What Buyers Need to Avoid Doing! | RealtyGo_blog

What Buyers Need to Avoid Doing!  | RealtyGo_blog

I keep on saying it and I’ll say it again….  The Mortgage Industry has gone back to the future.  Underwriters are looking at loan applications the old way.  They are looking at everything.

A 780 FICO score, money in the bank and job . . . Not too long ago if a buyer had two out of three of these,  they were almost guaranteed a loan approval.  Not any more.

Underwriters are looking at the contents of that credit report, they are looking at the source of the money in those bank accounts, they are looking at the pay checks and tax returns even if the buyer is a salaried employee.

Make sure your clients are prepared and well counseled.  Preparation and proper expectations will cure 90 percent of the problems and delays buyers are having in today’s mortgage market.

Below is a list of “rules” all mortgage applicants should follow.  It will make their life easier and yours.  The only call we want to hear the week of closing is,  “Docs are at title and the wire has been ordered.”

Share this with all your clients regardless of who they are.

Things you should avoid before and after making application for your mortgage

Congratulations! You finally found the house of your dreams. Your offer has been accepted by the seller, you have been pre-approved for the mortgage. It looks like you’ll qualify. The closing is only weeks away, and you’re feeling pretty good. It’s smooth sailing from here, right? Probably….

… However, more than one buyer has had the wind knocked out of his sails at some point in a real estate transaction by the mis-steps described below. If at all possible, steer clear of the following until AFTER you have gone to settlement.

These suggestions are merely that—suggestions. No one is saying, flat out, that bad things will necessarily follow if you do any of the below.  They are offered as cautions. Many buyers seem to view the mortgage application procedure as a static action, a snap shot of their financial lives at a given moment in time. It’s not. It’s an on-going process that takes into account everything you do right up until the day of closing.

• Do not take on new debt. The temptation is strong. There are so many big purchases that people want to make in connection with a move: appliances, window treatments, furniture, etc. When you add to this the fact that, today, everyone offers easy terms and no money down—well, why not just do it? Answer: because you will change what the mortgage industry calls your “debt-to-income ratios” (the relationship of your income to your debt).
• Do not move money. In preparing for payment required at closing you may be tempted to consolidate accounts.  Contact  me before you move your money.  We may require additional documentation and verification of those accounts.  Trying to re-trace your steps can be confusing and delay the process.
• Do not make unusual deposits into your accounts.  Unusual or irregular deposits could indicate undisclosed debts.  The underwriter will need to know and document the source of those funds. If you do have an odd deposit, make copies of all the documents so that it is easily sourced.
• Do not change jobs. If at all possible, try not to make a career move during the time between your mortgage application and the closing on the home you are purchasing. But, you ask, “What if it’s a BETTER job, for MORE money, in the SAME field?” Still, try and wait until AFTER closing. One of the factors mortgage companies consider is length of present employment; they are partial to stability. At the very least, changing jobs initiates the need for more paperwork, and may delay your closing.
• Do not pack too soon. Well, go ahead and pack your clothes and dishes. But do not pack your bank statements, tax returns, or other important paperwork. Most especially, do not pack your checkbook! More than one buyer has had closing delayed while a friend or relative hurried over with additional funds because the checkbook was in the moving van.
• Do not lease a new car. This should go under the general heading of “no new debt.” It is highlighted here because, for some strange reason, many buyers do run right out and lease a new car during the time between mortgage application and closing! As with any debt, this will change your “debt-to-income ratios” and may cause you not to qualify for your mortgage.
• Do not sell something unless you have proof you owned it. This can go under odd deposits.  Discuss this with me before you sell.

In short, do nothing that negatively impacts your ability to qualify for your mortgage loan, or initiates a new round of paperwork. If you have any doubts about doing something that may affect your ability to qualify for your mortgage loan, please consult me  before you do it.

Special thanks to Nino Pascale for this email article!

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10 important documents you need to prepare, when buying or selling a home | RealtyGo_blog

Home buyers and -sellers alike often burst with anticipatory irritation at the mere thought of  paperwork their expected to complete in order to satisfy a transaction, above and beyond the basic loan application, contract, disclosures and closing docs. These little nuisances start way in advance; it’s as though, before they even start visiting open houses, buyers begin to visualize – and dread – spending hours upon hours searching through records and old files, seeking forgotten and/or boxed up documents.

