Tag Archives: Home Buying

3 Things You Should Never Hide from Your Mortgage Lender

Posted on by
Reply

You’re ready to apply for a mortgage. The process of meeting with a lender and a getting a mortgage can be very complicated, especially for first time homebuyers. To help with this process, here are a few things to consider being up front about from the very start.

Career changes

When handing out large loans, lenders look for employment stability and steady income; most will check your employment history and income throughout the mortgage application process. Therefore, it’s better to be straightforward from the beginning. Failing to do so may jeopardize your eligibility or cause other problems prior to closing.

Other loans

If you have taken out other large loans or made a big purchase before applying for your mortgage, your lender needs to be in the loop. Making these financial decisions will affect your mortgage as it increases your “debt-to-income ratio” or DTI. Having a high DTI will also result in a higher mortgage interest rate, which makes you riskier in the eyes of your lender. So, come clean about that new car or any other significant loans – because it may affect the type of mortgage you qualify for.

Large deposits

When applying for a mortgage, the lender will usually ask for two months’ worth of bank statements. If they notice you’ve made multiple large deposits of over $100 (that are not attributed to income from your job), it’s imperative you provide them with documentation explaining the source of the income. These large deposits can be deemed quite questionable during the underwriting process – so in order to avoid delays, be prepared with all necessary documentation.

Looking to buy a home in the Monmouth or Ocean County area? You saw our last four short financial solutions videos on the benefits of a First Financial mortgage, how First Financial works with our members’ lending needs, personalized service, and personalized loan options. Now check out our final video in this series: creative loan solutions. If you have questions about the mortgage process or don’t know how to get started, we are here for you. Contact the Loan Department at 732-312-1500, Option 4 or learn more about First Financial mortgages on our website.

*Subject to credit approval. A First Financial membership is required to obtain a mortgage and is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties in New Jersey. See Credit Union for details. Federally insured by NCUA.

 Article Source: Wendy Moody for CUInsight.com

Buying New Stuff and When to Spend

Posted on by
Reply

Sometimes, it’s just nice to buy new stuff. But when will we get the best deals? Here’s a look at some common purchases and the best times to buy them.

TVs: It seems like a new TV is on the wish list every couple of years, and there’s no time better to make that purchase than the holiday shopping season. Your best chance would be a Black Friday sale, but decent deals usually run throughout November.

Furniture: New furniture is typically debuted in February and August, which makes January and July the best times to get a deal. Stores need room on the showroom floors, and you can take advantage of this need by helping them make some room.

Appliances: As the holidays approach, stores are eager to get old models out of the way to clear space for new arrivals. Take advantage of these savings and you get yourself some new appliances in September and October, just in time for Thanksgiving and the holidays.

Carpet: If you’re looking to outfit your home a with a new dance floor, the best time to do that is after the holiday season, usually mid-December until the end of January. Just make sure you don’t wait too late. Once the middle of February rolls around, tax returns start arriving and the sales cease.

Mattresses: As spring rolls around, the mattress industry uses Memorial Day weekend as their big push to clear out merchandise. Most holiday weekends will provide a deal, but Memorial Day weekend is the usually the best for your wallet.

A new car: So you’re tired of that old ride, huh? Sometimes you need a new car, sometimes you just want one. It’s fine to start looking – but you may want to wait until late summer to pull your wallet out. As dealerships start rolling out new models, it’s a great time to buy something from the previous year’s release. It also doesn’t hurt to shop on a less busy weekday near the end of the month to help salesmen pad their quotas.

A new home: If you’re buying a new home, you’ll want to look in the fall and winter. This is when you’ll find your best deals, especially in October, before the end of the year. Nothing would make a seller happier than unloading that property in time for the holidays.

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com

5 Tips for Buying Your First Home

Posted on by
Reply

Mixed race couple in new home

With U.S. mortgage rates near all-time lows, the appeal of purchasing a home has become much more enticing. For those who currently own, those lower rates mean looking into refinancing options to lock in lower rates; for those who rent, this may provide a nice entrance into home ownership.

