...

Dont worry about credit inquiries when shopping for a mortgage loan

Shopping for a mortgage loan? DON’T worry about inquiries on your credit report

We’ve all heard it before. Having someone pull your credit will reduce your credit score. Sadly, many people end up making some poor decisions based on half truths, and bad information.

The fear of reduced credit scores with the occasional pull from a creditor is the most annoying, misleading, and misunderstood thing I hear every week in the mortgage business. If you are worried about “inquiries on your report”, this isn’t the concern most people think it is.

What to know about mortgage rate shopping.
Looking for a mortgage, auto or student loan may cause multiple lenders to request your credit report, even though you are only looking for one loan. To compensate for this, the score ignores mortgage, auto, and student loan inquiries made in the 30 days prior to scoring.  So, if you find a loan within 30 days, the inquiries won’t affect your score while you’re rate shopping.  In addition, the score looks on your credit report for mortgage, auto, and student loan inquiries older than 30 days. If it finds some, it counts those inquiries that fall in a typical shopping period as just one inquiry when determining your score. For FICO scores calculated from older versions of the scoring formula, this shopping period was any 14 day span. For FICO scores calculated from the newest versions of the scoring formula, this shopping period is any 45 day span.

Furthermore, inquiries, even under the worst of situations, could only account for 10% of your overall score. Most people should have absolutely NO CONCERN whatsoever about inquiries on your credit report unless you have applied with 10, 15, or even 20 lenders in the past 90-days.

Visit MyFico.com to find out the truth about inquiries and your credit score, and STOP WORRYING!

 

What is the value of my home?

What’s the value of your home? (MN & WI Only)

St Paul, MN: Many homeowners are curious about the appraised value of their home in today’s market. An actual appraisal is expensive, and county tax records do NOT always reflect true market value. As you may be aware, home values are constantly fluctuating, and with the decline in average values, it is important to have an accurate idea of what your home is worth.

There are many sites that claim to give you are idea, including Zillow, Trulia, and more.

The problem is, where is the data coming from and how accurate is it?

We have a different tool to answer the estimated appraised value of your home question. Our application uses the Freddie Mac Home Price Index ( FMHPI ). FMHPI is calculated using a repeat-transactions methodology. Repeat transactions indexes measure price appreciation while holding constant property type and location, by comparing the price of the same property over two or more transactions. The change in price of a given property measures the underlying rate of appreciation because basic factors such as physical location, climate, housing type, etc., are constant between transactions. Averages of appreciation rates for different geographic areas and time periods are calculated using statistical regressions and the index values are derived from these averages

While the estimate may not be the actual or appraised value of your property, it can be a useful tool to gauge fluctuations and trends in your market which affect your home’s value.

Check your homes value? (MN and WI homes only)

For best results, contact us. I can help with purchasing a new home, or refinancing your existing MN or WI home, get you pre-approved for a new home, or put you in touch with a GOOD Real Estate Agent to help determine the best asking price for your home. We know the particulars of your neighborhood, the value of homes, and can help you discover what your home may really be worth.

Government to step in with new refinance options?

Minneapolis, MN: Many reports have surfaced recently that the government is seriously considering a wide range of ideas to assist consumers in refinancing their homes loans owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to take advantage of today’s amazing low interest rates. For a variety of reason, mostly to due to negative equity or current tighter credit underwriting guidelines, large numbers of these homeowners have been left to the sidelines.

As a Loan Officer, I have never fully understood some of the silliness in some underwriting guidelines, and have a few suggestions.

If Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac (you and I since the government took the over during the peek of the credit crunch) already “own your loan”, you are current with your payments, and your basic financial position is OK, what does it matter if your home is underwater? They already own the the loan, and have all the risk. Wouldn’t lowering their payment reduce the risk and simply make sense?

While allowing these people to refinance, I would add one rule…  That being that you couldn’t “go backwards”. In other words, if the homeowner currently has a 30-yr fixed mortgage with 26-year remaining, they would not be allowed to have a new loan longer than 26-years.

While it is little know, and even less used as most people select a very traditional 15-yr, 20-yr, or 30-year mortgage, many mortgage lenders (including us) allow you to select any number of years you wish. If you want a 17-yr fixed, or the aforementioned 26-yr fixed, no problem. We can do that.

For FHA loan holders, a quick, immediate fix is possible to help those people refinance by simply changing a mortgage insurance rule. Allow people with existing FHA loans to refinance with their current mortgage insurance rate.

Everyday I speak with homeowners with FHA loans, where I could easily lower their interest rate by 1% – 1.5%, but it makes no financial sense for them to do it.

FHA loans all have mortgage insurance. Up until recently, the cost of the insurance, which is included in their monthly payment, was just 0.55% of their loan amount. A simple way to understand the cost, is on a $200,000 mortgage loan, the insurance costs $110 per month.

Last year, FHA increased the insurance to 1.15%. So on the same $200,000 loan, the monthly cost is now $230! YIKES. The higher insurance cost eats up most, if not all of their potential monthly savings, leaving many FHA homeowners unable to take advantage of today’s low mortgage rates.

