About
With over two years of experience writing in the housing market space, Robin Rothstein demystifies mortgage and loan concepts, helping first-time homebuyers and homeowners make informed decisions as they navigate the home loan marketplace. Her work has been published or syndicated on Forbes Advisor, SoFi, MSN and Nasdaq, among other media outlets.
Robin is a staff writer at Forbes Advisor, covering mortgages, loans and the housing market. She previously worked as a contractor for SoFi, writing and updating foreclosure and housing market content. Her articles featuring home loan topics, mortgage rate and housing market predictions, foreclosure rate updates and lender reviews have been published or syndicated on Forbes Advisor, SoFi, MSN and Nasdaq, among other media outlets.
As a longtime homeowner, Robin is invested in her community and has followed local land use issues in her hometown of New York City for over a decade, inspiring her to pen the short play “Grassroots” about a cherished local bar forced to close due to high rents. “Grassroots” was included in the anthology The Best Ten-Minute Plays 2021, published by Smith and Kraus.
Expertise
- Mortgages
- Home equity loans
- HELOCs
- Lender reviews
- Housing market
Achievements
- Published or syndicated on Forbes Advisor, SoFi, MSN and Nasdaq
- Previously wrote and updated foreclosure and housing content for SoFi
- Over a decade of experience reviewing local land use applications
- Author of “Grassroots,” a play about a cherished local bar forced to close due to high rents, included in The Best Ten-Minute Plays 2021, Smith and Kraus
Education
University of Pennsylvania, B.A. English, Cum Laude
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Best Reverse Mortgage Companies Of 2024
With more retired homeowners needing to tap into home equity as a supplemental financial resource, the mortgage industry is focusing more on reverse mortgages. Home equity is often an older homeowner’s most substantial asset, and they can access it through... -
New Home Sales Flirt With Record Highs Amid Scant Resale Supply
With scant housing inventory continuing to hamper the market, frustrated home buyers are shifting their focus to new construction homes, according to a Redfin report. Of all single-family home sales nationwide in the final quarter of 2023, 31.8% were new... -
Best Jumbo Loan Lenders Of May 2024
Jumbo loans are an excellent—and sometimes necessary—option for those who need to finance high-priced real estate. However, finding the right jumbo loan lender can be overwhelming. To help you in your search, Forbes Advisor compiled a list of jumbo loan... -
Insider Insights: 12 Housing Market Experts Highlight Key Strategies For Home-Buying Success In 2024
Aspiring homeowners experienced a lot of challenges in 2023. Elevated interest rates, eye-watering home prices and abysmal housing stock resulted in inflated costs that stymied buyers. While experts say the housing market should see some easing in 2024, don’t expect... -
Best Construction Loan Lenders Of May 2024
Are you looking to build your dream house or renovate your current home? You're not alone. Through the first three quarters of 2023, 134,000 homes were owner- or contractor-built, according to U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and... -
Mortgage Rates Forecast For 2024: Experts Predict How Much Rates Will Drop
Mortgage rates haven’t gotten the memo yet that they are supposed to go down in 2024. After blazing past 7% in mid-April for the first time this year, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 7.22% to begin May,... -
Flood Risk Disclosure Laws: Which States Have Them And How They Protect Home Buyers
Buying a home is a significant investment. Before making a commitment you regret, you should always obtain as many details as possible about the property you plan to make your long-term residence. As the country experiences more frequent and extreme... -
Best Hard Money Lenders Of 2024
If you’re considering flipping or rehabbing an investment property, or you’re between properties and need fast cash for a down payment, a hard money loan could be the way to go. All of the hard money lenders on this list... -
Examining The Cost Of Living By State In 2024
The rising cost of living remains a prominent concern across the U.S., with surveys showing that Americans rank inflation as one of the top problems facing the country. As prices continue to soar in nearly every aspect of life—from groceries... -
Top 10 Places For Young Professionals To Live
For young professionals starting to grow their careers and incomes, navigating the uncertainty and volatility of the current economy can feel like an uphill battle—especially for those hoping to make the leap from renting to homeownership. To determine the best... -
How To Buy A Home If You Have Disabilities
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) affirmed the “equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency” of individuals with disabilities. Roughly 27% of American adults currently live with a disability, according to the CDC. Like many Americans, those... -
Could More Bank Failures Trigger A Housing Market Crash?
