Fha Purchase Real Estate Financing

FHA Purchase Financing

If you need to obtain necessary financing for the purchase of a home it is important for you to know that there are alternative lending sources other than banks and traditional lenders that you can use for a mortgage, even if your credit or other circumstances are less than ideal. There are government sponsored programs that allow a variety of people wit different backgrounds to purchase a home with a low or no down payment and affordable interest rate. FHA purchase financing is an option many people who are involved in the buying process.

FHA purchase financing is financing insured by the Federal Housing Administration which is a government owned organization that works to extend mortgages to people who do not meet traditional lending criteria. The FHA was established under the National Housing Act, with their goal being to extend financing to people with repayment abilities who otherwise lack the ability to get a traditional loan. The FHA does not provide the finances necessary to fund a loan, however, they insure the loans of those buyers who use their programs allowing lenders who would not otherwise be able to extend them financing to give buyers a loan.

Because the FHA insures loans against default, they have opened up the prospect of homeownership for people who had previously been unable to get a loan. First time homebuyers, minority borrowers, buyers with a poor credit history or a lack of credit, and prospective homebuyers who do not have a lot of money for a down payment or closing costs can purchase a home because of FHA purchase financing.

FHA mortgages have many benefits. The major benefits to FHA mortgages are that they require a low down payment, usually 3% of the home’s purchase price which is much lower than the conventional 10 to 20%, closing costs can be included in the loan, credit requirements are much lower than with traditional loans, and other requirements such as cash reserves may not have to be met like with traditional lenders.

If you are trying to purchase a home and have had trouble attaining financing you should speak with a FHA approved mortgage broker. They will be able to tell you the details of FHA purchase financing and what qualifications you will have to meet in order to get financing. FHA approved mortgage brokers can help you navigate the process of home buying and find a loan that is compatible for your unique situation.

yanni raz
http://www.articlesbase.com/mortgage-articles/fha-purchase-real-estate-financing-710095.html

Posted in Finance | 2 Comments

Top 7 New Home Regrets

Buying a new home is great! You get to choose where your home will be built, add a sunroom here, third garage bay there and before you know it you are moving into your dream home. With all the options to choose from it is very easy to overlook crucial elements to your new home buying experience that could cost you greatly in both time and money.

Choosing upgrades with the lowest ROI or too many upgrades, period. – This is truly the most common mistake made by new home buyers who don’t consider the resale value of their home in the future. When buying a new home be sure to stick with the essential upgrades like two sinks in the master bathroom, high quality cabinetry and above all else, top quality padding under the carpeted areas.

Not examining your lot choice thoroughly enough. – A recent United Feature Syndicate by Lew Sichelman highlights some very important aspects to choosing a lot for your new home to be built on. Among them are: terrain, noting that people psychologically feel more secure looking down at the street rather than up, location and lot shape which can affect your surroundings including the possibility of facing the rear of a neighbor’s home.

Finding communities first, vitals second. – When you are buying a home you have to shop differently than you would if you were buying a car or shopping for clothes. To save yourself much heartache and frustration, be sure to hammer out your lifestyle requirements before even searching for a community to build a home in. For example, if you commute to New York City and have school age children you would want to find a school district that you approve of in an area with multiple mass transit options (train, bus, highway) and then locate new home communities within close proximity to both.

Overlooking the “inspection” clause in builder contracts. – A dirty little secret in the new home industry is the fact that some builders, national builders included, send out contracts with a clause stating that they don’t allow home inspections by an independent, third party home inspector until after you close on and own the home. They offer to do a walkthrough of the home with you before you close but chances are, unless you are a licensed home inspector with many years of experience, you won’t notice any red flags beyond the superficial.

Not using a buyer agent. – When looking for a new home, be sure to find a buyer agent who specializes in new homes. There are numerous important steps when buying a new home that a new home buyer agent will be prepared to work with such as price negotiation, lot choice, researching future development around the community and the pros and cons of building materials your builder will use in the construction of your new home. At present, the buyer agent’s services are paid for out of the builder’s marketing budget.

Using the builder endorsed financing company out of convenience. – Many large builders have their own in-house financing company and they often offer incentives on their products by tying in the use of the incentives to financing through their in-house lender. In some instances you will find that the builder’s in-house lender financing and incentives will cost you more money in the long run than if you had financed your purchase through an outside lender. Rule of thumb: Always check your financing options with the builder’s in-house lender, a mortgage broker and a loan officer for a direct lender before committing.

Believing everything you read in advertisements. – If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Always verify everything you read in real estate advertisements including newspaper ads and the community’s standard features list. Aside from the obvious typographical errors that occur I have also seen blatant false advertising. For example, I have seen new home community literature advertising the community’s short “less than an hour” drive to New York City despite the fact that it would take at least 90 minutes on a good day from that community.

Buying a new home is a wonderful, dazzling experience that will cater to your every need. By using reasonable care and professional guidance you will enjoy many great years in your new home and reap substantial rewards from your diligent buying efforts when selling your home in the future.

Joshua Ferris
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/top-7-new-home-regrets-686528.html

Posted in Finance | 5 Comments

Your First Home – Expert Advice On Purchasing It

The prospect of finally owning your dream home thrills you. And why not? You earned it and owning a real property is one crown you richly deserve. And because it is a substantial investment on your part, making the right decision is something you cannot leave to chance. Many things need to be considered before one can come up with the best possible option under certain conditions.