————–

THOUGHTS? Log in and post. We want to hear what you think!

.

Home lost value? Yes you can refinance

(edited: New rules took effect 10/24/2011 – Click here to view new rules)

HARP – Special Affordable Refinance Program

Has your home LOST VALUE?

THIS IS YOUR BAILOUT!

The funds the Obama Administration has made available for this program come from YOUR tax dollars. Take advantage of this program while it is still available!

Do you have a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loan and cannot refinance due to declining property values or a loss of income?

Would you like to reduce the cost of your monthly mortgage payments or move into a stable fixed rate mortgage? We may be able to assist through the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan.

A special HARP Affordable Program, which is designed to help up to 9 million American families refinance their loans to a payment that is affordable now, and into the future.

One of the initiatives in this program is aimed at helping responsible homeowners “refinance” their loans to take advantage of historically low interest rates.

Here are some common Questions and Answers about the Refinancing Initiative in the program.

Who is eligible?
You may be eligible, and we can assist you if:

  • You own and currently occupy a one- to four-unit home.
  • Your mortgage is owned or controlled by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
  • You are current on your mortgage payments.
  • The amount you owe on your first mortgage is about the same or slightly less than the current value of your house.
  • Your first mortgage is 105% or less
  • And, you have a stable income sufficient to support the new mortgage payments.

How do I know if my loan is owned or controlled by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac?
Simply call or email me. I’ll help you determine if your mortgage is backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

If I am delinquent on my mortgage, do I still qualify for the Refinance Initiative?
No. But the good news is, you may qualify for the Modification Initiative. Contact the company you currently make payment at to discuss your situation and review your options.

I have both a first and a second mortgage. Do I still qualify to refinance under Making Home Affordable?
Maybe. As long as the amount due on the first mortgage is less than 125% of the value of the property, borrowers with more than one mortgage may be eligible for the Refinance Initiative.

Will refinancing lower my payments?
That depends. If your interest rate is much higher than the current market rate, you would likely see an immediate reduction in your payment amount.

However, lowering your monthly payments isn’t the only criteria to think about. If you have an adjustable mortgage (ARM) or are paying interest only on your mortgage, you may not see your payment go down. BUT… you will be able to avoid future mortgage payment increases and may save a great deal over the life of the loan.

What are the terms of the refinance and what will the interest rate be?
All loans refinanced under the plan will have a 30- or 15- year term with a fixed interest rate. The interest rate will be based on market rates at the time of the refinance. Currently, interest rates are at historical lows, which makes this a good time to examine your refinancing options.

Will refinancing reduce the amount that I owe on my loan?
No. Refinancing will not reduce the principal amount you owe. However, refinancing should save you money by reducing the amount of interest that you repay over the life of the loan.

Can I get cash out to pay other debts?
No. Only transaction costs, such as the cost of an appraisal or title report may be included in the refinanced amount.

How do I apply for the Special HARP Refinance Initiative in MN or WI?
Call 651-70-LOAN1 (651-705-6261) or E-mail us today to discuss your specific situation and to examine your options. If this plan is right for you, we can begin working on your refinance immediately. You can help us help you by filling out out ONLINE APPLICATION. Remember, we lend in MN and WI only.

As part of the discussion, we may need to look at the following information:

  • Recent pay stubs to help determine your gross (before tax) household income.
  • Your most recent income tax return.
  • Information about any second mortgage on your house.
  • Account balances and minimum monthly payments due on all of your credit cards.
  • Account balances and monthly payments on all other debts, such as student loans and car loans.

As always, if you have any questions or would like to discuss how this may specifically impact you, I’d be happy to sit down with you. Just call or E-Mail me to set up an appointment.

If you are a homeowner who is current on your mortgage payments but unable to refinance to a lower interest rate because your home value has decreased, you may be able to refinance.

Do I qualify for an Affordable Refinance? Answer these questions:

  • Is your home your primary residence?
  • Do you have a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loan? If you don’t know contact:
  • Are you current on your mortgage payments?
    • “Current” means that you haven’t been more than 30-days late on your mortgage payment in the last 12 months.
  • Do you believe that the amount you owe on your first mortgage is about the same or less than the current value of your house?

There are differences in Loan Officer qualifications. Know how to tell who you are working with

Is your Loan Officer Licensed, or simply registered? There is a BIG difference YOU need to understand

Recent changes to the lending industry requires all loan officers to have a tracking number, known as an NMLS number (Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry). It should be displayed on their business cards, E-Mail, web sites, all correspondence, and most loan documents.

The display of the NMLS number may make many believe the Loan Officer is licensed. Sadly, this isn’t true, and working with an unlicensed, untrained Loan Officer can cause you many headaches and hassles.

Simply put, Loan Officers at Banks, most Credit Unions, or Mortgage Companies owned by a bank are NOT REQUIRED to be licensed, take classes, pass any tests, take continuing education, or pass any state or federally mandated tests to be a Loan Officer!

