When people think of mortgages, they often imagine pushy lenders and high interest rates. When you know a lot about the process of getting a mortgage, you’ll find that these negative thoughts leave your mind completely. To learn all you can, read the content below which has been written by experts to provide you with the best advice available.
Talk to your family and friends about where they got their home mortgages. Sometimes the best recommendations are from those immediately around you. They’ll have lots of information on their own experiences with their banks, so you can feel more secure about where you should shop. Really it can save you many hours of time!
Even if you are underwater with your mortgage, the new HARP regulations can help you get a new loan. While you may have been turned down before, now you have a second chance. How can it benefit you through lower payments and an increased credit score?
Organize your financial life before going after a home mortgage. If your paperwork is all over the place and confusing, then you’ll just make the entire mortgage process that much longer. Do yourself and your lender a favor and put your financial papers in order prior to making any appointments.
Get a copy of your credit score before you apply for a mortgage. It is best to know where you stand before you complete an application for a mortgage. You should check your credit even if you are sure you have a good score since identity theft or mistakes can occur.
Keep your job. Lenders look into many aspects of your financial situation and one very important aspect is your employment income. Stability is very important to lenders. Avoid moving jobs or relocating for as long as possible before you apply for a home mortgage. This will show them that you are stable.
If your appraisal isn’t enough, try again. If the one your lender receives is not enough to back your mortgage loan, and you think they’re mistaken, you can try another lender. You cannot order another appraisal or pick the appraiser the lender uses, however, you may dispute the first one or go to a different lender. While the appraisal value of the home shouldn’t vary drastically too much between different appraisers, it can. If you think the first appraiser is incorrect, try another lender with, hopefully, a better appraiser.
Never sign anything without talking to a lawyer first. The law does not fully protect you from the shrewd practices that many banks are willing to participate in. Having a lawyer on your side could save you thousands of dollars, and possibly your financial future. Be sure to get the right advice before proceeding.
If you can afford the higher payments, go for a 15-year mortgage instead of a 30-year mortgage. In the first few years of a 30-year loan, your payment is mainly applied to the interest payments. Very little goes toward your equity. In a 15-year loan, you build up your equity much faster.
You can request for the seller to pay for certain closing costs. For example, a seller can pay either a percentage of the closing cost or for certain services. Many times the seller is responsible for paying for a termite inspection along with a survey and appraisal of the property.
Be careful when taking out a second line of financing. Many financial institutions will allow you to borrow money on your home equity to pay off other debts. Remember you are not actually paying off those debts, but transferring them to your house. Check to make sure your new home loan is not at a higher interest rate than the original debts.
Before you apply for a mortgage, know what you can realistically afford in terms of monthly payments. Don’t assume any future rises in income; instead focus on what you can afford now. Also factor in homeowner’s insurance and any neighborhood association fees that might be applicable to your budget.
When trying to figure out how much of a mortgage payment you can afford every month, do not neglect to factor in all the other costs of owning a home. There will be homeowner’s insurance to consider, as well as neighborhood association fees. If you have previously rented, you might also be new to covering landscaping and yard care, as well as maintenance costs.
Do not even consider getting a home mortgage that is only paying the interest. This is the worst possible investment that you can make. The problem is that you are not getting any closer to actually owning your home. Instead, purchase a home that you can afford to pay principle on so that you are truly making a good investment.
Many of the tips in this article aren’t available elsewhere, so you should have some new knowledge you had never considered previously. That means you are now ready to go out and get yourself that mortgage. No more negative thoughts will enter your mind as you complete the process confidently instead.
