You can find our offices in the heart of East Naples at the lakefront community of Verona Walk. Located just up the road from I-75, Verona Walk is a staple of the beautiful Naples scenery as well as Gulf coast living.
You can find our offices in the heart of East Naples at the lakefront community of Verona Walk. Located just up the road from I-75, Verona Walk is a staple of the beautiful Naples scenery as well as Gulf coast living.
Make sure the lender’s timelines line up with your home buying goals. Understand when they will pull your credit score. Don’t open or close any accounts during that time, or take out credit for any other large purchases. Ideally, you should check your own credit score first to review for any errors or issues you’ll need to address that may negatively impact your credit score.
What information will your lender need to preapprove you for a home loan? Ask how long the preapproval will be valid. Typically, it’s for 60 – 90 days and can be updated as needed.
You never want to be the last to know. Ask how they will manage your loan process and all the steps along the way. Will you have an account representative who will inform you of updates? Do they offer an online system with notifications? Think about how you like to communicate and what works for your schedule.
Your minimum down payment will depend on the type of loan your lender recommends for you. Talk to your lender about what you have saved, how much you’d like to put down and your goals for a monthly payment.
The good news is that 20 percent down is not required today. Several loans today offer a 3 – 5 percent down payment. FHA loans, popular with first-time homebuyers, have a 3.5 percent minimum down payment. And, if you are a veteran or member of the military, you have access to VA loans which offer zero percent down. Most low down payment loans require a minimum credit score of 620.
There are nearly 2,500 homeownership programs available across the country that can help you save on your down payment and closing costs. State and local housing agencies administer a wide range of programs, including down payment grants, affordable first loans and tax credits. They develop and manage the program, review applications and approve lenders who can issue loans with these programs.
Most homebuyer programs have multiple participating lenders. Find out what special low down payment programs and accompanying down payment assistance programs they may offer. Some lenders offer they own proprietary down payment help as well.
Check out the programs available in your market and discuss with your lender and Realtor.
The first step in buying a house is determining your budget. Our mortgage calculator will show how much you can afford. Fill in the entry fields and click on the “Calculate” button to see a complete amortization schedule of the mortgage payments.
You would think a lending institution would be happy to get its money back early, but that’s not always the case. Believe it or not, you can be charged a penalty fee for paying off a personal loan early. Some banks and finance companies charge a fee to borrowers who pay off their personal loans before the end of the loan term.
If you have the opportunity to throw extra money at a loan and pay it off, find out first if your lender charges a prepayment penalty fee. Lenders charge these fees to mitigate prepayment risk, which means that if the borrower pays the loan off early, the lender will be deprived of future interest payments.
It’s generally a good time to refinance when mortgage rates are 2% lower than the current rate on your loan. It may be a viable option even if the interest rate difference is only 1% or less. Any reduction can trim your monthly mortgage payments. Example: Your payment, excluding taxes and insurance, would be about $770 on a $100,000 loan at 8.5%; if the rate were lowered to 7.5%, your payment would then be $700, now you’re saving $70 per month. Your savings depends on your income, budget, loan amount, and interest rate changes. Your trusted lender can help you calculate your options.
A point is a percentage of the loan amount, or 1-point = 1% of the loan, so one point on a $100,000 loan is $1,000. Points are costs that need to be paid to a lender to get mortgage financing under specified terms. Discount points are fees used to lower the interest rate on a mortgage loan by paying some of this interest up-front. Lenders may refer to costs in terms of basic points in hundredths of a percent, 100 basis points = 1 point, or 1% of the loan amount.
Yes, if you plan to stay in the property for a least a few years. Paying discount points to lower the loan’s interest rate is a good way to lower your required monthly loan payment, and possibly increase the loan amount that you can afford to borrow. However, if you plan to stay in the property for only a year or two, your monthly savings may not be enough to recoup the cost of the discount points that you paid up-front.
This is a common question but some people fail to find out. Your mortgage rate is so important. A difference in a fourth of one percentage point can cost you thousands of dollars a year.
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The annual percentage rate (APR) is an interest rate reflecting the cost of a mortgage as a yearly rate. This rate is likely to be higher than the stated note rate or advertised rate on the mortgage, because it takes into account points and other credit costs. The APR allows homebuyers to compare different types of mortgages based on the annual cost for each loan. The APR is designed to measure the “true cost of a loan.” It creates a level playing field for lenders. It prevents lenders from advertising a low rate and hiding fees.
The APR does not affect your monthly payments. Your monthly payments are strictly a function of the interest rate and the length of the loan.
Because APR calculations are effected by the various different fees charged by lenders, a loan with a lower APR is not necessarily a better rate. The best way to compare loans is to ask lenders to provide you with a good-faith estimate of their costs on the same type of program (e.g. 30-year fixed) at the same interest rate. You can then delete the fees that are independent of the loan such as homeowners insurance, title fees, escrow fees, attorney fees, etc. Now add up all the loan fees. The lender that has lower loan fees has a cheaper loan than the lender with higher loan fees.
The following fees are generally included in the APR:
The following fees are normally not included in the APR:
Mortgage rates can change from the day you apply for a loan to the day you close the transaction. If interest rates rise sharply during the application process it can increase the borrower’s mortgage payment unexpectedly. Therefore, a lender can allow the borrower to “lock-in” the loan’s interest rate guaranteeing that rate for a specified time period, often 30-60 days, sometimes for a fee.
Lenders charge origination and discount points in certain cases. A point is equal to a full percentage point.
1 point = 1%
For example: If your loan amount is $200,000 and you are being charged 1 point. The fee will be $2,000.
