Archive for the ‘Mortgage Refinance’ Category
Is Your Mortgage Broker a Loser?
June 13th, 2008
Refinancing your mortgage loan with the wrong broker will cost you thousands of dollars and in today’s economy could even result in the loss of your home.
Remember that mortgage brokers are salespeople and come in multiple shapes in sizes with their own personalities. How can you tell if your mortgage broker is a dud? Here are several tips to help you find the right person to refinance your home mortgage.
Beware Endless Chatter
Like any other salesperson the mortgage broker that talks but never listens to you is the wrong person for the job. Dishonest mortgage brokers use never ending banter to distract you from something they may be hiding in your loan contract. Trust your instincts…if your mortgage broker comes across as a sleazy sales type that talks your ear of endlessly without letting you get a word in you should probably find another broker.
Sloppy With Paperwork & Deadlines
Being punctual is essential when it comes to your mortgage loan. If your mortgage broker is sloppy with paperwork it could cost you money. If your mortgage broker tells they will call you at a certain time and does not keep their appointments consider this a bad sign and move on to another mortgage broker.
Inexperience Costs You
When shopping for a mortgage broker it’s always a good idea only to work with those who have ten years of experience or more. If your broker has to consult the underwriter or someone else in the office before responding to your questions consider it a lack of experience and move on. Don’t worry about hurting anyone’s feelings…you’re not looking to make friends, you want a better mortgage right?
Good Mortgage Brokers Aren’t Hard to Find
The ideal mortgage broker is one that has a minimum of ten years experience, is self employed, and does not employ a sales staff. Finding a mortgage broker that fits this profile working from home is even better. Why? Mortgage brokers with fancy offices and sales staffs have to pay for their plush offices and the salaries of their sales staff.
This means they are going to be much less likely to negotiate fees and things like Yield Spread Premium on your loan. Remember, you’re paying for that fancy office and the hummer parked outside. You can learn more about refinancing your mortgage without paying too much today by registering for our free video tutorial.
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Home Equity Loans 101
June 7th, 2008
Home equity loans are becoming a popular means of borrowing against the value of your home. There are actually two types of equity loans available called the “open end” and the “closed end” loans. An equity loan is one in which you take the equity in your home and use it for collateral so you can receive a loan.
Before you can qualify for a home equity loan you will most likely be required to have very good or excellent credit. If you meet these qualifications, this is how a home equity loan works.
When you apply for the loan there is a process that you must follow. You will start by filling out an application form. The loan representative will ask you to verify the information on your application and they will ask for any additional information that is needed. At this time they will also provide you with vital information such as the terms of the loan and the interest rates.
The details that you provided to the loan representative will be confirmed and then you will need to download an authorization form that will start the loan approval process. You will need to sign the application and fax it back.
The documents that you will need to provide to receive a home equity loan are listed below:
• W-2 Forms
• Proof of Income
• Proof of Homeowners Insurance
• Financial Analysis Worksheet
• Mortgage Statements
• Appraisal Forms for the Equity
• Bank Statements
Have this information ready when you first apply for the loan and it will save you a lot of time. Once all the information has been submitted it will be processed and then you will be asked to schedule a document signing. Make sure you understand everything in the documents before you sign so you don’t end up with any surprises later. The documents will be verified and validated and then sent on to the funding department. At this point the check will be issued and the loan is complete.
A home equity loan is a great way to receive the extra money you need to pay for any unexpected expenses that come along. It can be used for remodeling your home, medical bills, school expenses and so forth.
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Mortgage Refinance Options for Less Than Perfect Credit
May 23rd, 2008
Don’t let bad credit stop you from refinancing your home loan. There are many options available making it possible for you to refinance and even get cash back.. Even if you have a history of foreclosure and bankruptcy on your , you still have options.