The experience of obtaining a home loan is usually dreaded by most, – there are oodles of hoops through which to jump and, occasionally, the loan underwriter requests something sort of bizarre. But more commonly, there’s a pretty finite universe of documents you’ll really need to scrounge up to get your home bought – or sold. however their is a lighter side, since half the home buyers in the nation last year were first time home buyers they haven’t yet experienced such document digging or hustle and bustle of getting all their proper paper work together. So here is a few things to keep you, as their Agent/Broker on your feet, and your clients prepared for getting their desired real estate transaction closed.

1. ID (e.g., driver’s license, state-issued ID, passport).  Who must produce it?  Buyers and sellers.  Why?  Lender wants to know that you are who you say you are, buyers, and the title insurance company wants to make sure, sellers, that you actually have the right to sell the home.  Funny enough, this commonly goes unrequested until you get to the closing table, when the notary requests to see it before signing, but some mortgage brokers and even some real estate brokers and agents may ask to see it earlier on.
2. Paycheck Stubs.  Who must produce them?  Any buyer financing their purchase with a mortgage.  Sellers, usually only will need to in the case of a short sale.  Why? Buyers’ purchase price ranges are determined, in part, by their income. And short sellers have to prove an economic hardship.
3. Two months’ bank account statements. Who must produce them?  Buyers getting financing; sellers selling short. Why? Buyers’ lenders now require proof of regular income and proof that the down payment money is your own.  Short sellers?  It’s all about the hardship.
4. Two years’ W-2 forms or tax returns. Who must produce them?  Mortgage-seeking buyers and short selling sellers. Why? Banks want to see a stable, long-term income. They also limit you to claiming as income the amount of which you pay taxes (attn: all business owners!). And in short sales, again, they want documentation of every single facet of your finances.
5. Updated everything! Who must produce it? Buyer/mortgage applicants. Why? Because things change, and because the time period between the first loan application and closing can be many months – even years! – in today’s market. During the time between contract and closing it’s not at all unusual for underwriters to demand buyers produce updated mortgage statements, checks stubs, and such – and its quite common for them to call your office the day before closing to request a last minute verification of employment! So advise your constituents not to go out and apply for that furniture loan new line of credit, in celebration of their new home, until after all the papers have been signed, sealed and delivered and title has handed over the keys.
6. Quitclaim deed. Who must produce it?  Married buyers purchasing homes they plan to own as separate property.  Married sellers selling homes that they own separately, or joint owners selling their interests separately.  Why? With the Quitclaim Deed, the other spouse or owner signs any and all interests they even might have had in the property over to the selling owner, making it possible for the title insurer to guarantee clean, undisputed title will be transferred at the time of sale.
7. Divorce decree.  Who must produce it? Buyers and sellers who need to document their solo status or the property-splitting terms of their divorce. Why? Again, to ensure that the seller has the right to sell.  Recently single buyers might need to prove that they shouldn’t be held accountable for their ex’s separate debts or credit report dings.
8. Gift letters.  Who must produce them? Buyers using gift money toward their down payment. Why? The bank wants to be sure the gift came from a relative, and is their own money to give.  They also want the relative to confirm in writing that it’s a gift, not a loan – a loan would need to be factored into your debt to income ratio, which generally affects your interest rate.
9. Compliance certificates. Who must produce them? Usually sellers, but sometimes buyers, by contract. Why? Some local governments require various condition requirements be met before the property is transferred, like some cities which require a sewer line be video scoped and repaired, cities which require a checklist of items to be met before a certificate of occupancy will be issued (usually relevant to brand new and  older homes, the latter of which are often subject to lead paint concerns) and energy conservation ordinances which require low-flow toilets and shower heads to be installed. Ask a real estate professional for advice about which, if any, such ordinances apply in your area.
10. Mortgage statements. Who must produce them?  Any seller with a mortgage. Why? the escrow holder or title company will need to use them to order payoff demands from any mortgage holder who has to get paid before the property’s title can be transferred.

By no means is this an exhaustive list.  Agents: what documents do you see buyers and sellers struggle to produce during their home buying transactions? If we have left out some common documents that you have been seeing lately, please jot down a few words below to let others know. Thanks for Reading.

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