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Tag Archives: housing

Home / Posts Tagged "housing"

Got Cash? What to Do with Extra Money

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Moving Guide Tagged 401(k), apartment, Auto, big, building, Buy, car, College, Credit, Credit Card, Credit Card Debt, credit cards, Debt, Debts, Emergency Fund, Extra Money, Family, Financial Goals, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Grow, Home, house, housing, How To, Insurance, Interest Rates, invest, Investing, investment, investments, IRA, keep, Life, Loans, Make, money, More, more money, mortgages, Move, Moving, Personal, Personal Loans, protect, Rates, rent, Retirement, retirement savings, Roth IRA, save, Save Money, Saving, savings, Savings Account, School, Security, Spending, spouse, Student Loans, tax, Taxes

Have you found yourself with extra cash? Lucky you! Laura’s 3-step system will help you spend, invest, or save it wisely.

By

Laura Adams, MBA
October 21, 2020

investing your emergency money unless you have more than a six-month reserve.

The goal for an emergency fund is safety, not growth.

If you don’t have enough saved, aim to bridge the gap over a reasonable period. For instance, you could save one half of your target over two years or one third over three years. You can put your goal on autopilot by creating an automatic monthly transfer from your checking into your savings account.

Megan mentioned using high-yield savings, which can be a good option because it pays a bit more interest for large balances. However, the higher rate typically comes with limitations, such as applying only to a threshold balance, so be sure to understand the account terms.

Insurance protects your finances

Another critical aspect of preparing for the unexpected is having enough of the right kinds of insurance. Here are some policies you may need:

RELATED: How to Create Foolproof Safety Nets

How to invest for your future

Once you get as prepared as possible for the unexpected by building an emergency fund and getting the right kinds of insurance, the next goal I mentioned is investing for retirement. That’s the “I” in PIP, right behind prepare for the unexpected.

Investments can go down in value—you should never invest money you can’t live without.

While many people use the terms saving and investing interchangeably, they’re not the same. Let’s clarify the difference between investing and saving so you can think strategically about them:

Saving is for the money you expect to spend within the next few years and don’t want to risk losing it. In other words, you save money that you want to keep 100% safe because you know you’ll need it or because you could need it. While it won’t earn much interest, you’ll be able to tap it in an instant.

Investing is for the money you expect to spend in the future, such as in five or more years. Purchasing an investment means you’re exposing money to some amount of risk to make it grow. Investments can go down in value; therefore, you should never invest money you can’t live without.

In general, I recommend that you invest through a qualified retirement account, such as a workplace plan or an IRA, which come with tax benefits to boost your growth. My recommendation is to contribute no less than 10% to 15% of your pre-tax income for retirement.

Magen mentioned Roth IRAs, and it may be a good option for her to rebuild her retirement savings. For 2020, you can contribute up to $6,000, or $7,000 if you’re over age 50, to a traditional or a Roth IRA. You typically must have income to qualify for an IRA. However, if you’re married and file taxes jointly, a non-working spouse can max out an IRA based on household income.

For workplace retirement plans, such as a 401(k), you can contribute up to $19,500, or $26,000 if you’re over 50 for 2020. Some employers match a certain percent of contributions, which turbocharges your account. That’s why it’s wise to invest enough to max out any free retirement matching at work. If your employer kicks in matching funds, you can exceed the annual contribution limits that I mentioned.

RELATED: A 5-Point Checklist for How to Invest Money Wisely

How to pay off high-interest debt

Once you’re working on the first two parts of my PIP plan by preparing for the unexpected and investing for the future, you’re in a perfect position also to pay off high-interest debt, the final “P.”

Always tackle your high-interest debts before any other debts because they cost you the most. They usually include credit cards, car loans, personal loans, and payday loans with double-digit interest rates. Remember that when you pay off a credit card that charges 18%, that’s just like earning 18% on an investment after taxes—pretty impressive!

Remember that when you pay off a credit card that charges 18%, that’s just like earning 18% on an investment after taxes—pretty impressive!

Typical low-interest loans include student loans, mortgages, and home equity lines of credit. These types of debt also come with tax breaks for some of the interest you pay, making them cost even less. So, don’t even think about paying them down before implementing your PIP plan.

Getting back to Bianca’s situation, she didn’t mention having emergency savings or regularly investing for retirement. I recommend using her upcoming cash windfall to set these up before paying off a low-rate student loan.

Let’s say Bianca sets aside enough for her emergency fund, purchases any missing insurance, and still has cash left over. She could use some or all of it to pay down her auto loan. Since the auto loan probably has a higher interest rate than her student loan and doesn’t come with any tax advantages, it’s wise to pay it down first. 