You may begin by looking up for pertinent information. Listings of real properties offered in the market are usually found in real estate agencies. After having known the options open to you, key choices need to be made. You can either buy a lot and build a house on it yourself, or buy a resale property. If you choose the lot-only property, you need to further consider the options on how to best finance your house construction. Getting financing ready for home construction allows you to realize dream home without much delay.

Buying resale properties–in case this is your choice–requires careful valuation of the items available on the market. Engage the services of professional property appraisers for this purpose. Firstly, lenders will require you to submit appraisal reports on the property in case you decide to apply for financing through mortgage. Secondly, even if financing is not one of your options, a thorough inspection and appraisal of a resale property you wish to buy will not only provide valuation data which you can rely on, they will also give you ideas on how best you can proceed with renovating or upgrading the property.

Another factor that needs to be carefully considered when buying your first home is location. Do urban settings serve best your needs? Is the relative stillness of the country too fascinating to be ignored? Or do you think the scenery by the sea cannot be traded for the world? Your decision here will most likely be made in relation to your overall career plans. What do you see yourself doing in the next 25 years? Where do you prefer to spend your retirement age? The prospect of reselling a property hardly crosses one’s mind when deciding on buying the first home. But we never really can be totally sure about anything, especially if it partakes of possibilities that can only happen in the future. Thus when reselling your home eventually becomes inevitable, it pays to buy a property with this consideration in mind. Be reminded that location bears a lot on the resale value of a property.

Finally, you need to come to grips with the cost of the home you choose and the available funds under your command. Since the purchase would most likely entail monthly expenses, compare the amounts involved with the stream of incomes you are likely to earn within the payment period. Prudence suggests that it is better to own a less opulent property than to wreck your finances later on in a vain effort to try to maintain it. If you need help on this, the banker or lender you are dealing with for home financing can show to you every detail of financing schemes that can work in your favor. Proceed to choose a financing schedule that fits within your capacity to pay.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/your-first-home-expert-advice-on-purchasing-it–708450.html

Posted in Finance | 3 Comments

Preparing to Buy a Home, Financially

Today more than ever it is important to have a good, stable mortgage. When purchasing a home you are becoming involved in a purchase that will likely be the largest single purchase that you will ever make. It simply makes sense to secure the best possible mortgage that you can find. How should you go about finding this dream mortgage? Well, there are a few things that you can do in preparation to ensure that you get a fair shake when the financing comes in.

Preparation is the key when looking for home financing. The more you know about your financial history the easier this process will become. The first step that you should take is finding out what your credit score is. Aside from the act of purchasing a home, its a good idea to learn as much as you can about your credit. Many people have no idea what their credit score is, it’s something that everyone should know about.

The first step is to request your credit report from the credit bureau. Once received, you should go over your report in detail. Check it for any old or out of date items that may be holding your credit back. Make sure that any outstanding items that you have dealt with are removed and anything that you have not dealt with, you should clear up as soon as possible. Having a clear report will make it much easier when you apply for your home financing.

So, your report is clear and you are ready to secure your financing. If you want to make the home buying process much less stressful then you will ask your lender for a full pre-approval. A full pre-approval lets you know an exact dollar figure of what is available to you in terms of financing. This will let you know exactly what you can afford in a home. This simple step can save a lot of heartache when the buying process begins. Nothing is more frustrating than finding a home that you love, only to discover that you cannot secure enough financing to pay for it. The other aspect of pre-approval that is extremely valuable is that fact that a pre-approval lets the seller know that the closing process will quick and easy with no scrambling by the buyer to secure financing at the last minute. If you ensure that these steps are taken care of before you start your shopping, then closing should be a snap.

Tyler Fawcett
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/preparing-to-buy-a-home-financially-101640.html

Posted in Finance | 6 Comments

Sell your Home Fast – Helping a Buyer Buy your Home

In the past, a family saw your house, it was just right for them, and you had a sale. Today the decisions are more based on financing options available to them rather than the considerations of neighborhood, style, or space.

Real estate brokers agree that the most important questions are,”How much will this property cost me per month?” and, “What kind of financing can I qualify for?”

There are many ways to finance the purchase of a new property. The first is to pay cash, but most people can’t afford to do this. The most common route people chose to purchase a home is by making a down payment to the broker or seller, followed by monthly mortgage payments of principal, interest, taxes, and property insurance.

The buyer also can agree to pay the remaining mortgage debt on your current mortgage loan. This would cause the closing costs to be considerably lower, the interest rate on the old mortgage might be lower than the current rates for the new mortgage, and the transaction can be closed quicker.

The buyers are usually required to place a deposit of five to ten percent of the price of the price as earnest money. The home is then taken off the market while financing can be arranged. Of course this deposit will be lost if the seller isn’t able to carry out the contract.

Mortgage is basically a loan for purchasing a piece of property. A lender provides cash to buy a home, at a price. The mortgagor signs a legal document which obligates them to repay the mortgagee in regular installment for a multiple of years, racking up money on interest.

Mortgages are commonly provided by savings banks, commercial banks, savings-and-loan associations, mortgage bankers, insurance companies, and occasionally home sellers.

If you plan on selling your home to a family member or friend, make sure you make everything on a firm business basis, and leave nothing to verbal agreement. Keeping strong documentation not only prevents problems, it saves you in the event of a problem.

Mortgage sources may offer a conventional mortgage loan without any guarantee, or one insured by HUD or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration.