According to the most recent National Association of Realtors® Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends report, the demographics of first-time homebuyers has shifted over the last century. The current median age sits around 29, with over 65 percent of homebuyers under the age of 34.

Below are five tips, catering specifically for older Millennials who are looking to plunge into homeownership for the first time.

1. Have Stable Employment and a Robust Savings Account

Your financial security is of the utmost importance when looking into any large purchase. If you are unsure of the likelihood that your job and a steady paycheck will be there in 6, 12, or 36 months, you need to step back and logically assess how probable it is you can keep afloat while paying off a home for the next 30 years.

As with any basic personal finance advice, it is wise to have a substantial savings account. Particularly for large purchases such as homes, making sure there is a financial cushion to fall back on in case of unthinkable circumstances should be a determining factor when you are looking for your first home.

2. Understand and Adhere to Budgeting Strategies

If money management is not a strong suit, it will pay off to get down to business and take the time to invest in your financial literacy. Without basic financial know-how, taking on a loan for hundreds of thousands of dollars might not be a wise move for your long-term financial portfolio. Make sure you understand exactly what you are getting yourself into, how you will afford payments in the years ahead, and how you will handle unplanned financial obstacles.

3. Have a Healthy Credit Report and Know How to Handle It Responsibly

When applying for home loans, a healthy credit score is your MVP. Without stellar credit, you could find yourself paying far more than you should. Take the time to make sure your credit tells a story of a financially responsible individual, and you are bound to see the rewards.

Remember: Your credit reflects who you are to lenders. It’s a snapshot into how you have handled credit in the past and provides an educated guess as to how you will act financially in the future.

4. Understand Loan Approvals

It’s easy to become swept away by the glamour of home shopping. The excitement and possibilities can lead to pricy immediate gratification, instead of financially sound judgments. It is incredibly tempting to look at approval amounts as permission to push your budget, particularly when submitting loan applications and receiving approvals. Simply because a lender says you can borrow a certain amount, does not mean it is the wisest decision. Approvals are meant to be guidelines and firm upper limits, not excuses to push your budgeting envelope beyond its comfort zone.

Ashland University Professor of Finance and CFP® Terry Rumker says, “You should decide how much you are willing to spend each month on your home — principal, interest, insurance, and taxes combined — and then figure out how much money you are willing to borrow. Not how much a bank is willing to lend.”

5. Critically Assess the 20% Down Payment Rule and See if it Makes Sense for You

While the debate on how much to put down on a home purchase has been going on for decades, with the most frequently touted advice being that 20 percent is the golden rule, contracts can go forward with less — much less — brought to the table. Decide what fits best with your budget and if you would be okay paying (and affording) Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), which could add possibly a couple hundred onto your mortgage payment on a monthly basis until you have paid that 20%.

Stop into any First Financial branch and we can help you with your home buying journey. We provide great low rates and offer a variety of Mortgage options – to speak with First Financial’s lending department, call us at 732.312.1500, option 4.* 

To receive updates on our low mortgage rates straight to your mobile phone, text FIRSTRATE to 69302 and each time our mortgage rates change, we’ll send you a text message with the new rates.** We’re here to help you achieve your financial dreams!

*A First Financial membership is required to obtain a mortgage and is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties. Subject to credit approval. Credit worthiness determines your APR. **Standard text messaging and data rates may apply.

Article Source: Rebecca Sheppard for Benzinga.com

5 Foolish Mistakes First-Time Home Buyers Make

Posted on by
1

buying-house-without-realtor

Buying a home is exciting, especially when you’re buying for the first time. In the midst of all of the excitement, it’s easy to become blinded by beautiful back-splashes, granite and quartz counter tops, hardwood floors, and fenced-in backyards. While looking at homes that are completely perfect from top to bottom, you may begin to rationalize a larger purchase than you had originally planned for — “This house is perfect for me; it’s worth $50,000 extra dollars for me to have a house with enough space in a perfect location,” or “We were planning on spending a little bit of money on painting; we can spend $50,000 extra on this house because it doesn’t need any work.” These are some common mistakes first-time homebuyers often make – so be careful to avoid them if you are about to buy your first home.

