Securing the best conventional mortgage rate possible can pose a challenge for even veteran property buyers. Your mortgage rate will be determined by a variety of factors that pertain to your unique financial portfolio as well as economic forces. While no one has full control over all of the things that influence the process, understanding the manageable aspects can improve your negotiation position when securing a conventional mortgage. Consider these four things that impact how conventional mortgage rates are determined. 1: Credit Is King A borrower's credit score has a tremendous impact on … [Read more...]
Seller-Paid Closing Costs In A Seller’s Market? Yes, It’s Still Possible
For first-time home buyers, closing costs are a major hurdle for home ownership. Coming up with a down payment and several thousand dollars for closing costs can be hard without home equity to tap. To help, buyers often ask sellers to cover all or some of these costs. In markets favoring buyers, this is a common habit, but when the market switches to favoring sellers it becomes harder. Sellers who know they may get multiple offers are less likely to say "yes" to this request. Yet even when the market favors sellers, buyers can still ask for this help. It all depends on how the offer is … [Read more...]
Top Tips To Get Mortgage Pre-Approval Fast
When buying a house in a market that favors sellers, buyers must be able to move quickly. Mortgage pre-approval is critical to this. Here are some tips buyers can use to get approved fast. 1. Estimate Purchase Costs Buyers need to know what their target purchase price is. This could speed up the pre-approval process according to Realtor.com. If buyers have been saving for a down payment, they should also tell the lender the amount they plan to put down on the home. Again, this helps speed up the pre-approval process and ensures greater accuracy. 2. Check The Credit Lenders will check a buyer's … [Read more...]
What You Need To Know About Short Sales
On the surface, a short sale seems like the perfect deal. However, before you take the plunge, you need to understand how this type of home purchase works. What Is a Short Sale? A short sale is a home sale in which the homeowner is selling the home for less than he or she currently owes on the mortgage. In most cases, this means that the buyer is paying less for the home than it's worth, which leads to instant equity. Short sales allow homeowners to get out from under mortgages without damaging their credit as much as a foreclosure. Lenders often agree to short sales because the foreclosure … [Read more...]
What You Need To Know About Your Home Appraisal And Your Mortgage
When buying a home, there are certain steps a buyer should go through before the home sale is official. First the buyer makes the offer, then the offer is accepted. Next the buyer schedules the inspection and home appraisal. Finally, everyone is ready for closing. It’s easy to overlook the impact of some of these steps, but when it comes to a mortgage, the home appraisal is actually quite important. Banks want to see that they are lending money for an investment that is worthwhile, so that appraisal is a crucial step to getting financing. Here is what buyers need to know about how the … [Read more...]
