Tag Archives: mortgage qualifications

Risk Rate Relationship

10 Tuesday Oct 2017

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Regardless of what a lender quotes on mortgage rates, the actual rate a borrower pays is based on a number of variables. Lenders determine whether to loan money and at what rate based on the risk involved with the transaction.

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Factors that increase the risk that the loan will be repaid will proportionately increase the interest rate charged to the borrower. If the risk becomes too high, the loan will not be approved.

  • Loan amounts – conventional mortgages above conforming limits as set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are considered jumbo loans and generally have a higher interest rate.
  • FICO score – the lowest interest rate is reserved for the highest score; the lower the score, the higher the rate the borrower will pay.
  • Occupancy – borrowers occupying a home as their principal residence are considered a better loan risk than second homes and investment properties.
  • Loan purpose – purchase transactions generally have the lowest interest rate with refinancing for better rates and terms being priced slightly higher. An even higher rate might be charged for refinancing and taking cash out of the property.
  • Debt-to-Income Ratio – a borrower’s monthly liabilities divided by their gross monthly income develops a ratio that helps lenders to assess the borrower’s ability to repay the mortgage.
  • Property Type – some types of property are considered higher risk than others which could adversely affect the rate.
  • Loan-to-value – the lower the percentage of the loan to the appraised value of the property will generally lower the interest rate.

Any combination of these factors could limit a borrower’s ability to secure a mortgage at the rate initially quoted. Pre-approval by a trusted mortgage professional can be the best way to know what rate you can expect to pay. Please call for a recommendation of a trusted mortgage professional.

It Isn’t Final Until It’s Funded

28 Monday Nov 2016

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Mortgage approval isn’t final until it’s funded.  Things can change prior to the loan being closed that can affect a pre-approval such as changes in the borrowers’ financial situation or possibly, factors beyond their control like interest rate changes.40783733-250.jpg

Good advice to buyers is to do nothing that can affect your credit report until the loan closes. Opening new credit cards, taking on new debt for a car or furniture or changing jobs could affect the lender’s decision if they believe you may no longer be able to repay the loan.

The benefits of buyer’s pre-approval are definitive: it saves time, money and removes the uncertainty of knowing whether the buyer is qualified. The direct benefits include:

  • Amount the buyer can borrow – decreases as interest rates rise
  • Looking at “Right” homes – price, size, amenities, location
  • Find the best loan – rate, term, type
  • Uncover credit issues early – time to cure possible problems
  • Bargaining power – price, terms, & timing
  • Close quicker – verifications have been made

It is a very common practice for mortgage lenders to require income and bank verifications and to re-run the borrowers’ credit one final time just prior to closing. Mortgage approval isn’t final until it’s funded.

7 Out of 50 Could Save Money

16 Monday May 2016

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It is estimated that seven million out of 50 million homeowners could save money by refinancing their existing mortgages. Obviously, if the replacement mortgage has a lower rate than your existing one, you will save money.

If you bought a home before 2011 and are paying mortgage insurance, you should investigate refinancing to eliminate that requirement. Even if you don’t get a lower interest rate, the savings could amount to hundreds of dollars a month.

If a home you purchased since 2011 has appreciated enough, it could easily justify refinancing to eliminate the required mortgage insurance. Most loans don’t require mortgage insurance if the loan-to-value is 80% or less. There are some programs for 90% mortgages that don’t require mortgage insurance. It is certainly worth investigating with a trusted mortgage professional.

Continuing to pay mortgage insurance that could be eliminated is like having a broken cell phone and continuing to make the monthly payments for something you can’t use and don’t need.

If your current mortgage is several years old, instead of getting a new 30 year mortgage, you might consider a 15-year term. The money you save with a lower interest rate could help you to retire your loan in a shorter time so that your home would be paid for.