There are several different terms available for a mortgage loan. The 30 year fixed-rate mortgage is the most commonly used term. With a fixed-rate loan your monthly payment and interest rate will never change.
The 15 year fixed-rate mortgage is also available and will have a lower mortgage rate. However, the monthly payments will be higher, more of the payment goes towards the principle balance, saving you tens of thousands in interest.
An adjustable-rate mortgage loan has the lower initial interest rate. Typically an ARM (adjustable;e-rate mortgage) is a 5/1 ARM. The first 5 years of the mortgage will have a low interest rate, after the 5 year period the rate goes up annually. This option is good for borrowers planning on staying in the home for less than 5 years.
Below is a list of documents that are required when you apply for a mortgage. However, every situation is unique and you may be required to provide additional documentation. So, if you are asked for more information, be cooperative and provide the information requested as soon as possible. It will help speed up the application process.
Your Property
Your Income
If self-employed or receive commission or bonus, interest/dividends, or rental income:
If you will use Alimony or Child Support to qualify:
If you receive Social Security income, Disability or VA benefits:
Source of Funds and Down Payment
Debt or Obligations
Credit scoring is a system creditors use to help determine whether to give you credit. Information about you and your credit experiences, such as your bill-paying history, the number and type of accounts you have, late payments, collection actions, outstanding debt, and the age of your accounts, is collected from your credit application and your credit report. Using a statistical program, creditors compare this information to the credit performance of consumers with similar profiles. A credit scoring system awards points for each factor that helps predict who is most likely to repay a debt. A total number of points — a credit score — helps predict how creditworthy you are, that is, how likely it is that you will repay a loan and make the payments when due.
The most widely use credit scores are FICO scores, which were developed by Fair Isaac Company, Inc. Your score will fall between 350 (high risk) and 850 (low risk).
Because your credit report is an important part of many credit scoring systems, it is very important to make sure it’s accurate before you submit a credit application. To get copies of your report, contact the three major credit reporting agencies:
Equifax: (800) 685-1111
Experian (formerly TRW): (888) EXPERIAN (397-3742)
Trans Union: (800) 916-8800
These agencies may charge you up to $9.00 for your credit report.
You are entitled to receive one free credit report every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This free credit report may not contain your credit score and can be requested through the following website: https://www.annualcreditreport.com
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Credit scoring models are complex and often vary among creditors and for different types of credit. If one factor changes, your score may change — but improvement generally depends on how that factor relates to other factors considered by the model. Only the creditor can explain what might improve your score under the particular model used to evaluate your credit application.
Nevertheless, scoring models generally evaluate the following types of information in your credit report:
Scoring models may be based on more than just information in your credit report. For example, the model may consider information from your credit application as well: your job or occupation, length of employment, or whether you own a home.
To improve your credit score under most models, concentrate on paying your bills on time, paying down outstanding balances, and not taking on new debt. It’s likely to take some time to improve your score significantly.
An Appraisal is an estimate of a property’s fair market value. It’s a document generally required (depending on the loan program) by a lender before loan approval to ensure that the mortgage loan amount is not more than the value of the property. The Appraisal is performed by an “Appraiser” typically a state-licensed professional who is trained to render expert opinions concerning property values, its location, amenities, and physical conditions.
On a conventional mortgage, when your down payment is less than 20% of the purchase price of the home mortgage lenders usually require you get Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) to protect them in case you default on your mortgage. Sometimes you may need to pay up to 1-year’s worth of PMI premiums at closing which can cost several hundred dollars. The best way to avoid this extra expense is to make a 20% down payment, or ask about other loan program options.
Surprising as it may seem, some folks with hefty incomes find that it’s mighty tough for them to save enough money to make a 20% cash down payment on their dream homes. Using conventional financing, such buyers must purchase Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) which increases the cost of home ownership and, ironically, makes it even more difficult to qualify for the mortgage. However, if you’re a dues-paying member of the cash-challenged class, don’t despair. Given that your income is sufficiently high, it’s eminently possible to avoid getting stuck with PMI. That is why 80-10-10 financing was invented. It is called 80-10-10 because a savings and loan association, bank, or other institutional lender provides a traditional 80% first mortgage, you get a 10% second mortgage, and make a cash down payment equal to 10% of the home’s purchase price. By using this method, you are no longer obligated to take out PMI on your property.
The same principle applies if you can only afford to make a 5% down, 80-15-5 financing is also available. However, because a smaller cash down payment increases the lender’s risk of default, do not be surprised when you are asked to pay higher loan fees and a higher mortgage interest rate for 80-15-5 than you pay for 80-10-10.
The property is officially transferred from the seller to you at “Closing” or “Funding”.
At closing, the ownership of the property is officially transferred from the seller to you. This may involve you, the seller, real estate agents, your attorney, the lender’s attorney, title or escrow firm representatives, clerks, secretaries, and other staff. You can have an attorney represent you if you can’t attend the closing meeting, i.e., if you’re out-of-state. Closing can take anywhere from 1-hour to several depending on contingency clauses in the purchase offer, or any escrow accounts needing to be set up.
Most paperwork in closing or settlement is done by attorneys and real estate professionals. You may or may not be involved in some of the closing activities; it depends on who you are working with.
Prior to closing you should have a final inspection, or “walk-through” to insure requested repairs were performed, and items agreed to remain with the house are there such as drapes, lighting fixtures, etc.
In most states the settlement is completed by a title or escrow firm in which you forward all materials and information plus the appropriate cashier’s checks so the firm can make the necessary disbursement. Your representative will deliver the check to the seller, and then give the keys to you.