1. Overspending

Before you even look at a single property, you need to know exactly how much you can afford. We have several online financial calculators you can use, but these tools are only estimates. Use these tools as a guide, but then adjust the amount based on your individual situation. How much is your current rent payment? Did you meet that payment each month with ease, or was it a bit of a struggle each month? The payment you can afford right now is a good indicator of what you’ll be able to afford in your new home.

Meet with a lender and get pre-approved for an amount you can afford. Also, keep in mind that it’s always better to lean towards a lower amount, rather than a higher amount. You do not have to use the entire amount you’re pre-approved for. Once you know how much you have to work with, then and only then should you start your house hunt.

2. Counting chickens before they hatch.

When determining how much mortgage you can afford, base this amount on what you are earning today. That is, the income that you and your spouse earn from stable sources. If you’re in your last year of law school, for instance, don’t assume that you will be earning much more money in a year or two, so you can afford a larger payment. If your wife is expecting a big promotion, don’t base your mortgage payment off of her potential salary increase. No one can predict the future, and although you may very well be in a better financial situation a year down the road, there is no guarantee.

3. Failing to account for closing costs, property taxes, HOA, and homeowner’s insurance.

When you rent a home, you generally only have one payment — rent — and then maybe renter’s insurance, which is optional. When you buy a place, your mortgage payment is only the beginning of an array of costs. Homeowner’s association fees can be as low as $0 or as high as a few hundred dollars per month, depending on where you live and the amenities and services offered.

Homeowners insurance and property taxes very based on your geographic location. Florida has notoriously high homeowner’s insurance rates, where they average $161.08 per month. In Idaho and Wisconsin, rates are a bit lower, averaging below $50 per month, according to Value Penguin. Property taxes average higher in New Jersey, New Hampshire, Texas and Wisconsin and they’re lower in Louisiana, Hawaii, and Alabama.

Then on top of all of those costs, if your down payment is less than 20 percent of the selling price, you may end up paying an additional cost — private mortgage insurance (PMI) — which is basically insurance for the lender in case you default on your loan. At the end of it all, your $800 mortgage payment can easily turn into a $1,200 house payment.

4. Failing to protect yourself with home inspections, contingency clauses, etc.

During your house hunt, you may find a house that looks great at first glance. Then, as you walk through a few of the rooms, you notice problems with the house — maybe the floors squeak or the kitchen island is off-centered. After walking through the house, you come to realize that someone simply put lipstick on a pig, and this house is in questionable shape.

Home inspections provide you with some protection. The inspector will be able to find problems that you can’t and you want to know these problems before you sign on. “The seller isn’t likely to tell you there’s mold in the basement or the walls are poorly insulated,” reports MSN.

Contingency clauses also offer a form of protection. “A mortgage financing contingency clause protects you if, say, you lose your job and the loan falls through or the appraisal price comes in over the purchase price. Should one of these events occur, the buyer gets back the money used to secure the property. Without the clause, the buyer can lose that money and still be obligated to buy the house,” explains Justin Lopatin, a mortgage planner with American Street Mortgage Co.

5. Being too naive or too paranoid.

Some first-time home buyers are naive. Overly optimistic, they think nothing could possibly go wrong. If a home has a few problems, they view them as easy fixes and are unrealistic when it comes to the cost and time it takes to fix up the home. Some naive buyers will move to a neighborhood on the wrong side of town, forgetting that you can fix up a house, but you can’t change your neighborhood or location without moving.

