Archive for May, 2008

When using a loan program…

…that does not require a credit score it will become very important that your rent payments be verified. Always make sure that you are making your rent payments in a trackable and verifiable manner. DO NOT MAKE YOUR RENT PAYMENTS IN CASH. Be sure to keep a file of all rent receipts and cancelled checks. […]

Interest rates are low by…

…historical standards so it is not a bad time to refinance. Any time you can safe money by refinancing it is a good time to refinance.

Fannie Mae’s My Community program…

…will allow you to use alternate forms of credit such as phone bills, utilities, and rent.

It always a good time…

…to refinance if you can lower your monthly obligations or shorten your mortgage term. Think long term and call your mortgage broker.

The lenders that will lend…

…money to people for a mortgage and have no credit and no credit scores are not nearly as abundant as the lenders that will lend to people with credit and credit scores. This is one reason why using a mortgage broker makes the most sense. A mortgage broker will generally know which banks have programs […]

Refinancing to consolidate debt is…

…always a great option which provides many benefits such as lower monthly payments, lower interest rates on debt, additional tax deductions, etc… Therefore, refinancing to consolidate debt is always a good idea and it is always a good time to refinance for this reason no matter where rates are as long as you can see […]

In some cases having no…

…credit score is better than having bad credit. Many people with no scores can show a history of timely payments for accounts that do not report to the credit bureaus. Most lenders will require 3-5 forms of non-traditional credit. You can obtain a letter from any company you pay a regular monthly payment to such […]

It depends on what your…

…looking to accomplish. Your mortgage is probably the largest debt that you will incur in your lifetime. A restructuring your debt and home equity can help you increase your overall monthly cash flow, increase your tax benefits, lower your payment, and reduce your mortgage terms. Any of these can still happen in today’s market.

Do you have no credit…

…history but would like to qualify for a mortgage? There are numerous lenders that have no score programs for home loans, some even allow no money down. However, borrowers will be asked for non-traditional credit references such as utility payment history, telephone payment history, and other verifiable payment references.

Is it a bad time to…

…refinance? Are interest rates high right now?Some may say it is not a great time to refinance because the interest rates are slightly higher than they have been 6 months ago. Others say it is still a good time to refinance if your adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is going to adjust up. Unless you have […]

A 125 percent heloc makes…

…it impossible to sell your home without paying off the over equity difference at closing. This is very difficult for most borrowers who take out a 125 percent home equity line. If you are trying to consolidate debt with a 125 percent home equity line you may want to look for other lower risk alternatives […]

Keep in mind however that…

…there has been some very good credit card offers lately, some are offering zero percent for life on balance transfers. If you opt out of the credit card offers you may miss out on these great credit card deals.

In an ever constricting…

…market, it may be tempting to consider an?over-equity? loan, which allows you to borrow up to 125% of your homes appraised value.And while there may be some situations where a high-loan-to-value loan makes sense, your mortgage expert should carefully discuss and explain the consequences of borrowing more than your homes worth.To begin with, because of […]

This also works to…

…protect your borrowers from trigger leads and might even help raise a score minimally…

Do you get bombarded…

…with credit card offers in your mail everyday? Do you still get telemarketing calls at dinner time? When you apply for a mortgage loan or some other type of financing do you notice that the number of other telemarketers calling you for that same type of service increases? If you answered yes to any of […]

Fannie Mae and Freddie…

…Mac will approve loans with a credit score of 599 as long as there are other compensating factors such as asset reserves, a strong debt-to-income ratio, or a low loan -to-value ratio. Fannie Mae also offers “expanded” approvals for lower quality loans at slightly higher rates. These programs are available for purchase and refinance transactions.

During your refinance, it’s…

…generally good policy to not open any new lines of credit or apply for any loans. You do not want to have credit inquiries lower your score and disqualify you from the loan you are trying to obtain.

Credit inquiries, when an accumulation…

…occurs, can negatively impact your credit score. This means that if you apply for a lot of credit within a 90 day period of time, you will have a credit inquiry from each creditor that you applied with and this can negatively impact your credit score.

Credit inquiries stay on…

…your credit report for 12 months and as they fall off your credit score generally will go up a point or two each time. However to many credit inquiries for high risk revolving accounts like department store cards and credit cards can cause a drastic drop in your credit score.

Credit inquiries have an impact…

…of 10% of your credit score. The maximum number of inquiries that can reduce your score is 10. Any inquiries in excess of 10 within a 6 month period will have no further impact on one’s credit score.

Having a lot of credit…

…inquiries will increase your score. This indicates to lenders that you are considering changing your credit situation.

You can use debt to…

…help you get out of debt. By using the equity in your home and going into deeper debt against the house you can payoff debt with higher rates. So if your paying 15-18% on a credit card then paying off that card can certainly be a great move!

A lot of inquiries…

…for things such as credit cards in a short period of time is definitely going to have a seriously negative affect on your credit score. Therefore, if you apply for a credit card every time you go somewhere just to get a cool free gift, this is going to negatively affect your credit and lower […]

When shopping for a mortgage…

…be careful when using internet websites which promise to have banks compete or offer up to 4 quotes from lenders. The number of inquiries to your credit report that these forms generate can be astonishing, literally dozens. Instead, consider inquiring with a mortgage broker, either via telephone or via an internet form which does not […]

When you are consolidating…

…debt like credit cards, you are dealing with two different types of interest. Revolving credit lines carry compounded interest vs. a home equity loan that carries simple interest. A simple interest loan will make getting out of debt much easier. Ask your loan professional for more information.

If you are unable to…

…refinance due to any number of reasons, then the more traditional way of getting out debt (and improving your credit) can be employed. Make a list off all your debts with the listed minimum payment of each. Now list beside that what payment you are actually making on each debt. Take all the little amounts […]

A good mortgage professional who…

…is refinancing you for the purpose of taking cash out and consolidating debt will not only find a loan program for you that provides you with the cash to stabilize your debt, but they will also try to put you in a position where you maintain that stability and don’t need to continuously draw upon […]

Do credit inquiries affect…

…my credit score? This is one of the most confused and commonly asked questions by consumers shopping for a mortgage. The answer to this question is yes and know. How can the answer be both you may ask? Applying for a lot of credit cards and such will result in a credit inquiry each time […]

If you are planning on…

…consolidating your debt with a new mortgage be careful to avoid the spending habits that lead to so much debt in the first place. Consolidating unsecured credit card debt with a loan secured by your home is only a wise move if you are confident that the credit cards will not get maxed out again.

Each credit repository, Equifax, Experian…

…and TransUnion, all update their credit scoring models every now and then. Just like with a computer and its operating system such as Windows 95, Windows 2000, Windows XP, etc… the credit bureaus update their technology and their scoring models as well. Not all lenders use the same models for each different credit bureau. Some […]