Once you’ve put your PIP plan into motion, you can work on other goals, such as saving for a house, vacation, college, or any other dream you have. 

Questions to ask when you have extra money

Here are five questions to ask yourself when you have a cash windfall or accumulate savings and aren’t sure what to do with it.

1. Do I have emergency savings?

Having some emergency money is critical for a healthy financial life because no one can predict the future. You might have a considerable unexpected expense or lose income.  

Without emergency money to fall back on, you’re living on the edge, financially speaking. So never turn down the opportunity to build a cash reserve before spending money on anything else.

2. Do I contribute to a retirement account at work?

Getting a windfall could be the ticket to getting started with a retirement plan or increasing contributions. It’s wise to invest at least 10% to 15% of your gross income for retirement.

Investing in a workplace retirement plan is an excellent way to set aside small amounts of money regularly. You’ll build wealth for the future, cut your taxes, and maybe even get some employer matching.

3. Do I have an IRA?

Don’t have a job with a retirement plan? Not a problem. If you (or a spouse when you file taxes jointly) have some amount of earned income, you can contribute to a traditional or a Roth IRA. Even if you contribute to a retirement plan at work, you can still max out an IRA in the same year—which is a great way to use a cash windfall.

4. Do I have high-interest debt?

If you have expensive debt, such as credit cards or payday loans, paying them down is the next best way to spend extra money. Take the opportunity to use a windfall to get rid of high-interest debt and stay out of debt in the future. 

5. Do I have other financial goals?

After you’ve built up your emergency fund, have money flowing into tax-advantaged retirement accounts, and are whittling down high-interest debt, start thinking about other financial goals. Do you want to buy a house? Go to graduate school? Send your kids to college?

How to manage a cash windfall

Review your financial situation at least once a year to make sure you’re still on track.

When it comes to managing extra money, always consider the big picture of your financial life and choose strategies that follow my PIP plan in order: prepare for the unexpected, invest for the future, and pay off high-interest debt.

Review your situation at least once a year to make sure you’re still on track. As your life changes, you may need more or less emergency money or insurance coverage.

When your income increases, take the opportunity to bump up your retirement contribution—even increasing it one percent per year can make a huge difference.

And here’s another important quick and dirty tip: when you make more money, don’t let your cost of living increase as well. If you earn more but maintain or even decrease your expenses, you’ll be able to reach your financial goals faster.


About the Author

Laura Adams, MBA

Source: quickanddirtytips.com

50/30/20 Budgeting Rule: How to Use It [Instructions + Calculator]

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Money Basics Tagged apartment, budget, Budgeting, budgeting software, Buy, car, Career, Credit, Credit Card, Debt, deposit, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Grow, Home, house, housing, How To, keep, Life, Lifestyle, Luxury, Make, money, More, Pay Off Debt, paycheck, Paying Down Debt, Personal, Popular, Retirement, save, Save Money, Saving, Saving Money, savings, Savings Account, second, Security, Spending, studio apartment, Style, sustainable, Transportation, Travel, trends

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The 50/30/20 rule (also referred to as the 50/20/30 rule) is one method of budgeting that can help you keep your spending in alignment with your savings goals. Budgets should be about more than just paying your bills on time—the right budget can help you determine how much you should be spending, and on what. 

The 50/30/20 rule can serve as a great tool to help you diversify your financial profile, reach dynamic savings goals, and foster overall financial health.

50/30/20 Budget Calculator
Here’s how much you have for:
Essentials$0.00
Wants$0.00
Savings$0.00
Reset

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In this post, we’re taking you through the steps of budgeting using the 50/30/20 approach so that you can learn how to set up a budget that’s sustainable, effective, and simple. Use the links below to navigate or read all the way through to absorb all of our tips on how to budget using the 50/30/20 method:

What is the 50/30/20 Budgeting Rule?

Popularized by Senator Elizabeth Warren and her daughter, the 50/30/20 budgeting rule–also referred to as the 50/20/30 budgeting rule–divides after-tax income into three different buckets:

  • Essentials (50%)
  • Wants (30%)
  • Savings (20%)

Essentials: 50% of your income

To begin abiding by this rule, set aside no more than half of your income for the absolute necessities in your life. This might seem like a high percentage (and, at 50%, it is), but once you consider everything that falls into this category it begins to make a bit more sense.

Your essential expenses are those you would almost certainly have to pay, regardless of where you lived, where you worked, or what your future plans happen to include. In general, these expenses are nearly the same for everyone and include:

  • Housing
  • Food
  • Transportation costs
  • Utility bills

The percentage lets you adjust, while still maintaining a sound, balanced budget. And remember, it’s more about the total sum than individual costs. For instance, some people live in high-rent areas, yet can walk to work, while others enjoy much lower housing costs, but transportation is far more expensive.

