Posts Tagged ‘borrowers’

Moneyfacts has revealed the number of mortgage products offered by mortgage lenders for new borrowers is at its lowest value since the start of the credit crunch.

One year ago mortgage lenders offered 10,726 mortgage products to new borrowers; last Friday mortgage lenders offered only 3,281 according to the financial website Moneyfacts. In July last year when the market was buoyant mortgage lenders offered 13,027 offers to new borrowers and at much better rates currently available from mortgage lenders.

One of the mortgage lenders, Abbey has also confirmed that they won’t be passing on the Bank of England half point interest rate cut to borrowers meaning the interest rate on all Abbey’s tracker mortgages will remain the same unlike many other mortgage lenders. However if you mortgage is currently with Abbey your will automatically receive the rate cut. Other Mortgage lenders have also decided to leave their rates the same, including the now nationalised Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley.

Potential new borrowers have welcomed the half percent rate cut to 4.5%, many expecting their mortgage lenders to cut the rates however as we have seen with Abbey and many others not all mortgage lenders are passing the savings onto their customers.

Mortgage lenders Lloyds TSB and Cheltenham and Gloucester, which Lloyds TSB owns, have announced new customers, will now require 25% deposits to secure new tracker mortgages as opposed to the previous 10% asked for by these mortgage lenders.

However it isn’t all bad news; many mortgage lenders have passed the FULL rate cut onto borrowers. These include the following mortgage lenders; Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest, Lloyds TSB, Halifax, the Woolwich and First Direct. These mortgage lenders standard variable rates (SVR) will be reduced in the near future, shortly after the cut.

Very few mortgage holders have their repayments with mortgage lenders based on SVR however many find themselves paying this rate when their fixed-rate deal runs out to their mortgage lenders. Mortgage lenders transfer you onto this rate unless you sign up for a new fixed rate deal. SVR is more often than not the most expensive way to have a mortgage with mortgage lenders with repayments to mortgage lenders predicted to rise by as much as 10%.

Although the number of mortgage products offered by mortgage lenders is at their lowest, mortgage lenders are still offering competitive rates that can save you hundreds of pounds in repayments each year over current mortgage lenders. By planning ahead, first of all checking what rate your current mortgage lenders will charge you once your current rate ends and then by searching the market to see the offers available from other mortgage lenders; you can ensure you are getting the best rate for you. Using the services of a mortgage broker can save you time and most will search all mortgage lenders giving you whole market advice and allow you to make an informed decision and give you piece of mind to know you have chosen from the best mortgage lenders offers.

Congress is considering a mortgage lending bailout, but most Americans agree its the wrong approach by a 2-1 margin. The housing market is adjusting to an oversupply of housing stock and the failure of some high risk borrowers to meet their mortgage agreements. After years of steady growth in housing prices and a historic expansion of homeownership, a market correction is to be expected. Rather than aiding the situation, government intervention would distort the natural correction and prolong the uncertainty and turmoil in the housing market. Americans understand this and believe that individual homeowners and lenders will need to adjust to market realities, according to a newly released Public Opinion Strategies poll. Between October 18 and 21, 1000 likely voters were questioned over their opinions on the mortgage crisis. With a margin of error of 3.1 percent., 90 percent of those surveyed viewed sub-prime mortgages as a serious crisis, but only 31 percent of respondents believed the federal government should get involved.

With the ongoing credit crunch affecting house prices and mortgage rates, many are feeling the squeeze on their personal finances.

More borrowers are now opting for some kind of loan in order to make ends meet. But even with such measures, homeowners face uncertain times when it comes to budgeting finances.

