Max Hunter asked:


You have undoubtedly heard a plethora of advice when you mentioned you were considering buying a home. Everyone probably had an opinion, they always do. Some very well intended people probably gave you the worst advice you could possibly have received but you would have know way of knowing that.

Let us dispel some of the most common myths about home buying and loan selection. First and foremost the myth that the only type of mortgage to ever consider is a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. Perhaps when your parents or grandparents first considered buying a home this was true. The simple fact of the matter is that there are many loan packages available to buyers with all different financial circumstances and needs. For many a fixed-rate mortgage will be the right way to go. For others adjustable rate mortgages will make the most sense based on their financial situation. Your loan officer will be able to explain the differences between them and discuss which will make the best sense for you and your unique circumstances.

Another popular myth is that you should have a home in mind before you contact a mortgage professional. This is probably, however, the worst time to contact a mortgage professional. It is always best to start your home search only after you have spoken to a mortgage professional who can put a scope on your search for you before you fall in love with a home that is well beyond your financial means. A mortgage professional can save you hours of heartache when you try to compare a house within your means to those houses a realtor showed you but you simply cannot afford.

The only place you want to apply for your mortgage is with your personal bank. Or, at least that is what you will be told. Again, that may have been true about forty years ago, it is not necessarily true any longer. The mortgage market is competitive and there are many lenders that specialize in precisely this industry and are not retail banks. You may not want to close the door to the prospect of using one of these lenders because they very often offer the best loan packages.

Online mortgage lenders are risky. That is what traditionalists will say. Though you should be careful in selecting an online lender, there are many safe and reliable retailers. You will want to make sure that they have an encrypted, safe site that you can comfortable input your information. Very often these lenders are actually a network of lenders that combined can offer you the most possible loan packages to choose from. It is important to know that the site is encrypted and safe before you input your personal information. Most sites will have information on the site regarding the measures they take to protect your information.

If your credit is not great you will never get approved for a mortgage is what you have probably heard time and time again. There is an entire, tremendous industry that has been created to provide mortgages to people with poor credit or no credit history at all. Rather than have your friends and family deny the loan that you had not even applied for yet, speak to a mortgage professional who has the means to open the door to this entire world of lenders waiting for people with little, no or bad credit.

If you do not have a big enough down-payment your mortgage payments will be huge and you will have to pay PMI. Again, this is simply not true. There are countless mortgage packages available to people with little or no down-payment, including many packages that combine loans in order to prevent your having to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance).

The home loan industry is a vast industry that grows annually. The key to your success in maneuvering in the industry is to speak to mortgage professionals rather than well-intended but ill-informed family and friends. Though your family and friends may offer good advice, very often they just proffer myths that have long ago been busted. We have addressed but a small number of these myths in this article, there are countless. The best thing to do is get the information directly from the source- a mortgage professional rather than the people around you who may have misinformed you when they heard you are thinking of buying a home.



BILLIE

Max Hunter asked:


The real estate market has been hot for many years. The real estate market stayed hot even though the economy has been on a virtual roller coaster. This has resulted in a large number of mortgage lenders entering the market with varying mortgage programs for people with different economic backgrounds and credit histories.

Home loans are now available for people with pristine credit, good credit, average credit, below average credit and even bad credit. There are loan packages available for people with large down payments, small down payments and no down payments at all.

For many first time homebuyers, choosing the right lender and the right home loan package may seem like a daunting task. There are so many competing lenders promising so many different things. They see advertisements for amazing interest rates and packages. Of course, those packages are only available for a small percentage of homebuyers who fit very specific criteria.

Many first time homebuyers fall into the trap of applying for home loans through various lenders offering different loan packages. While on one level this may seem like a good idea since it, at least in theory, opens up the number of possibilities for obtaining the right loan package for that homebuyer, the simple truth of the matter is these group of lenders may actually have less mortgage packages at their disposal, even added together, than some lenders and lending networks will have individually.

If you apply to a number of home loan lenders, each will invariably run your credit report. An inquiry on a credit report is noted and will affect your overall FICO score. Your FICO score is a credit score that compares you to all other people in the country with a credit history. This number can put you in certain mortgage programs and take you out of others. The last thing you want to do is engage in any activities which could lower your FICO score at the time you want it to be the highest possible.

With proper homework you can find a mortgage lender or network of lenders that will have enough loan packages at their disposal to have one that is right for you. The more they have at their fingertips the more likely it is that they can create a mortgage package that fits your unique circumstances. Even if you think your home loan will be fairly straightforward you may still benefit from a home loan lender that has a number of varying packages. Perhaps they can show you unique ways to have lower payments, avoid PMI, reduce the down payment you were going to make without it impacting your monthly payments and so forth.

Most first time homebuyers are typically unaware of the nuances involved in home loans. They are typically unaware of things like PMI, escrow payments, fixed rate loans versus variable rate mortgages and their respective benefits and drawbacks. A skilled mortgage lender will be able to explain these differences and show you a number of different options, including the option that may be right for you.

It is important to completely honest with your mortgage lender, unfortunately, too many homebuyers try to pull the wool over the eyes of the lender – this never works. In the end everything comes out in the wash – the more honest you are upfront the more options your mortgage lender will be able to review for you.

Look for a lender that clearly states that they can assist people with various types of home loan packages, including differences in credit history, employment history and down payment size. Again, the more tools they have in their toolbox, the more likely it is that they can craft the right loan for you.

Many websites now offer pre-screening services that can match you up with the right lender without each lender running your credit. Accurate and honest information is important when using these websites otherwise you may be paired with the wrong lender which will delay your getting the loan you need and could also hinder your chance to get the home you are hoping to get.

When speaking with your lender you should always feel comfortable to ask questions. The lender may not always be able to give you an instant response, but you should prefer that they find out the answer before giving you a quick but wrong answer. You should also feel that your lender is giving you honest information. If you feel like he or she is lying to you then that is not the right lender for you to be working with.

It is a good practice to provide your lender with whatever information they request. Never give them an original document and always make sure you have additional copies of anything they request. Calendar all cut-off dates they give you and make sure you stay on top of it. You will want a lender that is responsive to your inquiries and prompts you when things are needed or cut-off dates are approaching.

Picking a lender is picking a partner. You want to find the right partner for you that will be able to provide you with what you need while you provide them with what they need. Together, you and the lender will have you well on your road to homeownership and a stronger financial portfolio.



ALLAN