Birmingham home buying & money resources
Short, plain-English starting points for Birmingham, MI and Oakland County residents and business owners. Each topic links to a free comparison tool and, where we have one, to our own list of local Birmingham businesses.
The comparison sites below are affiliated with the publisher of this guide. Our local best-of lists are ranked from data only and are not affected by these links.
Buying a home
Before you tour homes in Birmingham and the rest of Oakland County, it helps to know which loan types you may qualify for and roughly what a monthly payment could look like. Comparing a few lenders' terms side by side is the simplest way to avoid surprises at closing.
Compare purchase mortgage options on PurchaseMortgageLoan.com
Refinancing
If you already own in Birmingham, a refinance can change your rate, your term or let you take cash out. The useful numbers are your new payment, total closing costs and how many months it takes to break even.
Estimate your refinance savings on RefiCalculator.com
Home and auto insurance
Insurance prices for the same home or car can differ a lot between companies. Getting a few quotes with the same coverage limits makes the comparison fair, whether you work with a Birmingham agent or shop online.
Compare insurance rates on InsuranceRateCompare.com
Medicare and senior coverage
Medicare choices come down to Original Medicare with a supplement or a Medicare Advantage plan, plus drug coverage. Plans available to Birmingham and the rest of Oakland County residents vary by ZIP code, so compare what is offered where you live.
Compare Medicare and senior plans on SeniorPlansCompared.com
Tax debt
If you owe the IRS, options can include payment plans, penalty relief or, in some cases, settling for less. Knowing your balance and which option fits is a good first step before calling a Birmingham tax professional.
See your tax relief options on TaxSettlementCalculator.com
Debt relief
Consolidation loans, credit counseling and debt settlement work very differently and affect your credit in different ways. Comparing them side by side helps you pick the one that matches your balance and budget.
Compare debt relief options on DebtReliefCalculators.com
Small-business funding and payments
For Birmingham business owners, the two money questions that come up most are working capital and card processing fees. Comparing funding offers and processing rates can free up cash without changing how you run the business.
Compare business funding offers on BusinessFundingQuote.com · compare card processing rates on American Card Processing
Local Birmingham lists
New to town? See Moving to Birmingham.