CHECK YOUR LOAN OFFICER OUT on the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry at http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

My NMLS # is 274132

It is hard to determine if the Loan Officer is simply registered, versus licensed. When looking up a loan officer, you have to go to the bottom of their NMLS identification page and look under State Licenses/Registrations or Federal Registrationheading.

  • A LICENSED Loan Officer will say “State Licenses/Registrations” and will have one or more STATES listed with licensing information.
  • An UNLICENSED, but simply REGISTERED Loan Officer will say “Federal Registration” and the something like Federal Mortgage Loan Originator.

Who is Best? Banks, Brokers, or Direct Mortgage Lenders?

Now I am not trying to make this into a David versus Goliath story, but I am trying to emphasize the huge differences between Loan Officer training. As the new requirements have been rolling out across the country, many Loan Officers who have been unable to meet the new licensing and testing requirements, and especially those who have failed the new tests, have simply gone to the large banks to work.

Calling “1-800-Big-Bank” to get a loan??? YIKES. Here is a chart to show the differences:

SAFE ACT Loan Officers
(MLO’s)
Bank Loan Officers (RMLO’s)
Have Personal License Yes No
Registered in NMLS Yes Yes
FBI Background Yes No
Fingerprinted Yes No
Surety Bonded Yes No
Pre-Employment education Yes No
8 hours continuing education each year Yes No
Personal Credit checked Yes No
Pass Tough State Test Yes No
Pass Tough Federal Test Yes No
Complaint mechanism’s Yes No
Licensing fees and renewals Yes No
Loan Officer Designation MLO RMLO
NMLS = Nationwide Mortgage Lender System and Registry (Tracking Number)
MLO = Mortgage Loan Officer (Licensed and Trained)
RMLO = Registered Mortgage Loan Officer (simply registered)

I think the choice is clear. Who would YOU rather be working with on the largest financial transaction of your life? A fully trained, licensed, fingerprinted, and background checked Loan Officer – or the untrained, unlicensed, and simply registered Loan Officer at the bank?

The funny part is the cost for the service based on rates and fees are usually about the same, if not slightly cheaper in both rate and costs. Plus non-bank lenders usually close the loans faster, and have more knowledgeable and experienced Loan Officers.

The best S.A.F.E. ACT Loan Officer (non-Bank) analogy I can use is having a choice of working with an experienced CPA to do your taxes vs. you using Turbo Tax to do it yourself, but paying the same price.

Finally, THIS IS A CLEAR REASON why people should follow my #1 mortgage shopping rule: GOOGLE THE NAME OF YOUR LOAN OFFICER before allowing them to handle the largest financial transaction of your life!

USDA Rural Development loans to have PMI

USDA loans in MN and WIIt is hard to move the economy, and especially the housing market forward when they keep making it more difficult and expensive to buy a home..

The USDA Rural Housing Loan will implement a new Annual (monthly) Fee of 0.30% charged on all loans with a Conditional Commitment issued on or after October 1, 2011. This fee will be added to the borrower’s monthly payment and will remain for the life of the loan.

One of the (now former) great benefits of the Rural Development Loan was the lack of mortgage insurance.

The initial Annual Fee, for the first year of the loan, will be calculated based upon the guaranteed loan amount (initial loan). For the remaining years of the loan, the Annual Fee will be calculated on the average annual scheduled unpaid principal balance of the loan, not the actual unpaid principal balance.

The good news is the Upfront Guarantee Fee will be reduced from 3.5% to 2% for purchase transactions. This fee can be financed into the loan amount with an LTV up to 102% or paid in cash.

The Upfront Guarantee Fee for refinance transactions will remain at 1%.

FHA 203k fix up loan in MN

Found that dream home… but it needs a little work? Is it a fixer-upper?

The purchase of a house that needs repair is often a catch-22 situation, because the bank won’t lend the money to buy the house until the repairs are complete, and the repairs can’t be done until the house has been purchased.

The FHA 203(k) program can help you with the purchase or refinance of a property by allowing you to roll-in the costs of repairs and improvements up to 110% of the after improved value of the home with a minimum 3.5% down payment.

Download 203k handbook

 Who does 203k loans in MN?

.

FHA says “Don’t raise down payment requirements!”

FHA Argues Against Raising Downpayment

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is urging Congress not to raise the minimum downpayment on FHA mortgage loans, saying that downpayments are not the best indicator of loan defaults.

The current requirement is at least 3.5% of the purchase price for FHA downpayment.

Testifying before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity, Acting Assistant Secretary for Housing/FHA Commissioner Carol Galante warned that a legislative proposal to raise FHA’s minimum downpayment requirement to 5 percent would forestall recovery in the housing market and restrict access to credit for worthy borrowers…

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY

 

FHA Loan limit changes effective Oct 1, 2011

NEW FHA loan limit guidelines go into effect on Oct, 1, 2011. Don’t be caught
not knowing the new limits. Watch the video.

Click here to search County Loan Limits in Minnesota and Wisconsin and all of the country

FHA Mortgagee Letter explaining the changes

PASS THE WORD – Use the Twitter and Facebook buttons below!

Thoughts? Login and post