Paranoid buyers can be difficult to work with. They may not believe the price is an accurate assessment of the house’s market value. They may submit low offers which can be consistently rejected. Paranoid buyers may not trust real-estate agents, and may even try to buy their home without an agent, which is generally an unwise choice.

Stop into any First Financial branch and we can help you with your home buying journey. We provide great low rates and offer a variety of Mortgage options – to speak with First Financial’s lending department, call us at 866.750.0100 option 4.* 

To receive updates on our low mortgage rates straight to your mobile phone, text FIRSTRATE to 69302 and each time our mortgage rates change, we’ll send you a text message with the new rates.** We’re here to help you achieve your financial dreams!

*A First Financial membership is required to obtain a mortgage and is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties. Subject to credit approval. Credit worthiness determines your APR. **Standard text messaging and data rates may apply.

Original article source by Erika Rawes of Wall St. Cheat Sheet.

 

The Hidden Costs of Buying a Home

Posted on by
Reply

American home with three car garageYou’re looking for a house and see the perfect listing. And it has a big number on it, say $300,000. If you’re like most prospective homeowners, you imagine you will soon be talking to a lender and getting a loan for this amount.

But as veteran homebuyers may already know, you are going to pay much more than $300,000.

Yes, almost everything we buy has a hidden cost. You buy a toothbrush for a few dollars, and since you’ll have to purchase toothpaste, the ownership cost of a toothbrush is more than $2 – especially if you throw in a toothbrush holder. Obviously, the hidden costs of buying a house are far more complex. And if you aren’t prepared for them, you may come away from the experience feeling as if you’ve had the wind knocked out of you.

So if you’re thinking of buying your first house, be alert and prepared for these hidden costs that you need to keep in mind:

Home inspection costs. Before you close on a house, your mortgage insurer may require a home inspection, which can run several hundred dollars. But even if an inspection is not required, it’s worth paying a professional to evaluate the house so you can avoid spending hundreds of thousands on a train wreck disguised as a house.

Survey costs. Your lender may want you to have a professional survey of the property, so everyone knows exactly where your land’s boundaries are. That’s another several hundred dollars.

Taxes. You probably know you’re going to be paying taxes, but it can be easy to forget that you’ll likely need to pre-pay those taxes at closing. At the beginning of your mortgage, it can be a shock when you’re saddled with paying a couple months’ worth of property taxes, maybe a year’s worth of homeowner’s insurance, and possibly homeowner’s association dues as well.

Fees. Maclyn Clouse, a finance professor at the Reiman School of Finance at the University of Denver, rattles off a list of fees you may also pay at closing:

  • Government recording charges: The cost for state and local governments to record your deed, mortgage, and loan documents.
  • Appraisal fee: The cost for an appraiser to decide how much your house is worth.
  • Credit report fee: Your lender had to pay to get your credit report, so oftentimes you will cover that cost.
  • Title services and lender’s title insurance: Fees related to your home’s title.
  • Flood life of the loan fee: The government tracks changes in your property’s flood zone status, you’ll pay a small fee.
  • Tax service fee: Another pretty minor fee – this service ensures the taxes previously paid on the house are up to date (if your home was previously owned).
  • Lender’s origination fee: The charge for processing your loan application.

Moving costs. Will you be gathering friends and family to help you move your furniture and possessions into your home, or do you need a moving truck? Don’t forget about the cost of movers, if you are hiring them.

Total cost of ownership. Someone will have to mow the lawn with the mower you’re fated to buy, or you’ll hire a service. You’ll also probably need furniture and maybe a major appliance, like a washing machine. Even paint and paint supplies costs money and adds up quicker than you think.

Be ready for anything. Some houses (previously owned) come with propane or oil tanks, and at closing buyers have been asked to reimburse the sellers for the fuel remaining in the tank – in certain cases.

Looking for a mortgage? Check out First Financial’s mortgages, featuring great rates and low fees. We also have a 10 year mortgage as well – great for refinancing! 

