mortgage lending and ensure that borrowers will only be able to obtain a mortgage loan that they can afford to pay back. Proponents view the rules as welcome industry safeguards that simply mirror responsible mortgage lending practices already in place. However, some mortgage-industry experts fear that the new rules may end up making obtaining a mortgage more difficult than it has been in the past--especially for borrowers who have a high debt-to-income ratio. Borrowers may also find themselves burdened with the task of providing lenders with additional documentation that they may not have had to in the past.

Would you like to own your home sooner and pay out less in mortgage interest?  Then say hello to the 15-year mortgage.  Your monthly payments will be higher than they would be if you opted for a 30-year mortgage, but in the long run, those higher payments may be worth it.

Some improvements are likely to increase your home’s value.  However, others may actually decrease potential buyers’ interest in your home.  So, put away your toolbox until you know more about projects that typically don’t pay.

Has your credit score suffered a setback as a result of challenges presented by the recent recession or other circumstances? If so, you can take steps to improve your score and gain your financial footing.  Taking simple, consistent steps, over time, can translate into a higher credit score.

 A mortgage loan cannot be closed without first locking in an interest rate. There are four components to a rate lock the loan program, the interest rate, points and the length of the rate lock. The longer the length of

 Applying for a mortgage is confusing enough, but when you apply, the lender has three days to mail you a Good Faith Estimate along with a Federal Truth in Lending disclosure statement, or as I affectionately like to call it,