A buyer who is able to qualify for a conventional mortgage, but isn’t able to make the large down payment might be able to qualify using HUD-insured financing. This makes it possible for the borrower to make a smaller down payment, and often lower monthly payments. HUD and FHA have guaranteed the mortgage for thousands of people. HUD insurance means that a down payment required might be as low as five percent, or in Veterans Administration guarantee there might be no down payment whatsoever.

If you want to trade your home for an older home that needs some fixing up, you might be able to purchase and renovate your second home by obtaining a HUD-inspired mortgage loan in an amount that includes the necessary repairs. HUD’s commitment is based upon the value of the home after improvements are made.

The most popular types of creative financing are: the wrap-around, the balloon, the negative amortize, the long-term closer, the shared-appreciator, the equity participator, and the graduated payment, long-term adjustable. Real estate experts have estimated at least 100 new kinds of mortgages are designed for your specific needs in mind every day.

Cashhomebuyers.com
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/sell-your-home-fast-helping-a-buyer-buy-your-home-85139.html

Posted in Finance | 4 Comments

Home Mortgage: 3 Things to Know to Get Low Interest Rates

As a homebuyer, there are many things you have to do but the most important one is to find the lowest home mortgage loan rates possible. When applying for a loan, having a high credit score will allow you to get a number of options to choose from. Even if this will allow you to be more selective when choosing your home mortgage loan, it won’t prevent you to explore the other offers in order to get the lowest one.

Nota Bene: in some countries there are only established only two types of credit score: good or bad. Essentially, it means that regardless to the interest rate, if you are a good payer, one can have any kind of loan; if you are a bad payer, can’t have one. Depending on your financial resources, sometimes even with a good score the lender will ask for more guarantees such as a highest deposit or even the property of a third party as guarantee.

In this article are three things to know that will help you get the lowest home mortgage loan rates available.

1. Financing costs

In term of home mortgage loan rate, the first thing you want to do is studying your financing costs. The most competitive home mortgage loan rates are those of the traditional loas as they provide the lowest rates. The two sorts of traditional loans available on the market are FRM (fixed-rate) and ARM adjustable rate).

Since it is fixed and not bound to an index, the FRM option provides you with a great protection for the lenght of your loan. You will have the opportunity to pay the same rate for the entire life of your home mortgage loan. Moreover, depending on the economy you will have the chance to lock in with low rates. As for adjustable rate mortgage, this provides you with lower rates while taking the risk that they may raise over the next few years.

2. Conditions

The second phase to finding the best home mortgage loan rates is to study the conditions offered. There is one important thing you should know about it: the shorter your home mortgage loan is, the less you must pay in financing costs. Of course, with a short home mortgage loan your will have to pay a higher monthly payment. You will select the conditions of your loan based on your budget and the sum you can afford to give each month. You can opt to pay your home mortgage loan off in 10, 20, or even 30 years.

3. Lenders

The last phase to finding the lowest home mortgage loan package for you is to look for a safe and trustworthy lender. If you are in the category of low-risk borrowers, traditional lenders will propose the best financing, even for an unconventional loan. But it is still important you take the time to make some additional research and study each and every alternative you could get on the subject of lenders. All you have to do is gather rate quotes and fees so you make sure that high closing costs won’t prevent you to save money on intersts.

After having chosen the lender, he will review your credit score and give you an estimate for the conditions you can expect as well as the financing costs. If the conditions offered do not meet your needs, do not hesitate to look for a better offer. If you want to have the lowest home mortgage loan, you have to be willing to take the time to research and find the best deal possible for you.

D. Halet
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/home-mortgage-3-things-to-know-to-get-low-interest-rates-725191.html

Posted in Finance | 27 Comments

Top 7 New Home Regrets

Buying a new home is great! You get to choose where your home will be built, add a sunroom here, third garage bay there and before you know it you are moving into your dream home. With all the options to choose from it is very easy to overlook crucial elements to your new home buying experience that could cost you greatly in both time and money.

Choosing upgrades with the lowest ROI or too many upgrades, period. – This is truly the most common mistake made by new home buyers who don’t consider the resale value of their home in the future. When buying a new home be sure to stick with the essential upgrades like two sinks in the master bathroom, high quality cabinetry and above all else, top quality padding under the carpeted areas.

Not examining your lot choice thoroughly enough. – A recent United Feature Syndicate by Lew Sichelman highlights some very important aspects to choosing a lot for your new home to be built on. Among them are: terrain, noting that people psychologically feel more secure looking down at the street rather than up, location and lot shape which can affect your surroundings including the possibility of facing the rear of a neighbor’s home.

Finding communities first, vitals second. – When you are buying a home you have to shop differently than you would if you were buying a car or shopping for clothes. To save yourself much heartache and frustration, be sure to hammer out your lifestyle requirements before even searching for a community to build a home in. For example, if you commute to New York City and have school age children you would want to find a school district that you approve of in an area with multiple mass transit options (train, bus, highway) and then locate new home communities within close proximity to both.

Overlooking the “inspection” clause in builder contracts. – A dirty little secret in the new home industry is the fact that some builders, national builders included, send out contracts with a clause stating that they don’t allow home inspections by an independent, third party home inspector until after you close on and own the home. They offer to do a walkthrough of the home with you before you close but chances are, unless you are a licensed home inspector with many years of experience, you won’t notice any red flags beyond the superficial.

Not using a buyer agent. – When looking for a new home, be sure to find a buyer agent who specializes in new homes. There are numerous important steps when buying a new home that a new home buyer agent will be prepared to work with such as price negotiation, lot choice, researching future development around the community and the pros and cons of building materials your builder will use in the construction of your new home. At present, the buyer agent’s services are paid for out of the builder’s marketing budget.

