Sarasota Mortgage Rates | The Mortgage Skinny

Taking the step into home ownership is one of the most important financial decisions a person will make in their lifetime. There are many factors to consider when embarking on this venture. Literally hundreds of loan programs are available, and it is important to find the one that best fits your personal long-term goals.

First and foremost, you must have a mortgage planner in your corner that is willing to take the time to know what your long-term goals are. Communication is the key factor here.

Curious prospective home buyers sometimes turn to Internet-based services just to see what current interest rates are. But a faceless web site will not take the prospect’s future financial planning into consideration or guide the potential borrower through the many nuances of the loan process. When shopping for a home loan, be wary of web-based services that offer programs to reel prospects in with attractive rates that are based upon unrealistic time frames.

If a lender is offering a terrific rate based on a 10-day lock-in period, it is unlikely that the potential home owner would actually be able to find their dream home, get through the negotiation process and win approval from a lender within such a short period of time. This is called short-pricing, and when it comes time to close the transaction, Read the rest of this entry »

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Happy Valentines Day! What better way to start off this day of spending on flowers, cards, chocolates and more, than to talk about saving yourself from disaster and putting more dollars into your bank account? Do you have an ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage) where the payment is fluctuating each month? Or you have an ARM product that will begin adjusting shortly? Now is the time to think about refinancing into that secure fixed rate mortgage… I don’t know anyone who is comfortable in not knowing what their next payment is going to be…

In 2004, the Federal Reserve made it clear that short-term interest rates would be increased at a “measured pace” because of a fluctuating US Dollar, unstable oil prices and an evaluation of other economic indicators. In an effort to curb inflation, the Federal Reserve has kept its word and continued to raise rates, including one incredible streak of 17 consecutive hike announcements following meetings of the FOMC.  The last two meetings they were able to hold off on the hikes but each meeting causes nail biting.

As a result of these interest rate increases, millions of homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages will feel the sting of corresponding increases in their annual adjustments. Consumers with revolving debt accounts tied to the prime rate have already felt the impact, as the prime rate always rides 3% above the current Fed Funds Rate.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Credit remediation is a subject consumers often face with fear and trepidation, and for good reason. With the exception of recognizing that the best score wins, the average home shopper knows very little about the whole credit scoring process. Sub-prime borrowers who are eager to move into A-Paper territory often find themselves at a loss when trying to find ways to upgrade their credit history. The good news is there are ways to improve less-than-perfect credit scores and obtain a loan for the home you really want.
 
The first step in the process is making sure that you have a current copy of your credit report. Congress recently amended the Fair Credit Reporting Act so that consumers may now receive one free credit report annually. There are three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. Since entries can vary across bureaus, you’ll want to request a free report from each of the three companies. (Go to www.annualcreditreport.com)

It’s also important to know just what a good credit score is. Most A-Paper scores generally begin around 680, although this number may differ slightly among lenders. Don’t despair if you come up shy, there is always room for improvement. Increasing your score just 5 points can save a significant amount of money. Read the rest of this entry »

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Consumers interested in purchasing or refinancing a home will pay an interest rate based on current market conditions and their ability to pay back the loan. The borrower’s income and debt ratios are taken into consideration by the lender, as well as the predictability factor provided by credit scoring. It’s important to have a mortgage professional in your corner that has a keen eye for solutions to improving credit scores in an effort to get the best interest rate possible.

Interest rates associated with various loan programs are broken down into schedules based on credit score ratings. While each lender has its own guidelines, it’s safe to assume that as the consumer’s credit score goes down, interest rates will go up.

A borrower with an outstanding credit rating will get what is called an A-paper loan. This type of borrower is rewarded with a lower interest rate because they have a proven track record of using credit sensibly and paying their bills on time. Read the rest of this entry »

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There is a great debate within the inner-mortgage circles these days. Should we, as loan professionals, encourage clients to borrow as much money as possible? Or would consumers benefit more if we helped them to understand the advantages of 15-year amortization schedules and pre-paying principal? Let’s examine the pros and cons of both strategies.

Leveraging Your Property. In order to understand why you’d want to borrow as much as possible for your home purchase, you must first grasp the concept that equity has a zero rate of return. Here’s an example:
 
If Consumer “A” buys a home for $300,000, and puts 20% down, then they have $60,000 in equity. Over the next 5 years, the property appreciates $100,000 in value. Consumer “A” now has $160,000 in equity.
 
Consumer “B” buys a home for $300,000, and puts no money down. At the end of 5 years, that same home is now worth $400,000. Consumer “B” has $100,000 in equity, which is the same appreciation as Consumer “A”, a net $100,000. Read the rest of this entry »

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Few things are more exciting than signing a contract to purchase a home. After the excitement dies down, though, many homeowners are often discouraged by the complexity of the mortgage application process.

But applying for a mortgage doesn’t have to be a complicated and cumbersome process. These five steps can help the mortgage application process run smoother, faster, and more efficiently.

1. Know your credit score. Your credit score is the most important factor in determining what type of mortgage you may qualify for and what your interest rate will be, so it’s something you should obtain early in the process. In general, an ideal score is anything above 680, while a score below 620 may result in higher interest rates and tougher loan programs. But don’t fret, there are loads of programs for the credit challenged borrowers.

2. Prepare the paperwork and other necessary documentation. When you meet with your mortgage loan officer, you’ll typically need to bring the following: Read the rest of this entry »

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