Mortgage Tips

You find a home you love, but there is one unusual feature. Maybe the previous owner started adding a bedroom and never finished it. Perhaps a bathroom is partially remodeled, a garage conversion is incomplete, or a new section of the house is still visibly under construction. Buyers may see opportunity in unfinished space, but a mortgage lender may need to evaluate the property as it exists today. Financing Is Based on the Current PropertyIt is easy to walk through an unfinished addition and imagine what it could become. The mortgage transaction, however, generally has to consider the property's current…

Having enough money in the bank is an important part of buying a home, but during the mortgage process, the amount in your account may not be the only consideration. In certain situations, lenders may also need to understand where funds came from. That can surprise buyers who assume that once money reaches their account, its history no longer matters. Mortgage Funds May Need to Be DocumentedDuring the mortgage process, buyers may provide bank or asset statements showing money available for the transaction.If an account contains certain recent deposits that are not easily explained by the documentation already provided, additional…

Paying off debt sounds like an obvious way to prepare for a mortgage. After all, fewer monthly obligations can improve cash flow and potentially help with mortgage qualification. But using a large portion of your savings to eliminate a debt immediately before buying a home is not automatically the best strategy. Sometimes the money in the bank can be just as important as the debt you want to eliminate. Not Every Debt Has the Same ImpactMortgage qualification considers monthly debt obligations, but paying off every balance does not necessarily produce the same benefit. The amount owed, required monthly payment, type…