You do need to realize that with bad credit you will not get the same types of loans or mortgage rates as someone with perfect credit would, but it is still possible for you to receive a fair deal. The very first thing that you will need to do is to get copies of your s. Your derived from these reports will be a big factor in determining the loan and the mortgage rates that you can receive.
Normally, the lower your is, the higher your mortgage rate, closing cost and origination fees can be. Since this is such a big part of determining what your interest rate and the type of loan will be, you want your score to be as high as possible. There are steps you can follow that will allow you to improve your fairly quickly. You will not be able to make a lot of improvements in a short amount of time; however, every little bit will help.
Review your income and debts to see how much income you would actually have left to pay on a home loan. This is an important step and it is imperative that you do not leave out anything that you pay on. You should even consider the amount of money you spend on gas, food and other necessities to have an accurate figure. This will give you an idea of how the lenders will review your loan application. If your income is not high enough to actually pay back a loan, then you could be denied. On the other hand, if you have adequate amount of income you have a very good chance of getting a home loan.
Keep in mind that the less you borrow when refinancing the lower your monthly payments will be and it can also reduce the rates you will be charged. You’ll need to factor this into your decision to take cash back at closing. Even though you can expect to pay a little more for your home loan if you have bad credit, you still shouldn’t take the first offer you receive. Shop around a little and compare lenders to make sure you are receiving the best loan available. There are some lenders that will take advantage of people with bad credit and others that will offer reasonable rates for your loan.
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How to Refinance Your Home Mortgage Loan
May 20th, 2008
There may come a time throughout the life of your home loan in which you decide to refinance or would like to know how to refinance. The more you know about refinancing your mortgage the better off you will be. Here are the steps you will need to take when you are ready to refinance your home loan to make sure it is the right thing for you.
Step One: Do Your Research
Learn as much about refinancing as possible before you begin the process. Basically, when you refinance a home loan it means that you will be receiving a new home loan that will be used to pay off the original mortgage that you owe. This can benefit you in several ways such as lowering your interest rates which will reduce the overall amount that you owe and it can also reduce your monthly payments. In some cases it can even shorten the length of the loan. You should also learn about your credit history because it will be a factor in determining the interest rates you can receive. The better your credit the lower rates you can expect.
Step Two: Compare Mortgage Lenders
Before you choose a lender to use for refinancing you need to take some time to compare different ones to see what they have to offer. You will find that there is a big difference between lenders and comparing these differences will help you make an informed decision. Here are a few of the things that you need to take into consideration. Look at the interest rates and fees that you will be charged for using that specific lender. Carefully consider the terms of the mortgage. Keep in mind that it may be possible for your current lender to offer you a better deal than anyone else so don’t exclude them when comparing lenders.
Step Three: Use Caution
Before you refinance your home loan you need to make sure that you will actually be benefiting yourself in the end. Go over all the details and make sure you know exactly what you will be paying before you accept the new loan. If you will not be saving any money when all is said and done, then it would be pointless to take out the new loan.
Refinancing your home loan can be very beneficial provided you follow the steps above to ensure you receive the best offer possible. You may even be able to borrow a little extra with the new loan that will allow you to do some remodeling or consolidate your higher interest debts and gain a tax deduction.
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Getting the Lowest Mortgage Rate Possible
May 17th, 2008
When it comes to getting your home loan, nearly everyone wants to get the lowest mortgage rate possible. The question is how to do this…the answer doesn’t have to be as confusing as it might seem.
The first step to getting the best mortgage rates possible is for you to understand how mortgage rates are determined and where you stand based on your credit history and .
If you currently have a mortgage loan, have you been hearing rates other people qualified for or have looked in the newspaper and seen low rates that make yours look terrible? Are you wondering how some people can secure a lower rate? Perhaps you are looking to get a mortgage and you want to have the lowest rate possible but you don’t know how to do it.