One of the main areas that are essential to owning a property of our own is some kind of house insurance cover. And there are a few simple measures you can take in order to ensure you’re getting the right cover at the right price:

Consider the cost of insuring your property with regards to factors such as age of the property and the risk from elemental factors such as storm and flood damage. Some home insurance policies will not include flood cover in the policy, and you may be required to pay a little extra should you wish to cover against certain aspects.
Remember that you are insuring the property itself and not the land it’s built upon. When shopping for the cheapest cover, don’t include the land value of the property, lest you could find yourself paying a lot more on your premium.
Shop around for the best deals on cheap home insurance. With a wide range of providers offering a multitude of plans and coverage the choice can seem endless. Try and select providers who have positive reviews on services and a good overall reputation.
It’s always best to compare a few deals and not just rush into the first deal you come across – as financial situations and the economic climate is prone to change.
Consider purchasing several policies with the same company but for different things – such as your house insurance alongside your car insurance. Some providers may offer discounts if you purchase multiple policies from them.
Invest in some home security – such as burglar alarms, smoke detectors and dead-bolt locks – any added security features could work in your favour when it comes to finding home insurance, as some providers can offer discounts on your cover should you take such steps to improve security.
It’s always best to double check with the insurers you’re thinking of using and find out if such a discount will apply to your policy should you purchase additional security equipment.

Home insurance is an important cover to have as it protects you from a number of things including; fire, flood, explosion and storms.

The home insurance policy should also cover you for things such as; crashing cars, falling trees, lightening, vandalism, break-ins, and earthquakes and also for more bizarre events, such as; falling objects from an aircraft and rampaging horses. Something to look out for is that not all policies cover you for accidental damage so it is very important that you check you are covered for this.

According to a leading price comparison website, almost a fifth of UK homeowners succumb to pressure from their mortgage lender to take out home insurance cover with them.

A study showed that around 19 per cent of people took out home insurance cover with their mortgage provider because it appeared to be of quality and good value, however, 12 per cent of people claimed that they felt pressurised into purchasing the cover from their lender.

On top of these figures, one-third of the people questioned admitted that they had taken out the cover as it was more convenient for them.

It was pointed out by the comparison site that the cover was taken out with the same lender, so it could have been the case that it was the best deal for the customers involved. However, the site also reminded people that they should feel under no pressure from their lender as they are under no commitment to buy their cover from them.

The home insurance policy should also cover you for such things as; car crashes, earthquakes and break-ins.

A study has shown that a fifth of people feel pressurised into purchasing their home insurance from their mortgage lender.

The study also showed that 19 per cent of people took out the home insurance with their lender as they felt that it was the best deal for them.

The choice and diversity of mortgage packages being offered to borrowers has increased dramatically in recent years to cater for the modern mortgage market. Most high street lenders offer some find of flexible or offset mortgage in their product range. Below is a quick guide to some of the main types:

Flexible Mortgages

Essentially a flexible mortgage is a secured loan that can be repaid in varying amounts. The interest is calculated on the fluctuations of the outstanding balance and while a flexible mortgage has a higher interest rate, the ability to make overpayments and lump sum payments means the mortgage can be paid off earlier.

Offset Mortgages

Offset mortgages basically use the interest from your savings account against the interest charged on your mortgage. Usually your mortgage provider will combine your mortgage and savings account into a single account. Each month, the amount you owe on your mortgage is reduced by the amount you have in your account, before working out the interest due on the mortgage.

Current Account Mortgages

Current account mortgages have been around for well over 10 years in the UK and are a type of flexible mortgage. Current account mortgages work by combining your mortgage and current account into a single account, usually with the same financial institution. The balance is calculated daily and the home owner only pays interest on the balance. Any saved income you have in your current account at the end of the month is automatically deducted from the mortgage debt you owe.

Flexible Loans

A loan for building a home is known as a ‘self build mortgage,’ and there are several different types of self build mortgages currently available in the market place. Recently, home buyers who want to build a property for themselves or for investment purposes opted for flexible loans. A self build mortgage is different from a traditional mortgage. The money is released in stages and to acquire a self build mortgage, the providers will want to see plans, timescales and the end-value of the property as well as enthusiasm for the project.

Self Cert Offset Mortgage

A self cert offset mortgage combines the benefit of declaring your own income with the freedom of an offset mortgage that allows over payments, lump sum payments, under payments, and payment holidays.

Offset Tracker Mortgages

Offset tracker mortgages are relatively new in the market place. They combine the benefits of an interest rate that tracks the Bank of England’s base lending rate, with the ability to ‘offset’ the interest earned on savings and current account against the interest charged on the mortgage.

Flexible Tracker Mortgages

Flexible tracker mortgages offer the benefits of two types of mortgages rolled into one. The mortgage not only offers financial control due to different repayment options, the mortgage interest rates tracks the Bank of England Base Rate.

