To continue our 3 part series about Home Mortgage Refinancing, we want to point out that everyone has a different financial picture, unique goals and specific reasons why a refinance may or may not be the right course of action. Always seek out a mortgage professional to discuss your scenario so that you can make the best decision for you and your family.
Click here to read Part I: Should I Refinance My Home?
Getting Organized
Now that you have considered whether a mortgage refinance is right for you - we've put together a Checklist to help get you ready to Refinance your home loan. Like most of us, a home refinance is easiest when the process goes smoothly and quickly. Choosing a qualified mortgage professional will help ease your stress but there are certain documents that you will need to gather and submit to make sure the lender has a complete refinance application.
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To start off this 3 part series about Home Mortgage Refinancing, we want to first point out that everyone has a different financial picture, unique goals and specific reasons why a refinance may or may not be the right course of action. Always seek out a mortgage professional to discuss your scenario so that you can make the best decision for you and your family. Thinking of refinancing? Grab our free worksheet to quickly calculate your LTV and assess all of your options here »
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Whether you are looking to open a credit card, finance a car or buy a home...you've probably noticed that your credit score is important. A credit score is essentially used to assess how likely it is that a borrower will repay a loan. The score measures the relative degree of risk that a potential person represents to a lender or investor and is based on several areas of information (however, because of several laws against discrimination - it is not based on gender, race age or zip code.) Credit Bureaus & Score Range Fair, Isaac Credit Bureau scores range between 300 to 850 points - the higher the score, the less risk associated with the borrower. Below are the three national credit data repositories that contribute to your score: Equifax - 800-685-1111 Trans Union - 800-888-4213 Experian - 800-397-3742 Each of these bureaus may offer you a slightly different credit score depending on the data within their own credit profile. Keep in mind that a score is based on all credit-related data - not just negative data.
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You're ready to buy or refinance – but whether this is your first or fourth loan – you may find that working with a loan officer to be confusing and difficult. Having a clear understanding of what you want and how to communicate with your mortgage professional is critical for success. To keep everything running smoothly – make sure you discuss the following topics with your loan officer.
1 - Communication Style
Mortgage professionals will communicate with you in a variety of ways including by phone, email and text. Some are tech savvy and others prefer traditional methods. The point is to be clear about what YOU prefer. If you respond more quickly to text messages versus voicemail - tell your loan officer. Often times, there are time sensitive issues that arise during the loan process, so it will make everyone happy if your loan officer knows how to get questions answered, additional documentation etc. in a timely manner.
Whether it's a home, auto, business or personal loan – odds are you've had to deal with interest rates. Essentially, the interest rate determines how much it will cost you to borrow money so naturally the higher or lower the interest rate quoted will help determine whether you should agree to the loan. When it comes to home financing, understanding the constantly change interest rate landscape can be confusing. We're here to help make it easy!
Whether looking to buy a home or refinance, you will likely apply for a mortgage loan and encounter about the underwriting process. Lenders and loan officers might mention "underwriting" but few home-owners and buyers might actually know exactly what this step is and how it impacts their ability to secure financing.
What is Underwriting?
Underwriting is a process that allows lenders to determine if you qualify for financing based on your level of credit risk. An underwriter is a skilled in-house person who looks at every aspect of your financial profile to determine if its possible and likely that you can repay the debt. The underwriter will consider your mortgage application and verify the information you’ve submitted. This can include verifying with your employer that you are currently working. They may also compare bank statements and tax records to ensure you have substantial income to repay the loan.
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