Your first step is to learn all that you can about mortgage rates and how the rate is determined. One of the most important factors in your mortgage rate is your credit rating. Most loan companies and banks will use your FICO score (FICO is short for the Fair Isaac Corporation) to determine what rates you will be charged and if you will even be approved for the loan.
However, this doesn’t mean that you have to have perfect credit to get a good mortgage rate. The truth of the matter is the better your FICO score, the better your chance of a good mortgage rate but there are other ways you can try to lower your rates even if you have less than perfect credit.
First, it is essential you pay any and all of your existing bills on time and as soon as possible. Avoiding delayed payments will help add points to your . It can also be helpful to pay more than the minimum amount on long term balances. Paying over the amount due shows that you want to pay off your debts and also helps improve your score over time. You should also avoid applying for new credit which can lower your score with each new credit check. These simple strategies combined can help you get the lowest mortgage rates possible for you.
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Cash Out Mortgage Refinancing Pros and Cons
May 1st, 2008
Are you a homeowner in need of cash and are considering taking out equity in your home? Borrowing against your home’s equity is a way to consolidate bills, pay medical or educational expenses, or make home repairs. Understanding the different types of home equity loans will help you avoid paying too much for the financing; here are several tips to help you decide if borrowing against your equity is right for you.
Cash Out Mortgage Refinancing
Refinancing your home with cash back means taking out a new mortgage to pay off your existing loan while borrowing more than the payoff balance of your loan. The difference between your payoff balance and the amount you borrow will be paid to you in cash at closing. Cash back refinancing is great for homeowners who have a significant amount of equity to borrow against or if you need to improve the terms of your existing mortgage. It is important to remain in your home long enough to recoup the expenses from refinancing your existing mortgage.
Second Mortgage Loans
Taking out a second mortgage will get you a higher interest rate than if you were refinancing with cash back. The reason for this is that your home will be secured by two loans often from different lenders. The second lender shoulders more risk than the first and will pass that risk on to you the borrower with a higher mortgage rate. Second mortgages cost less in upfront fees than refinancing; however, because the loan is secured by your home the rates are typically lower than signature loans or credit cards.
Home Equity Lines of Credit
Using a Home Equity Line of Credit allows you to borrow as you need money and have the advantage of paying interest only on the loan’s balance. A home equity line can be an extremely flexible and many offer debit cards for ease of access to your funds. There is additional risk involved with a Home Equity Line of Credit as the ease of access to your equity may result in borrowing more than you intended. If you have difficulty managing your money this might not be the best loan for you.
Tax Deductible Interest
The interest you pay on cash out refinancing or home equity loans is typically tax deductible. If you borrow more than your home is worth or if you have second mortgages for more than $100,000 the IRS could deny your deduction.
Is a Home Equity Loan Right For You?
Make sure the reason you are borrowing warrants dipping into your equity. While the equity in your home belongs to you, it doesn’t make sense to borrow for something like a vacation or to purchase an automobile. If you need cash for some financial goal or to make improvements to your home or even start a business, cashing out your equity could be a wise financial decision. Remember that your home should not be the piggybank you dip into whenever you need a cash fix.
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30 Year Mortgage Rates
April 17th, 2008
If you are in the process of refinancing your home and are searching for information about mortgage rates there are several things you need to know about the rate quotes you receive. Most homeowners don’t realize that 90% of the rate quotes they receive from mortgage brokers and on the Internet include commission based markup included to make someone money from your loan. Understanding mortgage quotes and learning to recognize this markup will help you avoid paying too much for your next mortgage loan.
Today’s 30 Year Fixed Rate
The 30 year fixed mortgage rate has been creeping up slightly to 6.0%. This rate does include Yield Spread Premium which is intended to give a commission to the person arranging your loan. Yield Spread Premium by itself is not necessarily a bad thing; only when it is abused could you wind up paying hundreds of dollars a month unnecessarily.
What is Yield Spread Premium?