Cheque Book Mortgage

A cheque book mortgage main feature is that it is designed to be user friendly. All your savings, debts and mortgage are rolled into one account, with the same financial institution, for easy management of your finances, and the mortgage is flexible, which is an attractive feature for many borrowers.

Discount Offset Mortgage

A discount offset mortgage is an offset mortgage with a discount on the standard variable rate of interest for a set amount of time.

Conclusion

With such a wide array of mortgage products available it’s important you shop around and seek the advice of an independent mortgage broker. Understand the features, benefits and negative aspects of each option so that you are equipped with the knowledge to select the package that best suits your specific personal circumstances.

1% Mortgage Refinance loans, you’ve probably seen 100 different advertisements, but how is it possible? There is really only one big secret to 1% mortgages: 1% minimum payments are below the interest payable on the loan. Once we’ve addressed this feature, most of the other facets of 1% mortgages are relatively logical. 1% mortgages, which now come in dozens of varieties with start rates from below 1% (some even starting at 0% for a few months after refinance) up to 4% or more, offer astonishingly low payments. Some of them offer fixed rates for 30 or even 40 years, some of them are adjustable from the day you take them out, all of these are basically “1% mortgages” and are extremely popular amongst homeowners today. 1% mortgages and their offspring are being used for debt consolidation, cash flow management, investments, and for tax purposes, and they are being used a lot.

A full 40% of home loans originated in 2005 and 2006 are estimated to be from the 1% mortgage family, with multiple payment options. By its proponents, the success of the 1% mortgage has been hailed as a new era of affordability and flexibility, of an extremely sharp financial tool once available only to the very rich now available to every family in the country. Its opponents tend to think that the 1% mortgage is a bit too sharp for the average homeowner to handle, they fear “Average Joes” could conceivably cut themselves. Despite their division, one thing is certain, the popularity of the 1% mortgage is driven by the relentless pursuit of the American dream. There are more homeowners in the United States today than in any other period in history, and many of those who own homes have only been able to accomplish home ownership, which was once a lifelong achievement, in their early 20′s and 30′s, largely because of the extended availability of these 1% mortgages to normal borrowers.

How much less expensive is a 1% mortgage payment option versus the comparable 30 Year Fixed traditional principal and interest payment?

For a $500,000.00 Mortgage:

1% Minimum Payment: $1200.00
Normal Loan Payment: $3000.00
—————————–
Cash Flow / Savings: $1800.00

It’s easy to see why the 1% mortgage refinance is so heavily marketed as a way to cut your mortgage payment in half. In the above example, the 1% mortgage minimum payment option is 60% less than a typical, traditional principal & interest loan payment. 1% mortgage minimum payments are usually 50% lower than even the highly lauded Interest Only payment mortgages, and most loans in the 1% mortgage family include the ability to pay more than just 1% if need be.

So How Does it Work?

In fact, 1% mortgages are more than just the 1% start rate. They have a fully indexed rate as well, which is the true amount of interest due each month. When making a 1% mortgage minimum payment, the borrower is not paying all of the interest due, which is seen by some as a good thing and some as a bad thing. Let’s examine some of the commonly perceived benefits and caveats of 1% mortgages:

Commonly Perceived Benefits of the 1% Mortgage Family:

1. Extremely Low Monthly Minimum Payment: As we’ve seen in our example, the minimum payment option is less than half of the typical traditional mortgage payment.

2. Flexibility to Control Your Own Money: Unlike a traditional mortgage, which requires a payment to principal each month, 1% mortgages allow borrowers to take the power into their own hands to make principal payments when they want to, e.g after a bonus or a particularly good year.

3. Separate Cash Flow from Equity: While many personal finance pundits laud the benefits of building home equity, the reality is that investing home equity yields a 0% return on investment on a month to month basis. In the above example, paying the traditional principal and interest payment forces the borrower to invest $1800 more each month in their home, money which is locked up entirely in the equity of the home. Home Equity is illiquid, meaning all this money locked in equity cannot be accessed unless the home is sold or refinanced. The bank won’t cut a check each month for the borrower’s home equity in a traditional loan. With a 1% mortgage minimum payment, that $1800 difference in payments is money in the borrower’s pocket, to invest or spend at their discretion. By deferring interest using a 1% mortgage, the borrower has full access to money that normally would be locked up until they sold the property. That $1800 per month adds up to over $100,000.00 in cash over 5 years on a 1% mortgage, and it’s available every time your paycheck does not get used up paying a huge traditional mortgage payment each month.

