29 Mar 2018
By Kevin Gahagan

A Mortgage Pre-Approval Can Help You In Your Home Purchase Negotiations

Mortgage

A Mortgage Pre-Approval Can Help You In Your Home Purchase NegotiationsA mortgage pre-qualification is an initial estimate of what type and size of mortgage a borrower could get. It is limited, though, because it’s only based on what the borrower tells the lender, which might not be the same as what the lender finds out when it goes through a full process of analyzing the borrower and his credit.

The Initial Loan Pre-Qualification

To get pre-qualified, a borrower starts by finding a lender. Typically, he will give the lender basic information on his ability to borrow. This includes his income, how much money he has in the bank, his current payments and an estimate of his credit worthiness.

The lender takes the pre-qualification information that he gets and compares it to the loan programs of which he is aware. For instance, if he knows that a borrower doesn’t have a lot to put down, but the borrower mentions that he’s active-duty military, the mortgage lender might offer a VA loan as an option.

Based on the programs he sees and the information the mortgage professional gets from the borrower, he will tell the borrower what kind of mortgage to expect.Typically, this gives the borrower a sense of the likely interest rate and of the loan amount he can borrow. Generally, this is enough to let a borrower start looking at real estate listings with a realistic sense of what will be affordable.

The Power of A Mortgage Pre-Approval

When it comes time to start writing offers, though, a mortgage pre-qualification might not be enough. A pre-qualification is missing one important factor — underwriting the borrower’s income and credit.

When a borrower goes beyond a pre-qualification to get a mortgage pre-approval, he submits his credit for the lender to check. That way, his qualifications get confirmed and the lender can issue a more binding letter that not only lets him know what he can afford but also lets him show a seller that he is truly qualified to get a loan.

With that letter, his offer may be viewed as stronger and he can be more likely to get the ability to buy the house he wants.  Talk with your trusted mortgage professional to discuss your options before looking at homes.  It may very likely give you a bit more purchasing leverage.

27 Mar 2018
By Kevin Gahagan

Over 5 Trillion Dollars In Home Equity May Lead To More Cash Out Transactions

Mortgage

Over 5 Trillion Dollars In Home Equity May Lead To More Cash Out TransactionsUS homeowners now have over 5 trillion dollars in home equity which is a very large amount of money! So this year may be the year for a lot of cash out refinances and other home equity mortgage products. Most often, when you are purchasing a home, you are buying at or below the appraised value and you are making a down payment.

The good news is this means you have “instant equity” in your home. And over time you build more equity as you make your monthly mortgage payments as well as any potential home price appreciation.

This build up of equity gets some homeowners thinking about taking cash-out from your home to pay off credit card bills, purchase a car or pay for college expenses. However, it is important understand, there are rules as to what can and can’t be done.

Cash out refinance, equity loan or second mortgage

There are three basic ways to access the equity in your home which are common these include:

  • Cash out refinance – you refinance your current mortgage and you request cash-out for the equity. For example, if your home is worth $200,000 and you have a current mortgage of $100,000 you may be able to access an additional $60,000 to $70,000 in cash depending on your lenders requirements
  • Home equity loan – a home equity loan is typically a line of credit that you take out with your local bank. These loans are typically what are known as “revolving” where you can access the funds over and over again as you make payments. Home equity loan interest payments are not tax deductible after the recent tax reform plan
  • Second mortgage – in order to qualify for a second mortgage on your home, the lender would require you to meet specific credit requirements as well as certain debt-to-income ratios. 

In most cases, lenders will require borrowers to have had their mortgage at least one year before they are allowed the option of any type of cash-out refinance. However, Ginnie Mae (GNMA), the investor for FHA and VA home loans allow cash out transactions after 6 monthly payments and a minimum of 210 days in the home.

While you may already have a substantial amount of equity in your home, lenders are taking an additional risk if you are allowed to “tap into” that equity. Before you make the decision to access the equity, talk to your trusted mortgage professional regarding possible restrictions.

22 Mar 2018
By Kevin Gahagan

What Changes Occurred In FHA And FNMA Rules During 2018?

Mortgage

What Changes Occurred In FHA And FNMA Rules During 2018?

The FNMA HomeReady Program

Those who are involved in the mortgage industry must keep updated on changes to FHA, and Fannie Mae (FNMA) loans. Since loan limits and other changes are often made annually, keeping up with these changes helps make sure consumers get the right information at the time of their application.

Many of the changes for 2018 are modest, but still impact existing, and new homeowners.

Changes To Loan Limit Amounts

FHA loan limits change on an annual basis as per the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. Using this, the FHA is required to base the insured mortgage amounts on 115 percent of median housing prices by county.  While many counties in the United States did not see changes this year, 3,011 counties saw a change for loan applications submitted after January 1, 2018. These changes mean the upper loan limits in higher-priced markets increases to $679,650 and the lower limits are $294,515. These limits are for new home purchases and for refinancing existing FHA loans.

