Correct Planning for Your Mortgage Application

With good preparation, most things are easier. That works in mortgages too! Today, I want to give you some ideas that can make your mortgage experience less painful.

Income Items:

1.       Gather your documents. Today, many people will have to produce 2 years’ complete tax returns, including W2′s, 1099′s, K1′s, and all the schedules, as well as a month’s worth of pay stubs.

2.      Be prepared to explain them. Deductions in your returns and your pay stubs may impact the income your lender will use to qualify you which, in turn, has a big impact on the loan you will get.

3.      Have a breakdown of base pay versus overtime for both your pay stubs and 2 years’ W2′s. Lenders treat overtime (and bonus income) differently than your base pay. Be prepared to explain any changes over the last few years because your loan officer will ask you about it.

Asset Items:

1.      Start accumulating your bank statements. Lenders look back 3 months from when you sign your contract of sale.

2.      You will have to explain any and all large deposits (which are defined as deposits greater than your regular pay check) because lenders want to make sure you haven’t taken out any new loans that aren’t on your credit report.

3.      Avoid any significant cash deposits. However, if you did have a cash deposit, understand that the lender will have you source it (a bill of sale and DMV receipt for that motorcycle, for example).

4.      If you will be receiving a gift, consult your loan officer on how to document it (from the donor’s ability to how you deposit it).

Credit Items:

1.       Ask your loan officer to run your credit and go over it with them. Believe it or not, most credit reports contain errors. Best to identify them and get working on correcting them as early as possible.

2.      Do what you can to pay down your balances to under 30% of available credit to help you get the best score possible.

3.      Do NOT close accounts or pay off collection accounts without discussing it with your loan officer. Either one of these logical moves can actually have a negative impact on your score.

When buying a home, remember the Boy Scout motto, “Be prepared”. Following these suggestions will make your loan approval easier and less stressful.

Please Calm Down – The Market IS Recovering

It didn’t take long for the naysayers in real estate to jump all over the National Association of Realtors’ Existing Sales Report which was released last week. It is true that sales were down 2.6% from the previous month. However, monthly variations should not be the determining factor in deciding where the market is going. For example, in the same report, NAR explained that sales WERE UP 5.2% over last March’s numbers.

The experts should look at the key underlying data that truly determines where the market will be heading. Here is what leading economists in the housing industry are saying:

Paul Diggle, property economist, Capital Economics

“March’s decline in existing home sales probably reflects the normal month by month volatility rather than renewed underlying weakness. The increase in households’ confidence in the outlook for the housing market, coupled with a gradual improvement in the pace of the economic recovery, should drive a rise in home sales later this year….It is possible that the pattern within the quarter has been driven by the weather, with falls in the most recent two months reflecting a degree of payback after January’s gain.” 

Doug Duncan, chief economist, Fannie Mae

“Conditions are coming together to encourage people to want to buy homes. Americans’ rental price expectations for the next year continue to rise, reaching their record high level for our survey this month. With an increasing share of consumers expecting higher mortgage rates and home prices over the next 12 months, some may feel that renting is becoming more costly and that homeownership is a more compelling housing choice.”

Celia Chen, senior director of housing economics, Moody’s

“The residential property market is recovering, as the factors underlying demand and supply strengthen. Even after accounting for unusual seasonal patterns brought on by the unusually warm winter, conditions have not been this strong since the government ended homebuyer tax credits in 2010.”

Mark Vitner, senior economist, Wells Fargo

“Existing home sales dropped 2.6 percent, but are up 5.2 percent from a year ago. While existing sales are down for the second consecutive month, we are likely continuing to see payback from increases earlier this year. That said, we could see one more month of disappointing data, but we still contend the recent declines are not indicative of the trend. Stabilization will become more apparent once we return to normal weather.”

Mark Fleming, chief economist, CoreLogic

“Since the peak in home prices, mortgages rates have declined and affordability has risen dramatically. Housing affordability is at levels not seen since prior to the early 1990s …While real estate professionals often say that “now is a good time to buy,” it is clear today that April 2006 was probably not a good time to buy, while now may well be the time.”

What It Means To Be an ‘EXPERT’ in Real Estate

If you are either buying or selling a home in today’s market, you need a real estate expert. However, we must realize what the term ‘expert’ actually means. An expert in any area cannot give perfect advice as no one can predict the future. But they can give excellent advice based on their insight into their field.

If you go to an attorney with a legal challenge, he/she will look over your case and give you your options. They realize they cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the options. Still, they give the best advice possible and allow you to decide the option with which you feel most comfortable. They then will put together a strategy which hopefully will bring about the most favorable conclusion.

If you go to a doctor with a serious ailment, he/she will give you your options and work with you to develop the best treatment program. They cannot guarantee any program’s success. They will, however, monitor your progress and adjust your treatments or medications. They will stand next to you until the best result is achieved.

Real estate is no different. A true real estate professional will understand your options and simply and effectively explain them to you and your family. Once you chose an option, they will strategize a plan to help you accomplish your goals. They will standby you as the process evolves and will help you make the necessary adjustments if necessary.

They cannot see the future any better than doctors or attorneys and thus their advice will never be perfect. However, just like those other professionals, an expert agent will give you excellent advice that will bring about the best possible outcome.

Real Estate: Sales Increasing. Prices – Not Yet.

In yesterday’s blog post, we explained that many experts believe home sales will increase in 2012. Today, we want to make sure that our readers realize that it will still take time for prices to begin to appreciate. Pricing is about supply and demand. Though demand is increasing, there is still a large supply of homes for sale in many markets and the National Mortgage Settlement will probably mean over a million distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales) will enter the market this year. Two major surveys spoke to this point in the past week.

The Home Price Expectation Survey asked 104 leading industry experts where they thought prices would be at the end of 2012. The average of those opinions showed that the experts believe prices will depreciation by about one percent (.72%).

The Urban Land Institute released results from their survey also. In their report, 38 leading real estate economists/analysts, representing major real estate investment and research firms, felt that prices would remain flat throughout the year.

Demand will increase dramatically this year. However, it won’t drive prices upward because of the supply of inventory for sale in most markets.

Housing Market: About to SPRING Back

We believe that 2012 will be the year that home sales start to climb again. Over the past thirty days, more and more experts are saying the same thing.

Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase CEO

“I believe we’re very close to the inflection point. People look at prices that are still coming down but all the other signs are flashing green… You could come up with a pretty bullish case (for housing).“

Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac chief economist

“Even the housing market is showing some signs of shaking off the depression-like conditions that have plagued it for much of the past few years.”

Goldman Sachs Group

“Stabilization in U.S. housing fundamentals is creating an attractive investment opportunity. Many of the ingredients are in place for continued improvement in housing.”

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist

“If activity is sustained near present levels, existing-home sales will see their best performance in five years. Based on all of the factors in the current market, that’s what we’re expecting with sales rising 7 to 10 percent in 2012.”