4. Maximize Debt Consolidation: Using a 1% mortgage refinance to pay off all of your other creditors, such as credit card companies and high interest rate lenders, means that you can save even more money than with a 1% mortgage refinance alone. Since you aren’t throwing high interest money at your creditors each month, the cash which you save by making the 1% mortgage payment actually goes into your pocket, your savings, your investments, or wherever you need it most. That’s ultimate control. Let’s say that in our $500,000 1% mortgage example above, we rolled in $30,000 of credit card and other high interest debt that have a monthly minimum payment requirement of $1,000. By using a 1% mortgage refinance to pay off those debts, total monthly savings using the earlier example would be over $2800 per month, $1000 from the debt consolidation plus $1800 from the difference between the traditional loan payment at 6% and the 1% mortgage minimum payment.

5. Turn Equity into a Tax Deduction: First, the 1% mortgage payment is 100% interest and therefore should be 100% tax deductible in most cases. Secondly, One of the most attractive benefits of 1% mortgages is the additional tax deduction available on deferred interest. What this means is that borrowers can realize a tax deduction on interest they did not have to lay out the cash for, and choose the time at which this deduction is realized, which can be a huge savings upon liquidity or refinance. For real estate investors, this is a huge advantage as it can often wash out the capital gains consequences of selling a property. Disclaimer: We do not dispense tax advice, and you should consider consulting a CPA.

6. Easy Qualification: Normally, to qualify for low payment mortgages, borrowers are required to have exceptional credit. However, 1% mortgage refinance loans are routinely available to borrowers with credit scores as low as 620, and if they are borrowing less than 80% of the value of their home, scores can even be in the 500s provided there are no late mortgage payments reported on their credit file. The borrower’s income can be stated, and sometimes no income or employment documentation is required at all.

7. Enhanced Protection from Foreclosure: Because the minimum payment option is so low, the cash savings each month so high, and the loan is so flexible, the 1% mortgage family offers homeowners a low minimum payment option which they have a much higher likelihood of paying should they suffer an interruption of income or become disabled.

8. Biweekly Payments: A popular way to maximize the benefits of the 1% mortgage refinance is to elect to make biweekly payments (which are available on select 1% mortgages). This optimizes the loan to coincide with most borrower’s payment cycles and reduces any possible negative effects of deferring interest.

Commonly Perceived Caveats of the 1% Mortgage Family:

1. Artificially Low Payments: Because the minimum payments are so low compared to traditional mortgages, many pundits fear that people who would normally not qualify for home ownership can now own a home. The fear is that new or “low income” homeowners could “get in over their heads” by buying more house than they can truly afford. Ultimately, it is up to the borrower to decide how much they can afford.

2. Deferred Interest: Often referred to as negative amortization, this concern is commonly cited by journalists as a “negative” because the loan balance may increase over time if the minimum payment is always selected. However, this perspective does ignore the advantages of dramatically increased cash flow in the borrower’s pocket each month and the tax benefits of deferring interest. Of course, the borrower can choose for themselves whether they want to spend their money paying interest to the bank or if they would rather put the difference into their own pockets.

3. Depreciation: If the value of the borrower’s home falls dramatically, and other factors force the borrower to sell the home while the value is low, the borrower may wind up owing more than the home is worth. This is a valid risk over short periods of time for all types of mortgages, not just 1% mortgages. Even a traditional principal and interest mortgage does not pay off enough principal over the first 5 years of its life to offset a dramatic short term decline in home values. The risk of property values declining is a real risk of owning property, period. However, history tells us that residential real estate appreciates consistently over any given ten year period in the past 50 years.