Another significant change which must be considered is what FHA or FNMA considers a conforming loan. In prior years, this amount was $424,100, it has now been increased to $453,100. This is important because for many homeowners, jumbo mortgages seem out of reach.

Changes To Down Payment Requirements

While FNMA did have a minimum requirement for down payment at five percent, FNMA and Freddie Mac are both offering three percent down payment programs in 2018. It is important to be aware that FNMA limits this program to those borrowers who intend to use the home as their primary residence. The following conditions must be met to qualify for the 97 percent loan to value program:

  • The mortgage securing the property must be at a fixed rate
  • The property must be a co-op, PUD, condo or other one-unit home.
  • The property cannot be a manufactured home
  • The borrower must intend to occupy the property as their primary residence
  • One of the buyers cannot have owned a home in the last three years
  • Loans must be equal to or less than $453,100
  • Borrower’s credit score should be 620 or higher

FHA loans do require borrower to put down a minimum of 3.5 percent of their new mortgage. However, the also offer greater flexibility with credit requiring borrowers have a credit score of 580 and further allows the entire down payment to be gifted to the buyer. Borrowers with credit scores between 500 and 579 who can put down 10 percent are eligible for FHA mortgages.

Another important program FNMA offers is for first-time buyers. Specifically, the idea was to make owning a home easier for a larger market of buyers. This program offers some flexibility that standard FNMA loans do not offer including:

  • Lower private mortgage insurance (PMI) rates
  • 100 percent gifted down payments and closing costs
  • 97 percent loan to value
  • Co-borrower income may be used to qualify for a loan
  • Household member income may be included, even if not a borrower
  • Rental income and/or boarder income may help a borrower qualify
  • Borrowers must complete a home buyer’s education course

These changes are significant for many borrowers and include some flexibility with income limits. Borrowers living in low-income areas face no maximum income limits. Borrowers in other areas cannot exceed 100 percent of the median income for the area.

Do Not Overlook FHA Streamline Refinance

Borrowers who have an existing FHA loan can take advantage of this program. Borrowers who changed jobs, have faced credit issues, or who have homes who lost some value may be able to refinance their home into a lower interest rate, or eliminate mortgage insurance premiums. To qualify, borrowers must be current on their mortgage payments, cannot have been late on their mortgage payments more than 30 days in 12 months, and have had their current mortgage for a minimum of 210 days. Because of this seasoning requirement, borrowers must have made six mortgage payments at the time of the refinancing.

Thanks to the flexibility of this program, borrowers need not worry about income verification, appraisals, or credit score. The refinance terms must benefit the borrower in a tangible way. For example, a borrower who currently has a six percent adjustable mortgage and now qualifies for a six percent fixed rate mortgage can demonstrate a tangible gain. Therefore, assuming they meet the other requirements, their mortgage would qualify for the streamline finance. For many borrowers, this could help significantly, particularly if their home has lost value, or they have suffered a temporary decrease in their income.

Mortgage programs change frequently making it imperative to verify all program requirements before presenting them to borrowers. Fortunately, FNMA and FHA are making home ownership attainable for more borrowers than ever before thanks to more flexible down payment options, credit scoring changes and increased loan limits.

20 Mar 2018
By Kevin Gahagan

The Four Best Questions To Ask Before Refinancing Your Mortgage

Mortgage

The Best Questions to Ask Before Refinancing Your Mortgage1) Do I have enough equity to get a mortgage?

To get a conventional loan, you will usually need to have at least 20 percent equity. This means that your house will have to be worth at least $250,000 to get a $200,000 loan. If you have less equity, you could end up having to pay for private mortgage insurance, which can easily add $100 or more to your monthly payment.

2) How’s my credit?

Most lenders will look at your credit score as a part of determining whether or not to make you a loan. With conventional lenders, your rate will depend on your score and the higher it is, the lower your payment will be. Other lenders, like the FHA and VA programs have an all or nothing rule. If you qualify, your rate won’t be based on your credit, but if your score is too low, you won’t be able to get any loan. 

3) What do I want to accomplish?

Mortgages typically offer a choice as to their term. While the 30-year loan is the most popular, shorter term mortgages save you money since you pay less interest over their lives. They also get you out of debt sooner, at least with regard to your house.

The drawback is that they carry higher payments since you pay off more principal every month. This can make them less affordable for some borrowers.

4) How’s my current loan?

If you have an adjustable rate mortgage, you may want to switch to a fixed rate mortgage simply for the additional security it offers you. On the other hand, if you are planning to move relatively soon, your current mortgage could be a better deal whehter it’s fixed- or adjustable-rate.