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So, you want to buy a Home? “You’d Better Shop Around”

27 Friday Mar 2015

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Home Loan Center

When thinking of purchasing a home the first thing to consider is how much can I afford? Getting pre-approved is key in becoming a strong buyer, and one that the seller will take seriously when the time is right to make an offer. Having your pre-approval takes the stress off of wondering if the home you are looking at, and falling in love with, is within your means.  It also places your Realtor in a better position of knowing how to serve your needs and that of your family.  Put the joy into house shopping by taking the stress out first with a solid pre-approval.  Shop around and get acquainted with different lenders and loan programs that you may qualify for. Again, your Realtor is in the know on how to guide you in the right direction.  Make sure that you tap into the wealth of knowledge that your Realtor can offer.  After all, you do not shop for mortgages everyday, but your Realtor is always in touch with the best local providers.  Below is a consumer tool kit that can assist home buyers become educated on what is needed in purchasing a home.

http://www.consumerfinance.gov/owning-a-home/check-rates                                     

 

 

 

 

Reducing Interest Expense

07 Wednesday Jan 2015

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0% financing has induced car buyers into taking the plunge because it doesn’t cost anything to use someone else’s money.  While mortgage rates are not at zero, they’re close enough that many buyers are applying similar logic.

Qualified mortgage interest is deductible on taxpayers’ returns subject to the maximum acquisition debt of one million dollars.  For the fortunate homeowners who have paid off their mortgage, their acquisition debt was reduced to zero and only the interest on a maximum home equity debt of $100,000 is deductible.

If you have to pay interest, deductible interest is preferable because it reduces your actual cost.

Consider the following example of a taxpayer with a $500,000 debt-free home.  If they did an 80% cash-out refinance of $400,000, $100,000 would be considered home equity debt and the interest on that would be deductible on their income tax.  The other $300,000 of debt is considered personal debt and the interest is not deductible.

However, because the rates are currently so low, the loss of deductibility of the interest doesn’t have as much impact as if the rates were higher.  The key is to have a good purpose for the money that would offset the actual cost of the interest.

Paying off a higher rate debt such as credit cards, student loans, possibly, business debt could all have significantly higher interest rates.  Refinancing a home and eliminating debts like these could be a big savings.

All lenders are not the same.  Call for a recommendation of a trusted mortgage professional.

Qualifying for a Mortgage

29 Thursday May 2014

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The 4 Cs of Qualifying for a Mortgage

Homeownership | May 7, 2014

Qualifying Mortgage

Thinking about buying a home but not sure whether you qualify for a mortgage? Consider the following facts.

What Do Lenders Look For?

Freddie Mac buys mortgages that meet our requirements from lenders – we don’t make the loans. The lenders decide the standards they ultimately apply in making loans.

When deciding whether to make a loan, lenders evaluate the four Cs:

  • Capacity to pay back the loan. Lenders look at your income, employment history, savings, and monthly debt payments, such as credit card charges and other financial obligations, to make sure that you have the means to take on a mortgage comfortably.
  • Capital. Lenders consider your readily available money and savings plus investments, properties, and other assets that you could sell fairly quickly for cash. Having these reserves proves that you can manage your money and have funds, in addition to your income, to pay the mortgage.
  • Collateral. Lenders take into account the value of the property and other possessions that you’re pledging as security against the loan.
  • Credit. Lenders check your credit score and history to assess your record of paying bills and other debts on time. (Even if you don’t plan to buy a home now, it’s always a good idea to build and maintain strong credit. Landlords often check it to make sure that you can pay the rent. It’s also important if you want to apply for a mortgage or other credit line in the future, such as a student loan, car loan, or credit card.)

Want to Know More?

Visit About Homeownership for information, resources, and tools to help you gauge your options and understand what’s involved in looking for, buying, and maintaining your own home.

Learn the truth about some homeownership myths that also might be keeping you out of the market.

 

http://www.freddiemac.com/blog/homeownership/20140507_4Cs_qualifying_mortgage.html