4. Too Easy To Qualify: This may not seem to be a disadvantage to most borrowers looking to purchase or refinance a home, but there are those who believe that borrowers should be forced to document significantly more income and assets to qualify for these types of loans. A lot of this sentiment is an outgrowth of antiquated conceptions of 1% mortgages as a “Rich Man’s Mortgage”, which used to require significant net worth to obtain, and some of it is attributable to equally antiquated “one size fits all” notions about mortgages. Your perspective will likely depend on whether or not you are in a position to provide extensive documentation of your income and assets in support of your loan application.

Many of the criticisms of 1% mortgages revolve around the adjustable rate variety of these mortgages, which like all adjustable rate mortgages go up and down with the rest of the market. However, in most 1% mortgages, the minimum payment stays fixed and can go up or down only 7.5% per year. So if your payment in Year 1 is $1000.00 , in Year 2 it can go no higher than $1075.00. Because the rate on the loan can change more or less than the minimum payment, which is extremely low, the loan can result in the deferral of interest if only the minimum payment is made. Many of the amortization issues which are seen by critics of 1% Mortgages as their key detractor have been recently resolved by the introduction of fixed rate minimum payment loans to the 1% mortgage family.

Fixed rate 1% mortgage variations, the latest additions to the 1% mortgage family, have fixed interest rates from 3 to 30 years or more. The minimum payment option is generally available for the first 5, 10, 15 or in some cases 20 years of the mortgage, at which point the 1% mortgage payment recasts or readjusts to the interest only payment or the full principal & interest payment. During the fixed period, the loan payment and interest rates of fixed 1% mortgages are utterly predictable and can be defined down to the penny. Many borrowers who would prefer a fixed rate can benefit significantly from the 30 year fixed 1% mortgage, which actually carries a minimum payment of 1.95% and a fixed rates in the 6% to 7% range for 30 years.

While there are those in the journalism community who believe that 1% mortgages have too much power for your average homeowner, ultimately the decision is in the homeowner’s hands. Make a high payment to the bank each month, or put the money in their pockets. And homeowners seem evenly divided, as refinances into loans from the 1% mortgage category are projected to represent over 50% of all refinances in 2007. Traditional mortgages are not a one size fits all solution, and neither are 1% mortgages, but with low minimum payment options, excellent debt consolidation capabilities, significant cash flow and tax advantages made possible by deferring interest, and flexibility to control your finances or insulate yourself from interruptions in income or disability, 1% mortgages continue to post significant growth across the country. Whether or not a 1% mortgage refinance is right for you should be determined by performing a detailed analysis of your personal financial situation with a home loan professional who has extensive experience with 1% mortgage products. As always, we welcome your calls and emails.

The home buying process can be tricky at times. There are definitely some things you need to avoid during this process. I have seen all kinds of nightmares because someone did not listen to their loan officer. I will give some you exactly what not do in this articles so your loan and credit score is not affected.

Late payments

During the home buying process make absolute sure you are not late on anything. If you have a late payment on anything that reports to your credit report your credit score will be affected. In return an underwriter will see this and your loan could be dead as a result. Late payments on any obligations that reports to your credit report will drop your score between 100 to 150 points. “Don’t be late on anything.”

Don’t buy anything on Credit

While you are going through the home buying process you don’t want to take on anymore debt, this could affect your loan. That means don’t go out and put furniture on credit for your new home until you have closed and funded on the loan. Don’t put anything on credit period.

Don’t co-sign on a loan for anyone

While you are in the process of getting a loan, don’t co-sign on any note. This could cause your loan to get denied. When you co-sign on a loan, then you are equally responsible for the new obligation. This could lower your credit score, and also cause income to debt ratio problems as well.

Don’t quit your JOB

Ok, you might think this is a joke, but we have actually had borrowers quit their job thinking we would not find out. Well, guess what we will. Don’t quit your job during the home buying process; underwriters do last minute job verifications before loan documents go out to the title company for a closing.

I hope this has been advice you got prior to doing any of the above. You could definitely have some major problems. Maybe you have not even started the loan process, and this will be good advice for you. What ever your situation is, make sure you are on top of your credit report and scores. Your credit scores could be affected by any of the topics discussed in the article.Remember your credit is your life.If you dont manage it properly, you will have major problems during todays times.