Yield Spread Premium is a percentage of your loan amount created when the mortgage company or broker arranging your loan locks and closes with a higher than market interest rate. Suppose your lender approves you for a mortgage rate of 6.0% but the broker closes you at a higher rate of 6.5%. This creates .5% of Yield Spread Premium and brings the broker a commission of 2% of your loan amount. Did your mortgage broker overcharge you? It depends on how your loan was structured and whether or not the broker told you they were marking up your mortgage rate.
Mortgage Broker Compensation
Brokers are compensated in two ways. They can charge you an origination fee for their part in arranging your loan or receive compensation from the lender with Yield Spread Premium. If the broker is charging you an origination fee for their services a reasonable fee to pay is 1-1.5% of your loan amount. Mortgage brokers typically receive one percent of your loan amount for every .25% your loan closes about the interest rate offered by the lender. If this is paid in lieu of an origination fee or used to pay your closing costs Yield Spread Premium can be a good thing; however, it is often abused when the broker charges you an origination fee and pockets Yield Spread Premium without your knowledge.
You can learn more about refinancing your home loan without paying too much in broker fees including ways to recognize and avoid lender junk fees by registering for my free video tutorial.
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The Hidden Cost Of Mortgage Points When Refinancing
April 16th, 2008
Points are one of the most misunderstood aspects of mortgage loans. In the simplest definition mortgage points are a percentage of your loan amount due at closing for one of two possible reasons. Here are the basics you need to know about mortgage points and how you can decide if paying them is worthwhile when refinancing your home mortgage loan.
Types of Mortgage Points
Mortgage points come in two flavors. One point is equal to one percent of your mortgage amount and is the fee you’ll be required to pay at closing. There are the discount points you pay to the lender in exchange for a lower mortgage rate and the origination points you pay to the broker for their part in arranging your loan. Brokers and lenders do not always require that points be paid; however, some lenders hide their point requirements in the fine print hoping to distract you with an unnaturally low mortgage rate.
If you don’t agree to pay the points required for that low mortgage rate you’ll find the actual interest rate is often much higher than the going market rate. This is a common bait and switch tactic used by mortgage lenders to boost their profits. Fortunately once you understand how points work this is an easy scam to avoid.
Should You Pay Mortgage Points?
Deciding whether or not paying points to the lender is in your best interest depends on how long it will take you to recoup the expense based on the lower monthly payment you are getting. We’ve all seen the commercials on television promising insanely low rates with a lot of very small print flashed up on your screen. If you pause the commercial and squint you can just make out that this lender requires two points at closing to qualify for this low rate. Does it make sense to pay the fee?
You can easily determine this with a simple mortgage payment calculator. First compare the lower payment with points to the higher payment without points. The difference between the two payments is your monthly savings. Suppose you were refinancing a $200,000 loan with this lender. Two points would amount to $2,000 due at closing. If the monthly payment is $35 lower it will take you almost five years to recoup this expense. If you plan on staying in your home for the long term paying points can be beneficial; however, if you sell your home before this you’ll be losing money by paying points.
What About Origination Points?
Mortgage brokers often charge origination points for their part in arranging your loan. Not every mortgage charges origination points as brokers can receive compensation from the lender behind your loan. If your broker is charging you a fee for arranging your loan a reasonable fee to pay is 1-1.5% of your loan amount. You can learn more about your mortgage refinancing options including costly mistakes to avoid by registering for my free video tutorial.
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No Fee Mortgage Loans Don’t Exist
March 27th, 2008
If you’re considering a “no cost” or “no fee” mortgage loan for your home loan there are several things you need to know about these loans to avoid paying too much. Whenever lenders talk about “no fee” mortgage loans they are always trading off a higher in exchange for lender fees paid at closing. Here are several tips to help you avoid falling for the “no closing cost” lie with your home mortgage loan.
What are no cost mortgage loans? No closing costs loans are simply a gimmick to get your business. There will always be third party closing costs that cannot be waived…if your lender is “waiving” these costs they may be paying them for you; however, they will mark up your to cover the cost.