Using the builder endorsed financing company out of convenience. – Many large builders have their own in-house financing company and they often offer incentives on their products by tying in the use of the incentives to financing through their in-house lender. In some instances you will find that the builder’s in-house lender financing and incentives will cost you more money in the long run than if you had financed your purchase through an outside lender. Rule of thumb: Always check your financing options with the builder’s in-house lender, a mortgage broker and a loan officer for a direct lender before committing.

Believing everything you read in advertisements. – If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Always verify everything you read in real estate advertisements including newspaper ads and the community’s standard features list. Aside from the obvious typographical errors that occur I have also seen blatant false advertising. For example, I have seen new home community literature advertising the community’s short “less than an hour” drive to New York City despite the fact that it would take at least 90 minutes on a good day from that community.

Buying a new home is a wonderful, dazzling experience that will cater to your every need. By using reasonable care and professional guidance you will enjoy many great years in your new home and reap substantial rewards from your diligent buying efforts when selling your home in the future.

Joshua Ferris
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/top-7-new-home-regrets-686528.html

Posted in Finance | 5 Comments

100% Financing – No Down Payment Home Loans For People With Bad Credit Or Past Bankruptcy

What’s Going to Help You Get Approved? – To get 100% financing on your mortgage, that means that you have no down payment, which puts more emphasis on the other factors going toward your mortgage loan. For example, you will need to be stronger in the areas like income, employment, recent payment history, low debt-to-income ratios. If you can strengthen some of these factors you will have a better chance of getting approved. If you can find a home with a low loan-to-value rate, that may also help your chances of getting approved. Search around. Try to find a home that is being sold for much less than the appraised value.

What’s Going to Hurt You? – A super recent bankruptcy or foreclosure. Although it is not impossible to get financing under these circumstances, it makes it more likely that you will need some kind of a down payment.

Watch Out For Sub-prime Mortgage Scams – Borrowers with poor credit are often the target of inflated interest rates and excessive fees. With adverse credit history, you can expect to pay a slightly higher interest rate, but make sure you compare at least 2-3 other loan offers to be sure that your interest rate is competitive.

What About After Bankruptcy Mortgages? – You can expect to wait 2-3 years after the bankruptcy discharge date before mortgage lenders will be completely open to working with you. However, it’s not impossible to get approved for a mortgage loan before that time, you just may need a small down payment.

Beware of the Pre-Payment Penalty – Mortgage lenders lending to people with bad credit usually tack on a pre-payment penalty to the borrowers mortgage loan. If you are ok with a pre-payment penalty, make sure it is for a reasonable length of time, maybe 6 mo. to a year. You don’t want to lock yourself in to higher interest rates for very long.

CL Haehl
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/100-financing-no-down-payment-home-loans-for-people-with-bad-credit-or-past-bankruptcy-114997.html

Posted in Finance | 3 Comments

No Cost Financing For Home Owners

The No cost financing option is a good option for homeowners. Why? I will come to that at a later stage. Let me discuss some facts, as one can understand that no cost finance is a reality not a myth.

How does one get away with no cost finance? It is a quite simple fact you have to pay for what you get. Nobody is ready to dole out money just for the fun of it.

If you need money you need to pay for it but “no cost financing” options are financing options that have no hidden charges and are quite gentle. A financier who is going to give you a no cost finance option will be charging you something between 0.5 % and 0.85 % more than one who is going to give you a full cost loan.

The above advantage that I have given is for homeowners. As homeowner one can go for a no cost option mortgage provided the interest rates are significantly lower. This is the advantage if the current interest rates are lower.

Homeowners who plan to live in their houses for not a long period of time say between three and one year can take advantage of this loan option. If you are unsure about the period of stay in your house then you should consider refinancing, keeping in mind that you could still go in for no cost financing.

Once you go in for no cost financing, you should be ready to bear little surprises. Once you have gone for refinancing you will not be required to pay any lender fees or for that matter settlement fees. As borrowers of the loan you will be held responsible for the per-diem interest and other escrow costs. However your old lender as your old loan closes will credit the escrow costs.

Before going in for a no cost finance option, it would be a great idea to talk to your financial advisor. There were two kinds of financial advisor’s up to now, an Independent financial advisor and a tied agent.

An Independent financial advisor will do all the dirty work for you like browsing through the whole market and finding out what is most suitable for you. A tied agent will talk to you about only what his employer has to give you.

Now the third type of financial advisor that has emerged is the multi tied agent. They have their own limits to talk about from a choice of companies and how they are commercially arranged with them. They were basically arranged for people who would have been otherwise tied down to tie advice.

These financial advisors when they give you advice on any no cost option will be charging you for their advice. This will relate to your full cost loan. You can always strike a bargain with them to give you the best in this zone. You can find advisors relating to the specialized field like mortgages to give you specific advice on no cost financing.

Greg Lucas
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/no-cost-financing-for-home-owners-101668.html

Posted in Finance | 2 Comments

Tips For Home Improvement Home Equity Loan Financing

No one will argue that increasing the value of your home through home improvement projects is a great idea. However, large home improvement projects can become quite expensive. Home improvements lighten your wallet and empty your savings account. Careful planning and thinking about all your financing options is necessary before beginning your home improvement project. Below are a few tips for home improvement home equity loan financing to take into consideration.