Choosing a residential mortgage in today’s market can seem like a daunting task. The borrower can be faced with a myriad of choices. Each lending institution presents their respective claims to the enquiring borrower in an attempt to entice them to use their residential mortgage product. Each one assures the borrower that their product is the best residential mortgage that they can get.

This is not always the case. Terms for residential mortgages can vary widely between lending institutions, even for those with bad or less than perfect credit. There is also often latitude in interest rates for residential mortgages, depending again upon the lending institution and what terms the borrower is looking for.

Here are some of the considerations for borrowers looking for a residential mortgage: A loan for no more than 80% of the appraised value or purchase price of the property (whichever is less) is a conventional residential mortgage. The remaining 20% required for a purchase is referred to as the down payment and comes from your own resources. If you have to borrow more than 80% of the money you need, you’ll be applying for what is called a high-ratio residential mortgage. If you are self-employed or don’t have verifiable income, most traditional lending institutions won’t go over 75% on a conventional residential mortgage.

If high ratio, the residential mortgage must then be insured by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Genworth Financial Canada (Genworth), or AIG. The fee that the insurer will charge for this insurance will depend on the amount you are borrowing and the percentage of your own down payment. Whethor or not you are self-employed and have verifiable income or if you have a bad credit history will also determine the amount the insurer will charge. Typical fees range from 1.00% to 7% of the principal amount of your residential mortgage.

With a fixed-rate residential mortgage, your interest rate will not change throughout the entire term of your mortgage. The benefit of this is that you’ll always know exactly how much your payments will be and how much of your mortgage will be paid off at the end of your term. With a variable-rate residential mortgage, your rate will be set in relation to the prime rate at the beginning of each month. The interest rate may vary from month to month (although your payment remains the same). Historically, variable-rate residential mortgages have tended to cost less than fixed-rate residential mortgages when interest rates are fairly stable. You can potentially pay off your residential mortgage faster with a variable rate residential mortgage.

The term of a residential mortgage is the length of the current mortgage agreement. A residential mortgage typically has a term of six months to 10 years. Usually, the shorter the term, the lower the interest rate. Two years or less equals a short-term mortgage. Three years or more is usually a long term mortgage. Short-term mortgages are appropriate for buyers who believe interest rates will drop at renewal time. Long-term mortgages are suitable when current rates are reasonable and borrowers want the security of budgeting for the future. The key to choosing between short and long terms is to feel comfortable with your mortgage payments.

After a term expires, the balance of the principal owing on the mortgage can be repaid, or a new mortgage agreement can be established at the then-current interest rates. Open mortgages can be paid off at any time without penalty and are usually negotiated for a very short term. Homeowners who are planning to sell in the near future or those who want the flexibility to make large, lump-sum payments before maturity will find this type of residential mortgage helpful. Closed mortgages are commitments for specific terms. If you pay off the mortgage balance before the maturity date, you will pay a penalty for breaking the term. The good news is, refinancing a residential mortgage for a lower rate or more attractive terms can often offset any penalty incurred by breaking the term.

Residential mortgages are available through banks, mortgage companies and private lenders. Mortgage rates vary widely. Traditional banks offer some very low rates. However, due to their restrictive lending criteria, they are prevented from providing residential mortgages in many instances. Previous bankruptcy, bruised credit (bad or less than perfect credit), or even owning multiple properties can make it difficult or even impossible to obtain residential mortgages through traditional banks.

Hard money residential mortgages are available through private lenders. Unlike traditional banks, private lenders have more flexible lending criteria. Also known as hard money lenders, private residential mortgage companies focus more on a clear method of repayment and the current value of a property rather than looking exclusively on your personal financial package, which may indicate bad credit.

Private lenders are often able to fund a residential mortgage if there is a clear picture of how the loan will be paid back. When determining whether to fund a residential mortgage, private lenders will often look at the ratio of income to expenses. Unless a borrower has repeated defaults and bankruptcies, private lenders are not as concerned if the borrower has bad or less than perfect credit.

When applying for a residential mortgage, be prepared to provide your residential mortgage company, be it a bank or a hard money private residential mortgage lender, with the following:

- A completed standard residential mortgage loan application, which includes a personal balance sheet
- A description of the use of proceeds of the residential mortgage you are seeking (strictly refinance, debt consolidation, home improvements, etc.)
- A description of the property
- The current value/purchase price of the property
- An estimate of the property’s value after improvements, if any
- For a hard money loan, provide an exit strategy for the residential mortgage
- Will you refinance this mortgage with a traditional bank after making improvements or alterations to the existing property or some other scenario?

