Financing Your Home

Many people fall out of the home buying market when interest rates start to go up. This is often a mistake. Many of the best mortgages deals become available when lenders are competing for new business and sellers are competing within a smaller buyer pool. You just have to know how to keep the costs down in order to counter the higher interest rates.

One of the best tricks is the buy-down. In a buy-down, a fee is paid at the closing to get a lower interest rate. In a soft market, an anxious seller may be lured into to paying all or part of the buy-down. Another approach is to get the seller to pay some of closing costs, thus lowering the amount of cash a buyer needs to close. Frequently the seller’s costs can be used as a write-off by the buyer. Always consult with your tax advisor if you are considering such an arrangement.

If the market is softening due to rising or higher rates, the price itself becomes an area where a buyer may be able to save a lot of money on a house through skillful negotiating. Lower prices mean lower loan amounts, so don’t be discouraged by higher rates–use them to your advantage.

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Most buyers know that first-year interest on Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) is typically lower than the interest on available fixed-rate mortgages. This makes ARMs easier to qualify for, but also requires that borrowers have some understanding about how such loans work, because there are significant details associated with the low first-year rate.

First, check to see how long the low rates offered on the ARM are guaranteed. After that period of time, the rates can go up two points a year to a typical rate cap of six points over the life of the loan. Lenders will usually require borrowers to qualify for a mortgage loan that is several percentage points above the actual initial rate charged on the ARM. This is intended to keep borrowers from becoming overburdened by debt. Some lenders may charge special fees or caps which can increase the cost of the loan. If you think that an ARM may work for you, it is a good idea to shop around.

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Applying for a mortgage loan brings out the paranoia in everyone, even those who are most compulsive and consistent about paying their bills on time. Remember that the lender wants your business and will do everything possible to help finalize your home purchase.

There will be nothing to worry about if you have paid your bills more or less on time. If you have a record of late payments but no serious credit problems, you may have to provide the lender with a written explanation of why certain payments were late. The loan approval may depend on whether or not the excuses are reasonable. Your lender can probably help you work things out if your problems are not serious. If your credit problems are serious, it will help to sit down with a lender even before you begin house hunting.

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The costs of buying a home may be daunting. For example, you may have finally saved enough for a down payment on your first home, with a little left over to buy the furniture you will need. Then you hear about having to pay closing costs you weren’t anticipating, and this may seem like a real setback.

One way to cover such a shortage is to make the sellers an offer that calls for them to credit you for some of the closing costs. As a rule, the sellers may pay a maximum of 3 percent of the sales price if the buyer is putting five percent down. If the buyer is making a down payment of 10 percent or more, the seller can contribute up to 6 percent of the sales price to cover the buyer’s closing costs. Some items, such as prepaid taxes and the first month’s mortgage payment, must be paid by the buyers. Sellers may also contribute to paying the appraisal, points, title insurance, settlement attorney fees, state or local transfer taxes and similar items.

Keep in mind that if the credit is included in the price of the house, the appraiser will have to justify the amount, based on sales prices of similar homes in the neighborhood.

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An important part of buying a house is sitting down with your real estate agent or a mortgage lender to get a clear idea of how much you can afford. They will add up all of your monthly expenses, the mortgage payment, insurance, real estate taxes, homeowners or condo association fees–and the grand total can throw you into shock!

The important thing to remember is that the grand total isn’t really the bottom line. When you add your tax savings to the equation, you may be pleasantly surprised. During the early years of your loan, almost all of the mortgage can be deducted from your state and federal income tax. The same is true of your real estate taxes. If you use part of your house as a home office, you may be able to qualify for additional tax savings. In some areas, homes with ground floor apartments are popular for offsetting part of the mortgage and offering even more tax savings.

When you make calculations about the monthly costs that include the tax savings, you may find that owning your own home is less expensive than renting a house or apartment of comparable size.

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When you are shopping for an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, the important thing to consider is the margin. Each time your loan is adjusted, the new interest rate will be tied to an index of Treasury notes. The margin is the percentage point above that index where your rate will be set.

Let’s suppose that you have a one-year ARM with a 2.5 margin. Your initial rate was 7.5%, and during the first year of the loan, the index of 1-year Treasury notes was at 6.25%. The rate for the second year of your loan would be adjusted to 8.75%. With a margin of 2.75, it would increase to 9%. Some lenders offer lower initial rates with higher margins. In this case, the subsequent rates could be higher after the first year, than if you chose a higher initial rate with a lower margin.

If you are confused by the various mortgage offers, ask a professional mortgage broker to sit down with you and show you how it works. Today the rates and different financial possibilities are so variable that it is a good idea to talk to a mortgage broker–they usually know where the best rates can be found.

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When you have decided on a mortgage lender, you begin the loan process by filling out a loan application. You should be fully prepared to go over your current financial situation and credit history with the loan officer.

Have a record of all of your current bank accounts, including the name and address of bank(s), type of account(s), and approximate balance(s). Be prepared to provide details about outstanding loans, including student loans and major credit accounts. You will also need information about your assets, such as car title, stocks and bonds, and life insurance policies. If you foresee any credit problems, ask the loan officer for advice on how to keep them from interfering with approval of your mortgage loan. The loan officer can usually give you a prompt opinion about your chances for obtaining a mortgage.

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When you meet with a lender to apply for financing, you may feel as if you are in a foreign country when the loan officer begins to talk about points, Regulation Z margins, PMI, and ARMs.

You are not alone if you feel left behind by loan terminology. Like many professionals, lenders use a highly specialized language. Don’t hesitate to ask for a translation! This is especially true if you are investigating some of the more complicated loans with rates that can be adjusted periodically. As you consider the various loan options, find out what the interest rate will be and at what point the lender will commit to that rate. If the loan has an adjustable rate, be sure that you understand how often the rate will adjust, and by how much your payments may go up. Find out if the loan can be assumed by a future buyer. The lender isn’t trying to confuse you. The mortgage process is complicated, so just keep asking questions until you understand.

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The most important thing to look for when you are shopping for a mortgage is the interest rate, right? Not necessarily. There are many other factors to consider, including the lender’s charges for making the loan, the terms under which the loan will be approved, and the lender’s reputation for timely completion of loan applications to meet purchase agreement deadlines.

When real estate agents are involved in sales transactions, they don’t tell buyers which mortgage companies to use. They can provide the names of established lenders who have provided good service to their customers. They can give general information about the different mortgage options that are available today. Using a low interest rate as the main criteria for choosing a mortgage could cost you money–and perhaps the home you want–if the company cannot deliver on its promises.

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It may be difficult to qualify for a home mortgage loan. As a buyer, you may find the perfect home, but finding the perfect financing might become elusive. After you complete the application process, your lender may turn you down, which is an upsetting development for any prospective homebuyer. What can be done to remedy such a setback?

The answer depends on why you were turned down. If your income is too low to satisfy one mortgage company, there might be another company with more liberal qualifying guidelines. If you have had credit problems, some lenders may be more willing than others to help you clear them up in a manner that satisfies their underwriters. If your loan runs into problems, sit down with the loan officer and your real estate agent to investigate the possibility of using a different lender. The first company may be able to “assign” the package to a competitor, enabling you to use your same credit report and appraisal. You will need the cooperation of your sellers, too

While loan rejections are disappointing, they can be resolved.

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