Home improvement home equity loans are becoming one of the most popular loans when it comes to home improvement. Because the interest is deductible from your taxes, It’s a viable tool for borrowing money. Interest rates on home improvement home equity loans are usually lower than the interest rates of other types of loans. Another good thing about home improvement home equity loans is that they are fairly easy to get.

Home improvement home equity loans are great loans for home improvement because the project can greatly increase the appraisal value of your home. This is a loan that is obtained to be able to get additional investments for use in the future. Home improvement projects such as bathroom additions, bedrooms and home extensions can increase the value of a house. However, some home improvement projects don’t really result in increasing the value of the house. The construction of a swimming pool is one such project.

Take care when getting a home improvement home equity loan. Don’t forget that the collateral that you are putting up against the loan is your own house. If you can’t make the payments and make them on time, you could end up losing your home. You borrowed money for the sole purpose of improving your house and losing your house would be a disasterous situation indeed.

Many people use home improvement home equity loans for other reasons. The money is sometimes spent finance other expenses such as vacations or everyday needs. Steady appreciation of their houses is what people rely on to be able to pay for the debt. If the value of their house depreciates at the end of any period, they are in huge financial hot water. This is why home improvement home equity loans should be used for the improvement of your home because the risks of depreciation are lower.

To avoid being indebted because of home improvement projects, these tips for home improvement home equity loan financing should be kept in mind. Home improvements are a great way to increase the value of your house but always use your head when getting home improvement home equity loans to finance these projects.

Rebecca Welch
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/tips-for-home-improvement-home-equity-loan-financing-63507.html

Posted in Finance | Comments Off

How to Find Financing for Apartment Buildings, Mobile Home Parks and Commercial Real Estate Projects

Investors tell us continually that finding financing for Commercial projects such as Apartment Buildings, Mobile Home Parks in today’s market is challenging. “Finding the money to buy , build or refinance property” is an investor’s #1 challenge. The money hurdle keeps investors from making bigger profits and prevents one from amassing a fortune in real estate.

The good news: The money is still there. It is simply harder and more time-consuming for one to find appropriate financing today than before.

The recent financial upheaval has wiped out financial banks and institutions by the dozen. Institutions including Countrywide, Wachovia, Washington Mutual, Lehman Brothers, World Savings, Indymac Bank, IMPAC, EverBank, LaSalle Bank and Column Financial have either stopped lending or scaled their lending operations dramatically back. These financial conduits have been a major source of commercial financing for a very long time. Everyone had come to depend upon the services these money-people were able to provide. For the would-be investor knowing where to “find the money” would seem to be critically important. The good news is commercial financing is still available if you know where to look.

Clients may be broken down into two groups, Group A and Group B. Group A displays an almost intuitive understanding of the role Mortgage Brokers play in assisting in the building of their real estate portfolios.

Group B is property oriented. Totally Property Oriented. By not focusing on financing first, this type of investor plays a dangerous game.

The Group A type of Investor upon first considering a property, will pick up the telephone and call his Mortgage Broker (hopefully, one with whom the investor has developed a long-term association built upon trust and confidence). Why would the investor waste time calling his Broker? Maybe the investor is lonely and would like to speak with someone?

Or maybe the investor makes the call because the investor needs to know what the cost of money is. The investor may readily view and understand the condition, location and attributes of any property in question. But what about the cost and terms of the money one will need?

Not only will the Broker understand whether the property will Debt-Service, but also, where the surviving lenders are. A good Broker should be able to advise what type of financing is available, the amount of down-payment necessary, where the funds will come from, the cost of the funds and what the ROI (return on investment) the investor may expect.

The challenge for you as an investor is to be ready and prepared for the investment property when the situation materializes. If you are from the Group B Investor School, you would call this luck. If one is in Group A, one believes the marriage of good investment property with good financing is planning and preparation.

As an investor, please Think Money First. Factor in the cost of an investment property with the cost of money. Develop a strong-on-going Professional association with a Broker. By taking these small steps investors may put themselves in position to accomplish the following:

1. You, the investor, will become more aggressive in searching for investment properties.

2. You, the investor, are now more confident. This confidence leads to bigger deals, more profit.

3. A confident investor seeks properties yielding greater returns.

4. Financing Power breeds confidence.

5. Sleep at night, take naps during the day. Why Not? One’s good financing is doing all of the work.

Arthur Hooper
http://www.articlesbase.com/loans-articles/how-to-find-financing-for-apartment-buildings-mobile-home-parks-and-commercial-real-estate-projects-683587.html

Posted in Finance | Comments Off

Financing a New Home in Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the state of Illinois and also the third most populated city in the United States of America, with almost 3 million people. Chicago is located along the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan and when combined with its suburbs and the nine surrounding counties in Illinois, the metropolitan area known as Chicagoland encompasses a population of 9.4 million. Nowadays Chicago is known as a major transportation, business, and architectural center of the US and it is the economic, business, financial and cultural capital of the Midwest. The Chicago area is moderately expensive; the home price median here is nearer the national median than homes in spots such as New York City. Buyers can probably spend about three times their incomes, depending on the part of the area where they’re house-hunting.

Chicago’s suburban real estate market is as vibrant as the city itself. The suburbs have developed both commercial as well as residential real estate at a tremendous pace. A large number of properties are always available for purchase in Chicago’s suburban areas such as Lake County, Kane and DeKalb counties and DuPage and Will counties. There are real estate firms that specialize in one of the suburbs, while others deal with all of them. When financing a new home in Chicago, have in mind that the real estate prices are high. Northern suburbs are considered “elite”.