The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), Signature Bank and First Republic Bank sparked panic that these implosions could lead to financial contagion among other regional banks. However, the swift intervention of government regulators contained the fallout, averting a broader... -
The U.S. Averts A Default: What This Means For Mortgage Rates
After getting the green light from the House, the Senate passed the debt ceiling bill to suspend the U.S. debt limit, allowing the federal government to continue to accrue debt to fund its existing obligations—such as Social Security, Medicare benefits... -
Interest-Only Mortgage Calculator
An interest-only mortgage is a type of home loan in which the borrower only pays the interest on the loan for a specified introductory period. After this interest-only period concludes, the borrower must pay both interest and principal for the... -
Best Mortgage Lenders For Low And No Down Payments Of 2024
For many borrowers, soaring prices and high interest rates can make it difficult to purchase a home. Thankfully, some lenders provide manageable down payment options and subsidized closing costs to help potential home buyers. Forbes Advisor compiled a list of... -
Flagstar Bank Mortgage Lender Review 2024
Flagstar Bank’s home loan advisors can assist customers with their home mortgage needs in all 50 states via internet and phone and at retail home lending offices across the country. Its home loan options serve a wide variety of borrowers,... -
Mortgage Rates Creep Up As Loan Demand Dips Further
Mortgage rates continue their mercurial dance, inching back up for the second straight week after dropping for five weeks prior to that, making it even more difficult to predict where rates are headed into 2023. The average 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage... -
Will 2023 Be A Good Time For A Mortgage Refinance?
Current mortgage rates are still hovering at 20-year highs, making many homeowners think twice about refinancing their homes. Roughly 85% of borrowers have a mortgage rate locked in below 5%, according to a recent Redfin report. Mortgage rates are now... -
Mortgage Rates Fall For Fifth Week—Enough To Entice Some Homebuyers
Mortgage rates fell for the fifth straight week, continuing their track of the largest decline since 2008. This also comes on the heels of the Federal Reserve hiking its federal funds rate Wednesday for the seventh time this year in... -
Mortgage Rates Are Falling Fast But Homebuyers Aren’t Biting
Mortgage rates have dipped for a fourth straight week, notching their biggest extended decline in 14 years. Despite the tumbling rates, demand for loans remains weak, with homebuyers looking for more incentives to jump back into the market. The average... -
Mortgage Rates Dip Further As Fed Signals Moderate Rate Hikes
Mortgage rates fell for the third consecutive week ending December 1, but they weren’t enough to encourage home shoppers to re-enter the market—mortgage applications and pending home sales remain at anemic levels. The average 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage slipped to 6.49%... -
Mortgage Rates Plunge As Inflation Shows Signs Of Cooling
Mortgage rates have taken a nosedive this week following a better-than-expected monthly inflation reading. Nonetheless, elevated home prices, depressed buyer demand and low builder confidence indicate the housing market has a ways to go before it finds balance. The average... -
Mortgage Rates Hit Another Record High As Loan Applications Slide
Mortgage rates have shot back over 7% to the identical record-high mark set in late October, keeping borrowers on the sidelines amid ongoing market fluctuations and recession fears. The average 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage rose to 7.08% for the week ending... -
Mortgage Amortization Calculator
If you repay a mortgage according to an amortization schedule, it means you’ll make payments in monthly installments over the life of the loan. These payments are applied to your loan principal as well as interest—usually more of your payments... -
Mortgage Rates Dip Below 7% In The Wake Of Declining Buyer Demand
Mortgage rates slipped below 7% this week, but it wasn’t enough to boost housing activity as mortgage applications continued to decline amid the Federal Reserve hiking its benchmark interest rate for the sixth time this year. The average 30-year, fixed-rate... -
Mortgage Rates Exceed 7% For The First Time In 20 Years
Mortgage rates catapulted past 7% this week—the highest in more than 20 years—amidst recession fears, stubborn inflation and another expected Federal Reserve rate hike next week. All of these factors have further crippled the buying power of home shoppers. The... -
Mortgage Rates Flirt With 7% As Loan Applications Slump
Mortgage rates moved closer to 7% this week amidst a perfect storm of recession fears, stubborn inflation and the hint of more Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, further dampening housing market outlooks for at least the near future. The average... -
FHA Loan Calculator
If you’re a first-time homebuyer who hasn't saved enough to make a large down payment or are concerned you might not qualify for a conventional home loan, a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan could be ideal. Loans that are insured... -
The Housing Market Amid Recession Fears: Should You Buy Now Or Wait?
Today’s high inflation has triggered aggressive moves from the Federal Reserve, which has many economists worried that we’re headed toward a recession. These concerns also come at a time when home prices are steep and mortgage rates are rising, causing...
About
With over two years of experience writing in the housing market space, Robin Rothstein demystifies mortgage and loan concepts, helping first-time homebuyers and homeowners make informed decisions as they navigate the home loan marketplace. Her work has been published or syndicated on Forbes Advisor, SoFi, MSN and Nasdaq, among other media outlets.