How Mortgage Refinancing Can Help to Finance Home Improvements

If you’re planning to remodel or renovate your home in the near future – whether to provide a better living environment or as part of a house flip – you’ll need to find a way to pay for your home improvements. There are several different possible sources of renovation money, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. One option that is gaining popularity is mortgage refinancing.

How does mortgage refinancing work, and how does it compare to other renovation financing options? How can you use a mortgage refinance to get the most out of your renovation? Here’s what you need to know.

Home Improvement Investments: Which Renovations Generate The Best Returns?

If you’re considering a mortgage refinance in order to fund your home improvements, you’ll want to concentrate on doing renovations that increase your home’s value. Otherwise, you’ll be taking on more debt without gaining anything in return.

If you want to max out your return on investment, re-finishing your kitchen is your best strategy. Remodeling Magazine’s annual cost-to-value renovation analysis shows that new appliances, a new coat of paint, and new surface finishes in the kitchen generate the biggest returns. Meanwhile, swimming pools and home offices tend to generate the lowest returns because they appeal only to a select group of buyers.

Your Options For Financing Home Improvement Projects

Financing for a home improvement project is a critical consideration. Unless you can afford to pay $20,000 out of pocket for a remodeling project, you’ll need to secure financing of some sort.

Your options for home improvement financing include home equity lines of credit, renovation mortgages, and refinancing. A HELOC may not be an ideal solution, as repayment requires discipline, while a renovation mortgage (or home renovation loan) is typically used only for foreclosures and other properties requiring major renovation work.

Mortgage Refinancing: A Smart Option For Savvy Borrowers

If you’re looking to simply make improvements to your existing home, a mortgage refinance is likely your best option. A straight refinance gives you a lump sum of cash that you can use to pay for renovations upfront.

There’s also a “refinance plus improvements” arrangement, which can provide you with extra capital as you need it. Under this model, you can get up to 80% of your home’s post-renovation appraisal value – however, you’ll only get the money as the renovations are completed and inspected. With a straight refinance, you’re not out of pocket for any length of time.

Making smart home improvements is a great way to boost your home’s value and improve your living conditions. An experienced mortgage professional can help you to find financing for those renovations without a hassle. Contact your local mortgage advisor to learn more.

Why You Need to Be Truthful on Your Mortgage Application

There are few things better than finding your dream home and being able to afford it, but simply because you’ve found the perfect place doesn’t mean you should stretch the truth. It might seem tempting to polish your mortgage application a little in the hopes of making a better impression, but here are a few reasons why you should stick to the truth when signing off on your home.

Your Credit History Tells All

It can be tempting to bump up your salary or make some hefty deposits into your savings account. However, lenders will be taking a look at your financial history by way of your bank statements, credit report, and paystubs so they’re likely to discover any erroneous details. If you’re not honest about your financial situation, the lender may suspect that you’re not a reliable buyer. Not only that, making false statements about your finances may give you more home than you can really afford, which can cause setbacks down the road.

Mortgage Fraud Is Still Fraud

A little white lie on your mortgage application might not seem like such a big deal, but because you are painting a picture of yourself that is not true, this can actually be considered mortgage fraud. While there are mistakes that can be made on any mortgage application given all the details required, it’s very important not to mislead the lender or home seller on purpose. It may not be common, but mortgage fraud can be punished with hefty fines or even prison time.

A Bad Way To Begin

There’s nothing like the feeling of moving into your newly purchased home and feeling enthusiasm for all the things it entails, but being dishonest about your financial situation can sully that. A lie may just be a small detail, but mortgage lenders look at a variety of factors to ensure you’re a good fit for a loan that will stay manageable month after month. While a minor mistruth may seem insignificant, it disables lenders from being able to assess if your financial situation is right for the home you want to purchase.

It may be enticing to fudge a few details on your mortgage application, but there can be serious implications involved in not being honest about the information on your application. If you’re currently in the market for a home, contact one of our mortgage professionals for more information.

4 Ways to Help Your Mortgage Transaction Close On Time

When you’ve finally found the home you’re looking for at the right price, it’s easy to think that the hard part is over; however, there’s still a lot to do in order to ensure your purchase goes through without a hitch. If you’re tying up the loose ends on your home purchase, here are some things you should do to avoid any unnecessary delays.

Hire A Legal Professional

However much research you may have done in regards to buying a home, there’s still a lot of legal jargon in the closing documents that can be difficult for most people to understand. Instead of doing guesswork, you may want to use an attorney who will take the difficulty out of the documents for you so there will be no holdups with the paperwork.

Arrange A Home Inspection

A home inspection is a necessary step before the sale of a home, but this is an important one to get out of the way because it can seriously impact your home purchase. Because major problems can often be discovered during inspection, getting this out of the way and deciding if an item should be fixed or the total price knocked down will ensure there are no delays at the last minute.

Acquire Title Insurance

In order to make sure your property really belongs to you, it’s a good idea to have a title search completed to see if there are any claims to your future property that could invalidate your purchase. As this is a legal safeguard for your claim to your home, it will help you avoid unnecessary issues in the event of an unknown property claim.