There are many ways to finance a new home in Chicago. It all depends on your credit history, the price of the property and your income. The next paragraphs give brief explanations on some of the methods for financing a new home in the city of Chicago.

The first thing to understand is the difference between a variable, or adjustable interest rate mortgage and a fixed rate mortgage. With a fixed rate mortgage, the monthly payments remain the same over the period of the loan. The adjustable rate mortgage has a lower introductory interest rate, but it may vary over the duration of your loan. So depending on the interest rates, whether they are lowered or raised each month, your monthly mortgage payments will also change accordingly.

When financing your new Chicago home through a loan, no matter if it is adjustable or fixed rate, you have to consider the length of the loan, in terms of how long you finance your home. The most common terms are 15, 25, 30, 40 and now even 50 year mortgages in some areas. Of course, the longer the period the more you will pay in interest over the duration of the loan.

With a FHA home loan you can purchase a single family home, condo, house, or apartment in one of the neighborhoods in Chicago. This FHA home loan is mostly used by first time home buyers because it allows the purchase of a home with a lower down payment, in some cases as low as 3%. This form of new home financing requires you to have a good credit history and enough income to cover the loan and your other financial obligations.

The Chicago City Mortgage program offers qualified first-time homebuyers 30-year, fixed-interest mortgages at competitive interest rates and a gift of 4 percent of the mortgage amount to cover down payment and closing costs.

One of the most important things to do when searching for a way to finance the purchase of a new home is to do the math and find out how much money you can spend on it each month. The rule is that all of your housing costs each month, including house note, property taxes and insurance cannot exceed 29% of your gross monthly income. In addition to that, your housing costs plus your other monthly long-term debt should not exceed 41% of your gross monthly income. Furthermore, you must get a copy of your credit report and check your credit score. Having a bad credit score, or one lower than 580, means that you will have problems with obtaining the loan in the first place, not to mention that you will be forced into paying higher interest rates.

Dave Badge
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/financing-a-new-home-in-chicago-55606.html

Posted in Finance | 5 Comments

The Various Financing Options Of A Home Equity

If you are a homeowner who has some equity in your home and you are in a situation where you need to borrow some money, then a home equity line of credit can be a great option. Equity loans can be used for just about any type of purchase that you deem necessary, from home improvements to vacations. Once the equity credit line has been established, it is up to the homeowner how the money will be used.

In many instances, people who have run into financial problems and have ended up with a damaged credit report because of bad credit loans or bad credit mortgage problems, turn to equity loans when other sources of credit may not be available. Once people have nasty dings and negative marks on their credit report, it is much more difficult to get a refinance loan for any reason.

If they are able to get a borrowing, then they usually end up paying such high interest loan rates that they cannot afford the payments. Even if they can afford the payments, taking out a high interest loan is just not a good financial move.

In situations such as this, homeowners who have some growth in their property will be able to leverage that asset by borrowing money against the equity. Depending on the structure of the loan arrangement, this is considered a home equity loan or an equity line, as the credit is “secured” against the home.

Since the borrowing is secured, the credit status of the borrower is not as important. That is not to say that people with horrible credit can waltz into a bank and get an equity loan without any problem. Even though the loan is secured, the lender will want to know that the borrower has the ability to repay.

Of course, people with excellent credit are also able to utilize their home’s growth with lines of credit as well. But, in most instances people who have a high credit rating do not have any difficulty obtaining financing of any kind, such as mortgage refinancing, at very competitive interest rates.

Still, because equity loans are secured against your home, just like a mortgage or automobile loan, the interest rates are lower than any kind of unsecured borrowing that people with good credit are able to get. With any other type of financing, the better the credit score, the lower the interest rates on the loan will be.

Another advantage to homeowners, whether their credit is perfect or bruised, is that the interest that is paid on equity loans can be tax deductible. This aspect alone often motivates people to borrow against the growth in their home rather than using any other type of financing. They can enjoy a double benefit of a lower interest rate and a possible tax deduction if they use the long form to file their taxes.

There is a note of warning that people should also be aware of regarding the use of home equity for bad credit loans. Even though these loans open the door for people to borrow money at lower interest rates, it also creates the potential for them to lose their home if they are unable to stay current with their payments. Because of this, these loans should be used only after careful consideration and evaluation of your ability to repay.

MIKE SELVON
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/the-various-financing-options-of-a-home-equity-357932.html

Posted in Finance | Comments Off

Financing Timeline for Home Buyers

Many buyers ask us when they should start looking into financing for their future home purchase.  It’s important to start looking as early as possible into financing.  If you think you may run into some credit issues, it would be a good idea to talk with a credit counselor (or your lender) about a year from your estimated move date.  He or she can recommend ways that you can improve your credit in the coming year so that you can get qualified for the amount you need when the time comes.  The timeline below starts three months out from the estimated move-in date.  However, if you find yourself in a shorter time frame for buying, just be sure that you stay in good contact with your lender so that you can get them the information that they need!  And remember, the more secure your finances are when it’s time to make an offer on a home, the better your negotiating power will be!

3 months out:  Talk with at least one lender about your plans for financing the home.  Some buyers prefer to talk with more than one lender so that they can compare loan products.  I wouldn’t recommend talking to more than two or three lenders, though, since the options among different lenders aren’t that drastic.  Be sure to ask about your expected monthly payment as well as the down payment that you’ll make at closing.  Your lender may want to go ahead and get you pre-qualified, which means you’ll need to gather some information for this process.  Eventually your lender will need the following information:  pay stubs for the past month, bank statements for all accounts showing past two months, address (and landlord’s name, if applicable) for past two years, employer contact info for past two years, and W-2 tax statements for past two years.  You can also ask your lender if there is anything you need to do in the next few months in order to improve your standing.  Using your information, your lender will be able to give you a price range for homes that you can afford (or a price range for homes that won’t exceed the monthly payments that you want).

