A mortgage application is typically several pages in length, and it requires you to provide a considerable amount of information about your personal, professional and financial life. Some mortgage applicants may not have access to all of the information when completing the application, and others may simply skim over the form and provide incomplete answers. These are only a few of the reasons why information on the mortgage application may not be accurate, but there are several key reasons why applicants should avoid giving inaccurate information. Loan Approval is Based on It The initial loan … [Read more...]
Understanding The Difference Between A Co-Borrower And A Co-Signer: What Do They Mean?
There is a lot of jargon that comes with purchasing a home. Even though this could be confusing, purchasing a home is also a significant decision. Therefore, it is critical for everyone to understand exactly what they are signing before they scribble their name on the dotted line. In some cases, a co-borrower or a co-signer (also called a non-occupying co-borrower) could be needed to strengthen the application. What is the difference between these two terms? What Is A Co-Borrower? First, a co-borrower is simply a co-owner. Both names are on the title of the home. The co-borrower also … [Read more...]
3 Easy Ways to Put Aside a Bit of Extra Cash So You Can Pay off Your Mortgage Faster
If your personal budget is similar to many other people's budgets, your home mortgage payment is by far the largest expense that you pay for each month. In fact, this payment may easily account for 20 or 25 percent or more of your take-home income. Understandably, you may be focused on trying to pay this expense off early. By focusing on this payment, you can build equity and may be able to achieve financial security more quickly. You simply have to find a way to put aside a bit of extra cash regularly so that you can make extra payments, and there are few easy ways that you can consider. Use … [Read more...]
Buying a Home? 4 Steps You Can Take to Ensure You Start out with a Low Monthly Mortgage Payment
Are you thinking about buying a new house or condo? If so, you've likely given some thought to your mortgage and as to how you can pay as little as possible in order to own your new home. Below we'll share four easy steps that you can take to ensure you start out with an affordable monthly mortgage payment. Make A Large Down Payment On Your Home The easiest way to reduce your monthly payment is to invest as much as possible in your down payment. The less you have to borrow, the less you'll be required to pay back. If you can put a sizeable amount down on your home you'll find that your monthly … [Read more...]
You Ask, We Answer: What is Private Mortgage Insurance or ‘PMI’ and How Does It Work?
For many homeowners, their mortgage payment contains more than just principal and interest. A little something called PMI could be representing a significant portion of that payment, and it's important for home buyers to understand this cost. What Is PMI? PMI stands for private mortgage insurance, or sometimes just mortgage insurance. However, it isn't intended to mitigate risk for the homeowner, but rather the bank. Statistics show that when a home buyer puts less than 20% down on a home, he/she is much more likely to default. So, requiring these buyers to carry PMI helps the bank hedge their … [Read more...]