When you take out a mortgage the person arranging your loan typically slips .50 to .75 percent markup of your interest rate to get a commission. If you take out a no cost mortgage you will have this markup plus as much as a full point markup from the lender. This higher mortgage interest rate can result in paying hundreds of dollars extra each month that you keep the loan. This is true of both the mortgage lenders and banks you see offering “no closing cost mortgages” as well as the “flat fee” loans.
Suppose you take out a $350,000 mortgage to purchase your home. The mortgage rate you qualify for paying your closing costs is 6%; however you elect to take a 6.75% mortgage to avoid paying closing costs. Your monthly mortgage payment at 6.75% on a 30 year fixed rate loan will be $2,270 per month. If you paid the closing costs upfront your monthly payment at 6% would have only been $2098. That’s an extra $2,064 you’ll pay every year you keep the loan.
In five years this “no fee” mortgage has cost you a whopping $10,320…money you’d still have in your pocket had you elected to pay your closing costs up front. You can learn more about saving money on you home loan while avoiding unnecessary markup of your mortgage rate and garbage fees with my free video tutorial.
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Mortgage Rates Predictions
March 24th, 2008
Home s are at near all time lows and many of you might be wondering how to predict when they will bottom out. Mortgage interest rates are extremely difficult to predict; sometimes when the Federal Reserve lowers short term interest rates mortgage interest rates actually go up. Sometimes when the stock market takes a hit and bond yields are up s go down. The truth is no one can actually predict when mortgage rates are going to bottom out…anyone that tells you can is selling you a loan.
How can you get the lowest mortgage rates?
Instead of trying to predict when mortgage rates will bottom out you can save yourself thousands of dollars by concentrating on what aspects of your mortgage rate you can control. There is one factor affecting your mortgage rate that 90 percent of homeowners have never heard about…namely the commission based markup of your interest rate. You might thing that when you apply for a home loan the lender runs your credit, looks at your qualifying ratios, and will approve your loan with the interest rate you deserve. This simply is not the case.
Beware Your Loan Originator
Your mortgage company or broker you choose when taking out a mortgage actually determines whether or not you’ll pay too much for your next home loan. Pick the wrong person for the job and you’ll overpay thousands of dollars every year you keep this mortgage. All because of a little known fact called Yield Spread Premium. Simply put…this is the commission based markup of your interest rate. The broker arranging your mortgage gets paid in two ways. They get paid by charging you an origination fee for their work and they get paid by marking your mortgage rate up for a kickback for lender.
How Yield Spread Premium Works
Yield Spread Premium is a percentage of your home loan amount created when the broker or mortgage company locks and closes your loan with a higher than market interest rate. When you get approved for your home loan the lender approves you for a certain mortgage rate, say 5.5%. The broker turns around and marks this up telling you that you qualified for 6.25% because the lender pays them 1% of your loan amount for every .25% they markup up your loan.
Suppose you’re refinancing your home for $200,000 taking out a fixed rate loan for thirty years will get you a payment of $1,231 at 6.25%. If you had gotten the mortgage rate you deserve at 5.5% your monthly payment would be $1,135 per month. That’s $1,152 that you’re throwing away every year because your mortgage broker took advantage of you!
Mortgage Rates Predictions
As you can see it’s much more important to make sure your loan does not include Yield Spread Premium than it is to try and make mortgage rates predictions. When you avoid Yield Spread Premium you’ll be taking advantage of wholesale mortgage rates and can negotiate with your broker to pay only a one percent mortgage origination fee. There are honest mortgage brokers out there that do not abuse Yield Spread Premium; you just have to find the right person for your loan. You can learn more about finding the right person to arrange your next mortgage without taking advantage of you by registering for my free home mortgage video tutorial…and don’t let anyone pull the wool over your eyes making meaningless mortgage rates predictions.
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