Determine The Closing Costs

An escrow company is responsible for holding the funds until all aspects of a home sale are complete, but there are fees that go along with this service. Before you get to the end of the process, determine what exactly the company will be charging so that you can be prepared for the final total. While fees are legitimate, if you see a higher tally than expected, you may want to negotiate for a reduced cost.

Purchasing a home is a significant investment full of hurdles you might not be aware of, but by acquiring title insurance and having a legal professional look through your documents, you can make your home purchase go a little smoother. 

Understanding the Jumbo Mortgage and Why Refinancing is Different

The contemporary trend towards expansive dimensions is palpable in various aspects of modern life. Oversized soft drinks, large fast-food meals, and expansive smartphones have become ubiquitous. However, one unlikely sector experiencing a similar trend is the realm of mortgages.

Delving into the specifics, what exactly constitutes a jumbo mortgage? How does it differ from its conventional counterpart, and what implications does it hold for potential refinancing? Here’s a comprehensive overview.

Jumbo Mortgages

As the name suggests, the primary distinguishing factor of jumbo mortgages lies in the loan limit. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac administer mortgage limits nationwide, contingent upon the cost of living in individual states. In scenarios involving high-value real estate, such as luxury properties and commercial holdings, standard mortgages may prove insufficient, thus necessitating the flexibility afforded by jumbo mortgages.

Jumbo mortgages are particularly prevalent in regions characterized by elevated living costs, where real estate values routinely exceed the standard loan limits applicable to high-cost areas.

Qualifying for a Jumbo Mortgage 

Given the higher financial stakes, eligibility requirements for jumbo mortgages are markedly more stringent than those for traditional mortgages. Notably, jumbo mortgages do not fall under private insurance coverage, resulting in a substantially larger down payment compared to standard mortgages. Prospective applicants must convincingly demonstrate to lenders their financial capacity to meet the obligations associated with a jumbo mortgage.

Additionally, a higher credit score is imperative for those seeking a jumbo mortgage. While a credit score of 660 or higher suffices for conventional mortgages, a minimum score of 700 is typically required for consideration by most lenders when applying for a jumbo mortgage.

Jumbo mortgage lenders may mandate that borrowers set aside a minimum of six months’ worth of payments in a dedicated bank account at the time of closing, a requirement that typically stands at two months for standard mortgages. Applicants must also prove to their lenders that their debt-to-income ratio is below 45 percent to qualify for a jumbo mortgage.

Refinancing Complexities

Refinancing a jumbo mortgage introduces heightened complexities compared to standard mortgages. Considerable home equity is a prerequisite for refinancing, and individuals looking to include Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) debt in the refinancing plan must adhere to stringent conditions, including the absence of any deductions against home equity in the preceding 12 months.

Specific lenders may impose additional requisites for refinancing jumbo mortgages. For example, homeowners with less than a year of ownership may be directed toward a Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae loan. Regardless of the fair market value at the time of mortgage filing, properties owned for less than a year are typically assessed at their original purchase price.

While jumbo mortgages provide an avenue for acquiring luxury residences or commercial properties, securing one demands meticulous adherence to a stringent set of prerequisites. Prospective applicants are advised to seek guidance from professional advisors to navigate the intricate qualification process successfully.

For those contemplating a jumbo mortgage, engaging with a seasoned mortgage professional is crucial to gaining insights into refinancing alternatives and understanding the qualification criteria. Reach out to your trusted mortgage professional to explore refinancing options and ascertain your eligibility for a jumbo mortgage.

You Ask, We Answer: What Are the Pros and Cons of Private Mortgage Insurance?

It’s easy to get Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) confused with homeowners’ insurance, but PMI is an entirely different thing that may or may not be necessary when it comes to your home purchase. If you’re going to be investing in a home in the near future and are wondering what PMI may mean for you, here are some things to consider regarding this type of insurance.

Your Down Payment Amount

If you’ve been perusing the housing market for a while, you’ve probably heard that 20% is the ideal amount to put down when investing in a home; however, you might not realize why. The truth is that 20% down is the suggested amount because this will enable you to avoid having to pay PMI on the purchase of your home. In this regard, PMI is a protective measure for lenders since they may be taking on more financial risk with those who have less equity built up in their homes.

Getting Into The Market

For those who want to get into the real estate market right away and only have 10-15% to put down, PMI can be a means of being able to invest before mortgage rates increase. While buying a home when you want can certainly be a benefit, it’s also worth realizing that PMI is an additional fee and will impact the total cost of your home loan. It may be a risk worth taking if you want to buy now, but if it’s the total cost you’re considering, it may be better to save more before buying.

Getting Money Back

Whether you’re a homeowner or not, most people don’t look forward to tax time no matter how much money they get back. However, if you have PMI for your home, you’ll not only be able to get a variety of tax deductions, but you will also be able to get back some of the money that you invested into your private mortgage insurance. It may not be enough of a deduction to compete with saving up, but if you’ve found the perfect home the deductions can serve as an added incentive.

While you’ll only be required to pay PMI if you put down less than 20%, it can be a benefit if you’re looking to purchase a home right away. If you’re currently pursuing your options on the real estate market, reach out to one of our mortgage professionals for more information.