When trying to decide what to do, compare the cost of refinancing with what it would cost you in additional interest to hold on to your existing loan. While the breakdown is different for every borrower, generally, you’ll need to keep your current house and loan for anywhere from three to six years to break even on the costs of refinancing.

Deciding what to do with your mortgage can be complicated. Working with a qualified loan broker that can consider every angle with you can help you to make a better decision.

15 Mar 2018
By Kevin Gahagan

What Are The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Putting 20 Percent Down On A Home Purchase?

Mortgage

Should You Put 20 Percent Down On Your Home Purchase?Several generations ago, lenders required home buyers to have a 20 percent down payment in order to get a mortgage. While there were a few options out there for people who couldn’t save this substantial amount, the reality was that for the majority of people, the 20 percent down was a requirement.

It was the way to show that you were financially responsible enough for homeownership. And it was a strong way that the banks felt secure in making a home loan.

Today, however, homebuyers have many options available to them as they shop for a new home, and those mortgage options mean that the 20 percent down payment is no longer as much of a requirement. For most buyers, especially those who do not have the equity of an existing home to help with their purchase, the 20 percent down payment is not even a possibility.

Yet for those who can do so, putting 20 percent down carries some benefits worth considering. Here is a closer look at when the large down payment makes sense, and what the potential drawbacks are that buyers should consider.

How The 20 Percent Down Payment Helps

When it is possible for the buyer to save enough, the 20 percent down payment does have some benefits that are worth considering. First, when you are able to save 20 percent, you can get a mortgage that has no private mortgage insurance or similar fees. Because lenders consider a borrower with less than 20 percent for the down payment to be higher risk, they charge additional fees to serve as insurance on these loans.

Putting 20 percent down also means you are borrowing less. Because every dollar you borrow will be charged interest, the less you borrow the lower your repayment costs should be over the life of the loan. If you have the ability to save 20 percent, this is a benefit worth considering.

The Drawbacks Of 20 Percent Down

While saving 20 percent does have some benefits, it also has drawbacks that you must also consider. First, 20 percent of a home loan is a significant amount of money. On a modestly priced $100,000 house, that means you have to save $20,000. For the average home buyer, this represents years of saving. And you could be giving up years of price appreciation on the home that you could have purchased earlier by using one of the other financing options.

Also, if you are putting all of that money down as your down payment, you may find yourself cash strapped for other home buying costs, like new furniture or closing costs on your mortgage. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that this can be a significant downside, especially for first-time buyers who have a lot of expenses as they make the move into their first homes.

Many people find themselves digging into their other investments, like their 401(k), to come up with the money for the down payment. When mortgage interest rates are low, this can be an unwise move. Paying a bit more in interest over the life of a mortgage is often better than creating a serious financial bind for your future needs. Digging into your retirement also means you are not getting that vital compounding interest.

Finally, saving 20 percent often means you can’t buy a home quite as quickly. Since home prices historically tend to rise, not fall, the longer you wait, the more you may spend on your home. If home prices rise by 5 percent a year, which is fairly standard, waiting two years to purchase the home means $10,000 in extra costs for a $100,000 home. The higher purchase price counters any savings you may have when you put down 20 percent.

Can You Buy With Less Than 20 Percent Down?

So can you buy a home with less than 20 percent down? The answer to that question is yes, and often it makes more financial sense to do so. In fact, according to Freddie Mac, 40 percent of homebuyers in today’s markets are making down payments of less than 10 percent. So if you are going to buy a home without saving the 20 percent, what are your options?

If you have strong credit, many lenders are still offering piggyback loans. These loans allow you to take out a smaller loan for part of your down payment, then a traditional loan for the rest of the purchase price. You may still need about 5 percent of your own money to put down on the purchase. Then you can work with your lender to borrow 15 percent with a smaller, and many times shorter-term loan, and the remainder with a conventional mortgage.

Down payment assistance is another option to consider. These programs, which are available through non-profit organizations or government-run programs, give homeowners a hand in coming up with the down payment they need to purchase the home.

Finally, consider the low down payment options that are out there. USDA loans, VA loans, FHA loans and similar loan products are designed for those with just a little bit to put down on the home. The FHA loan, for example, is a government-backed loan that requires just 3.5 percent down on the home.

Forbes indicates it is even possible to get a conventional loan with as little as 3 percent down. In some instances, like the USDA home loan program, you can even buy a home with no down payment.

While these home loans do have additional costs, like the funding fee for the VA loan or private mortgage insurance for conventional low down payment loans, they give you the ability to buy now without 20 percent down so you can start enjoying the benefits of homeownership sooner.

When buying a home, getting sound financial advice is always wise. Whether you choose to put down a large amount on your home or take advantage of these different loan options to buy with a smaller amount down, make sure you weigh your options before making your choice.