Owners considering a residential mortgage refinance will find many unique loan programs. Specialists of commercial and residential mortgage refinancing offer some of the best loan options available, most of which your local bank simply does not have. Refinancing your residential mortgage is not an act exclusively reserved for the time your residential mortgage matures. There are some great reasons for refinancing your residential mortgage prior to this. If you have selected a private hard money lender who is a good match for your loan scenario, you will be able to speak directly with the decision makers, avoiding the ‘run around’ that so many hard money borrowers fall prey to. You are told that your loan is going through, only to hear the next day that the lender has elected not to take on your hard money loan and now your loan is on another desk in yet another private lender’s office – or worse, on the desk of another broker who may know a broker who knows a lender who may want to fund your loan. Sometimes, the choice of direct lender is based more on the commission the broker will get than on your best interests.

By working with a private hard money lender, you can avoid the ‘run-around’ and may be able to close more rapidly. After all, no one knows your situation like you do, no one can explain any extenuating circumstances better than you can, and no one is as committed to your hard money loan as you are.

The advantage of working with a mortgage broker is also clear: a seasoned, well-informed, honest mortgage broker will have the knowledge of and direct access to the private hard money lenders in Ontario, Canada, and the United States. A mortgage broker will know where your loan has the best fit. A good mortgage broker will help you ‘package’ your loan to your best advantage, helping you determine how much to expect based on the equity in your property, how soon you need to close the deal, and more. A good mortgage broker will be able to assist you through the lengthy application process and submit your loan request to the best privatelenders for your situation. More often than not, working with a mortgage broker will save time. By representing you and presenting your loan request to the best private lenders, it often makes the transaction run more smoothly and take less time than if you were to take on this task yourself. This often saves you time and trouble in the long run and be well worth the cost of using a mortgage broker.

When you have plans of purchasing a property, you will surely look in property listings and other sources that you can think of.  Searching for prospects is easier if you know exactly what you want in your house.  But the saga will not end there, before making your final decision there are some costs that must be considered.  True enough, becoming a home buyer will need vigilance and discernment on every move you make as well as every penny you shell out on the deal.

These home buying expenses cover the following things like insurance, closing and property taxes.  Such taxes must be on top of the priority if you want to end up with a good one.  You can not avoid the fact that they are already part of every real estate deal and thus never attempt to get away from them.  When you apply for a home mortgage, items such as property tax, insurance charges and other costs are already settled.

These taxes must be paid off during the first quarter of the home purchase procedure.  Actually there are sellers who should these taxes from the start of the procedure.  However, when you finally reach the closing, the buyer is reliable for paying all of them.  All home buyers are required to pay these taxes as mandated by law.

In some cases, the lender will persuade you to open an account that will hold the two months deposit before you end the deal.  True enough that the Escrow account is used to settle the property taxes and hazard insurance.  If you are trying to understand the importance of this Escrow account, simply think of this way, it is just like asking why you can not settle your own property taxes.

On the other hand, people who opened for an Escrow account and applied for mortgage are said to default on loan dues.  Tax defaults are impossible to occur when the year ends for borrowers who do not have enough resources to settle their yearly tax dues.  Payments done every month are deposited into the Escrow account to secure that you are paying your taxes on time.

The Escrow account is a savings kind of account for particular reasons like paying your homeowners insurance premiums and real property taxes.  But you must have enough resources to be deposited to the account to give assurance that you are a responsible payer.  When the time comes that you will apply for a loan while looking for a possible property, lending companies or banks can pay the taxes on your behalf if you have an Escrow account.

Opening an Escrow account to pay the property taxes is advantageous on your side as a home buyer.  However, like majority of home buyers, it will still depend on their choice if they want to settle their taxes on their own or end up in money market account.

Alternatively, if you want to be secured that you will not be able to fail on paying your taxes, it is ideal to open an Escrow account!  The loan officer will definitely like this since he will have less worries on dealing with overdue accounts.