First Financial also offers a Mortgage Rate Text Messaging Service so you can receive updates on our low Mortgage Rates straight to your mobile phone. To be a part of the program, text FIRSTRATE to 69302 and each time our Mortgage Rates change, we’ll send you a text message with the new rates.

*Standard text messaging and data rates may apply.

Article Source – Geoff Williams of Money.USNews.com: http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2014/03/12/the-hidden-costs-of-buying-a-home

8 Outside-the-Box Ways to Find a Home

Posted on by
Reply

1-waiting-to-buyFinding the perfect home for your needs, wants and budget can be a challenge even when mortgage rates are low and there are plenty of properties for sale. But when fewer homes are on the market, buyers and their real estate agents must find creative ways to maneuver around the competition.

According to the National Association of Realtors, while inventory levels recently rose, the supply of non-distressed homes remains well below normal.

If low inventory makes your search a challenge, you need to be willing to think outside the box.  Here are just a few ways to do so!

#1: Set up an alert system.

“We always set up our buyers with daily automatic emails and text alerts with new listings based on their criteria from the past 24 hours,” says Russ Murray, broker/owner of Buyer’s Resource Real Estate.

“When the market is highly competitive, we’re proactively searching for new listings multiple times a day, and in the process of transitioning to a system that can give us and our clients immediate alerts when a property is listed.”

Make sure your real estate agency has a similar system in place in your area.  If not, you’ll want to specifically search for an agent who can accomplish this for you.

#2: Contact those who bought during the downturn.

Many realtors will search their database for past clients who bought when the market was down in 2008 and 2009, and will call and update them on current market conditions and ask if they’re interested in selling now that prices have increased.

#3: Target rentals.

You or your real estate agent may also contact landlords of rental properties to see if they would be interested in selling. You may never know if you don’t ask!

#4: Write a letter.

Frank Llosa, broker/owner of FranklyRealty.com, says he writes letters to homeowners in specific areas where his buyers want to live.

“About two percent of the homeowners we contact via letter – end up deciding to sell,” he says. Llosa suggests asking neighbors who are walking their dogs about potential sellers too.

“Dog walkers know everything,” he says. “They may have seen a photographer at the house or a landscaper getting a place ready to go on the market.”

#5: “Make Me Move” listings.

Buyers can search by zip code on Zillow.com for “Make Me Move” listings where homeowners who are testing the market put up an above-market price to see if buyers are interested. Llosa recommends contacting those owners to see if their price is firm or they’re willing to negotiate.

#6: Sign up on PreMLS.com.

There may be a social media group in your area for members who share information about listings before they go on the open market.  Look for these types of groups and join them, or have your agent look into a group like this as an additional option to assist you.

Llosa has seen that “some agents let buyers see a home before it goes on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and others tend to just alert people so they can see it on the first day.”

#7: FSBOs (For Sale By Owner).

A variety of websites including Zillow.com, ForSalebyOwner.com, iGoFSBO.com and Craigslist, allow you to search by zip code to find for-sale-by-owner homes. ForSalebyOwner.com has an app for smart phone users to search for homes in addition to their website too.

#8: Forget single-family homes.

Look into switching your selection from a single-family home to a townhouse, or look for a home that needs some work.  This may be easier to obtain, and you might even like it better in the long run!  Keep your options open.

If you have any questions about the home buying process, feel free to ask us!  We know it can be an intimidating process at times, and we’re here for you.  To learn more about our 10, 15, or 30 year First Financial Mortgages – click here.* 

You might also want to subscribe to our Mortgage rate text message service, by texting “firstrate” to 69302.  When our Mortgage rates change, you’ll be the first to know**

Click here to view the article source by Michelle Lerner of FOX Business.

* A First Financial membership is required to obtain a mortgage and is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties.  Subject to credit approval. See Credit Union for details.

**Standard text messaging and data rates may apply.

equal%20housing%20lender%20logo-resized-600