2 months out:  Start looking at homes!  This is the fun part!  If you find that the homes in your price range are smaller than what you need, you can always talk with your lender to see if there is a way to get approved for a larger loan.  If your lender hasn’t already gotten all of your financial info at this point, he or she may be able to go ahead and crunch your numbers.  In the next two months, don’t make any large purchases (such as furniture, cars, etc.) or move around large sums of money (“large” depends on the size of the account, but a good maximum is $1,000) in and out of accounts.  It’s important to keep your accounts relatively stable in these last two months before closing.

1 month out:  At this point, you should have narrowed down the homes on your list to a home that you will make an offer on.  It takes about thirty days to close on a home (give or take), so you should make an offer about a month before you plan to move into a home.  Once you’ve narrowed down to a single home, you can go ahead and lock in your rate on your loan.  If your lender hasn’t already asked for your financial information, the latest that he or she can get it and still get you approved is about three weeks to closing.  After you’ve gotten pre-approved, your lender will give you a pre-approval letter that you can give to the seller.  Ideally, you should include this letter in with your offer, as it will help your negotiating power to be able to show the seller that you’ll have no trouble with financing.  However, if you get the pre-approval letter after you’ve already negotiated, the seller may still want to see that you’re pre-approved so that he/she doesn’t have to worry about taking the home off the market for several weeks for a buyer who can’t actually afford the home.

Lee Keadle
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/financing-timeline-for-home-buyers-686330.html

Posted in Finance | Comments Off

Home Financing in a Foreclosure-heavy Market

In today’s housing market, foreclosures are at a high that hasn’t been seen since 1979. Seven percent, or roughly one of every 11 homes, is currently in foreclosure. According to the Mortgage Bankers’ Association, 6.35 percent of homes are in delinquency but not yet in foreclosure.

The housing crisis is happening everywhere — from Indiana to Texas and Maine to California. Though we most often hear about record foreclosures in California and Florida, a brief internet search will show you it truly is not limited to any particular region or state.

The housing market woes do not just affect potential home buyers. The mortgage brokers themselves are feeling the crunch. In Massachusetts, approximately 80 percent of the brokers who were in business at its peak (about two years ago) have now left or will leave the housing market by the end of June 2008. Those that are left have had to severely cut back and make changes in order to survive (letting go other personnel, working more hours, selling fewer homes).

Qualified buyers are typically seen as those who have credit scores of above 680 (FICO scores range from 350-800), with good, steady jobs and incomes. Today, many banks, feeling the burden of too many loans gone bad, do not want to give loans to anyone with a credit score below 720.

Also gone are the days of easy-to-get adjustable rate mortgages. Banks have learned that market will not always be in an upswing and not everyone can afford a home mortgage.

If you do end up in foreclosure, it will most likely be at least five years before you’ll be considered for bank financing again. In addition, you’ll need to have a credit score of at least 680 and at least a 10% deposit.

But what if you have a good deposit now and you need a home now, not five years down the line or whenever the housing market picks back up? Do you have any options? In short, yes.

There are actually lots of people who are willing to do owner financing. If you see a For Sale By Owner sign, it’s a good idea to check it out and see what kind of a deal they would be willing to make you.

Creative home financing options can help you and your family get into a house sooner, and help the owner get out of their home sooner. After all, with banks so hesitant to give loans, FSBO homes aren’t going to have a very good chance of selling, either. Creative financing can help owners and buyers find mutual satisfaction.

In addition to looking for FSBO homes, there are other things potential home buyers can do to increase their chances of getting a home. To start, save up and get as much cash together as you can for a down payment.

When home owners are faced with letting their homes sit on the market for years (because no bank will give a buyer a loan) or taking a nice chunk of money up front and then a steady income from monthly payments for a number of years, they’re going to be tempted.

Having that nice down payment also can help the current home owners get into their next house – a point that should be made to them in case they haven’t thought of it. There are also experts available who know the ins and outs and strategies of creative home financing.

Another version of creative home financing is a land contract. This is along the lines of what we’ve already talked about, but with some sellers, they may be willing to accept a much lower down payment, spread your payments out over 40 years instead of the typical 30, and negotiate with you on the interest loan.

Check with your friends and family. Sure, there are reasons to be cautious when lending and borrowing money with relatives and friends. But if you know people who could probably spare the money for a down payment, and you can offer them a higher interest rate than they’re getting by having their money sit at the bank, it could be a very attractive option for both of you.

Do you have other property? If you have other property already, you may be able to get a loan from that property to put towards a down payment on new property. It’s worth thinking about.

The next idea is one you should think very cautiously about, but it is an option. Particularly if you are dealing with a FSBO situation, perhaps you could put part of your down payment on your credit card. This should really only be contemplated if you’re going to be able to pay that amount off on your card very quickly (say, if you’re expecting your tax refund or stimulus check) because credit card interest rates, as well all know, are ridiculously high.

As is true any time you are looking to take on debt, you need to be cautious. The banks have learned their lesson, so they’re not going to be as easy to finance a home with for some time.