There are many great reasons for borrowers to purchase a new home with a VA loan. This type of financing makes the home-buying process simpler by providing multiple benefits to the borrower, including relaxed eligibility requirements. These loans are specifically for veterans and men and women currently serving in the military.

This Type of Financing Helps Homeowners Save Money

Unlike other types of home loans that can require large down payments, this type of financing does not require the borrower to make any down payment on the home that he or she is buying. The absence of this typical requirement automatically saves the borrower money that can then be used for other expenses associated with buying a new home.

Usually, home loans require that the borrower pay mortgage insurance on the loan to cover costs in the case of default, but this type of financing does not require the borrower to pay any mortgage insurance. The VA guarantees repayment of these loans, so the lender is still protected in the event of a default. The absence of mortgage insurance also saves borrowers a great deal of money that they can use toward all of their other expenses.

These loans tend to have lower interest rates than many other types of home loans. With a lower interest rate, homeowners can obtain a lower monthly mortgage payments. Homeowners can save thousands of dollars and have more money available each month that they can put toward their other bills.

VA Loans Have Lenient Qualifications

The VA does not require borrowers to have certain credit scores or large incomes in order to qualify for this type of financing, but borrowers must have gone at least twelve months without having any delinquent payments in their credit histories. Many lenders will require that a borrower have a credit score of at least 620 to qualify. Borrowers also have to meet maximum debt to income ratio and minimum residual income requirements, (which vary based on family size and location) to show that they will be able to make their monthly payments.

Because these loans are solely for veterans and current members of the military, borrowers must also meet service length requirements, which vary based on year of enlistment and certain other factors. Veterans must have been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable to be eligible for this loan. In certain cases, spouses of veterans may also qualify for this type of financing.

Buy Your New Home with a VA Loan!

These loans can save homeowners thousands of dollars, which is great news for first-time home buyers who are just starting out or for veterans returning home who want to simply get back to everyday life. First-time home buyers can also take advantage of the first-time homebuyer’s tax credit along with their VA loans and receive up to $8000 in tax credits! This incentive will be over at the end of April, so first-time home buyers should act now to save even more money with their new homes!

When homeowners choose to refinance their existing first mortgage loan, they must decide when to lock in their interest rate. Submitting your loan application does not necessarily lock in your rate. With mortgage interest rates low in 2009 and many borrowers refinancing locking or floating is again an important issue to understand when applying for a loan.

In the same way people try to time the stock market – deciding when to buy and sell stock in companies – many borrowers try to time when they lock in their rate when refinancing. Based on the history of mortgage interest rates, this strategy usually backfires.

Many borrowers literally wait for months or years for lower mortgage rates because they only want to refinance if they can get the absolute lowest rate. Usually, they miss out on savings while they wait. For example, if borrowers can save $200 per month by decreasing their rate from 6.5% to 5.25%, they should focus on the savings they can get, not on the small amount they might be missing because rates are not at 5.125%. Our advice is that if a refinance makes sense with current rates, the borrower should consider one right away.

You can always refinance again only 6 months after you close on your refinance if rates drop and you want to do it again.

The scenario that gets played out over and over goes as follows: Interest rates drop and then everyone rushes to apply to refinance. Some borrowers see good rates, apply and lock in. Those borrowers are very happy two months later when they are making lower payments on their loan. Other borrowers apply but hold off on locking in a mortgage rate. More often than not, interest rates spike back up sharply and they wait around hoping for lower rates.

If you look at a history of mortgage rates since 1980, you will find the same pattern: mortgage rates tend to decrease very slowly, lulling borrowers into the feeling that rates will stay low for long periods. But when rates increase, they tend to spike up extremely quickly – often in hours. By the time you find out that interest rates are increasing, it is already too late to lock your rate at the lower rates from yesterday.

Consumer Checklist for Mortgage Rate Lock-Ins

Get all rate locks in writing or by e-mail. Make sure the rate lock shows the loan program, the interest rate and the total points if any on the loan. For adjustable rate loans, make sure all index, margin and cap information is included.
Anything that is too good to be true is! If one lender seems much lower than all the others, approach with caution and get it in writing.
If lock-in fees are required, get written confirmation of how those fees will be refunded or credited at closing.