You, too, as the potential home buyer, need to be careful. Think through just how much debt you can take on. But do not let the current market discourage you from moving forward with home ownership plans. You may have to look a little harder, search a little longer, and maybe keep your dream house away for another few years. However, with the right spirit, intentions, planning, and creativity, you will find a home financing option that works for you and the seller.

Copyright: 2008 Cory Shrader

Gen Wright
http://www.articlesbase.com/credit-articles/home-financing-in-a-foreclosureheavy-market-711406.html

Posted in Finance | Comments Off

Thinking Of Home Financing?

Homeowners have woken up to the fact that an excellent way to perk up their lifestyles as well as their bank accounts is home financing. Take finances for renovating your home and increase your home value. In due course of time, your neighbors will be surprised to see the new you!

For those who are not into the nitty-gritty of financial matters, here are some basics of home financing known by millions of Americans.

Kinds Of Home Financing

Usually, loans for home financing are categorized as secured and unsecured. The latter is a loan, which has a fixed frame of payment. The secured loan also has the same feature with the difference that if you are unable to pay within the fixed time, the lender has the right to seize your asset and sell it in order to raise funds for paying off the loan.

With remodeling and home improvements projects, the asset is used as security is usually your home itself. There is a separate document for pledging your asset. It is called a deed of trust or mortgage. Do you know that you can pledge the same asset for more than one loan? In this case, the loans are unambiguously ranked in priority. This explains all the fuss about first and second mortgages.

Why do people take secured loans?

1)To obtain a lower rate of interest
2)To borrow more cash in home financing
3)To mitigate taxes

Loan Qualifications

The first step is to discuss with your lenders about YOUR options. It is a tendency of the lenders to focus on THEIR options. Hence, it’s a good idea to begin with a reputable mortgage broker, as he or she may give you a range of loans. Besides this, your lender may pre-qualify you for more than one loan. They are well-versed with the lending rules; hence, it’s better to have them by your side.

Remember, lenders of home financing are interested in your

1)Income
2)Credit record
3)Property value
4)Debts

What Are “Points”?

Many loans have something called points. They are nothing but a fee for taking the loan. Points are denoted as the percentage of loan amount. One point= one percent. Points help the lender pay for the expenses incurred in arranging for the loan and to make a profit as well.

Kinds Of Interest Rates

The loan in which the interest rate remains unchanged throughout the loan period is called fixed rate loan. There are loans in which the interest rate may either rise or dip in accordance with market rate such as prime rate. The variable rate is always two percentage points more than the existing prime rate.

Choosing Your Lender

There are three sources that can help you in home financing:

1)Mortgage brokers
2)Specialized lenders
3)Banks

Mortgage brokers are usually associated with regional and national banks, insurance companies, specialized lenders, and even the affluent class. Their diverse association is their specialty. It means you can obtain a broad spectrum of home financing options from them.

Specialized lenders specialize in a single or a couple of loan types. Their specialty is their deep knowledge about the loans they deal with. They are experienced enough to offer you extremely competitive rates for home financing.

Banks work if you have a good rapport with the lender and he or she agrees to give you a broad range of home financing options.

So, start preparing for making your home a dream place with home financing!

anonymous
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/thinking-of-home-financing-82682.html

Posted in Finance | 2 Comments

Evaluate Your Home Improvement Financing Options

Although as the saying goes,”There is definitely no place like home!”, the time will come that your home could use some rennovations, upgrades or improvements. Does your kitchen need more cabinets? Do you need more space in the living room? How long have you had the crack in the bathroom tile floor? When was the last time you had your roof repaired or replaced? If any of these situations give you reason to pause, it could be time for some home improvements.

If money is a concern, you should first evaluate your home improvement financing options. A home improvement loan can help finance the project or projects of your choice without paying for the whole project in one large chunk. The terms of a home improvement loan vary with each lender and also with the credit score of the borrower. Home improvement financing can be broken down into monthly or quarterly payments just like other types of loans. These loans can be extended for 5 to 10 years, but bear in mind that the longer the repayment period is, the higher the interest rate is likely to be.

Why should you bother to evaluate your home improvement financing options if you can make the repairs yourself? There are some home improvements that should not be done by non-professional persons and having your home improvement financed can ensure that trained professionals can be hired and enough money exists to get the job done properly. A home improvement project properly executed by trained professionals will greatly increase the value of your home.

A word of caution for you, financing professional home improvement projects isn’t cheap. There is, however, a value to financing your home improvements in this manner. The plus side is that you have the opportunity to stay in a home you always dreamed of and you have the ability to pay off the loan on more flexible terms.

As you begin to evaluate your home improvement financing options, look for home improvement financing interest rates that are lower than others on the market. Consider the value of your property, also called the equity. The more equity your have in your home the better your starting position. You can find home improvement financing in such places as your local bank, loan brokers, and society co-ops.

There are requirements for home improvement financing you must meet. You should be prepared to answer all of the following questions. Most places will ask if you have financial issues. Do you have exisiting credit loans from other companies? What is the status of those existing credit loans? What is the current status of your house mortgage? Do you have a regular income? Every company has its own rules and regulations. Those are just a few areas to consider begin the application process. The more preparation you can do beforehand, the better off you will be during the loan application and approval period.

Taking the time to evaluate your home improvement financing options can eliminate a lot of confusion. Do as much comparison shopping as possible and pick the lender that offers an affordable loan rate and legal credibility.

Rebecca Welch
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/evaluate-your-home-improvement-financing-options-62925.html

Posted in Finance | Comments Off