Wants: 30% of your income

The second category, and the one that can make the most difference in your budget, is unnecessary expenses that enhance your lifestyle. Some financial experts consider this category completely discretionary, but in modern society, many of these so-called luxuries have taken on more of a mandatory status. It all depends on what you want out of life and what you’re willing to sacrifice. 

These personal lifestyle expenses include items such as: your cell phone plan, cable bill and trips to the coffee shop. If you travel extensively or work on-the-go, your cell phone plan is probably more of a necessity than a luxury. However, you have some wiggle room since you can decide upon the tier of the service you’re paying for. Other components of this category include gym memberships, weekend trips, and dining out with your friends. Only you can decide which of your expenses can be designated as “personal,” and which ones are truly obligatory. Similar to how no more than 50 percent of your income should go toward essential expenses, 30 percent is the maximum amount you should spend on personal choices. The fewer costs you have in this category, the more progress you’ll make paying down debt and securing your future.

Savings: 20% of your income

The next step is to dedicate 20% of your take-home pay toward savings. This includes savings plans, retirement accounts, debt payments and rainy-day funds—things you should add to, but which wouldn’t endanger your life or leave you homeless if you didn’t. That’s a bit of an oversimplification, but hopefully you get the gist. This category of expenses should only be paid after your essentials are already taken care of and before you even think about anything in the last category of personal spending.

Think of this as your “get ahead” category. Whereas 50%(or less) of your income is the goal for essentials, 20 percent—or more—should be your goal as far as obligations are concerned. You’ll pay off debt quicker and make more significant strides toward a frustration-free future by devoting as much of your income as you can to this category.

The term “retirement” might not carry a sense of urgency when you’re only 24 years old, but it certainly will become more pressing in decades to come. Just keep in mind the advantage of starting early is you will earn compounding interest the longer you let this fund grow.

Establishing good habits will last a lifetime. You don’t need a high income to follow the tenets of the 50/30/20 rule; anyone can do it. Since this is a percentage-based system, the same proportions apply whether you’re earning an entry-level salary and living in a studio apartment, or if you’re years into your career and about to buy your first home.

A note of caution, though: Try not to take this rule too literally. The proportions are sound, but your life is unlike anyone else’s. What this plan does is provide a framework for you to work within. Once you review your income and expenses and determine what’s essential and what’s not, only then you can create a budget that helps you make the most of your money. Years from now, you can still fall back on the same guidelines to help your budget evolve as your life does.

Ask Yourself: Why is a 50/30/20 Budget Necessary?

According to Consumer.gov, there are plenty of different reasons why people start a budget:

  • To save up for a large expense such as a house, car, or vacation
  • Put a security deposit on an apartment
  • To reduce spending habits
  • To improve credit score 
  • To eliminate debt
  • To break the paycheck to paycheck cycle

Identifying the reason why you’re budgeting with the 50/30/20 method can help you stay motivated and create a better plan to reach your goal. It’s kind of like the “eye on the prize” mentality. If you’re tempted to splurge, you can use your overarching goal to bring you back to your saving senses. So ask yourself: why am I starting to budget? What do I want to achieve? 

Additionally, if you’re saving up for something specific, try to determine an exact number so that you can regularly evaluate whether or not your budget is on track throughout the week, month, or year.

How to Budget with the 50/30/20 Rule

To make the most of this budgeting method, consider following the steps below:

Deep Dive Into Your Current Spending Habits

Before implementing a 50/30/20 budget, take a long, hard look in the mirror (or maybe your wallet, rather). We’re talking about analyzing your spending habits. Do you overspend on clothes? Shoes? Food? Drinks? Figuring out your spending vices from the very beginning will help you learn how to use a 50/30/20 budget that effectively cuts spending where you need it most.

Take a look at your bank and credit card statements over the last few months and see if you can find any common trends. If you find that you’re overspending on going out for food and drinks, come up with a plan for how you can avoid this scenario. Cook dinner at home before, have a potluck with friends, find happy hour specials around town. There are plenty of ways to budget and save money without compromising your social life.

Pro Tip: Using Mint’s easy budget categorization, you can identify where you can cut back on unnecessary expenses.

Identify Irregular Large Ticket Expenses in the “Wants” Category

Of course, there are expenses in life that we simply can’t avoid. Maybe you need to make a repair on your vehicle, or perhaps you’re putting a down payment on a house in the next six months. Oftentimes these bills are necessary expenses, so you’ll have to factor them into your budget.

When you’re coming up with your 50/30/20 budget, take a moment to look at your calendar so that you can plan for these expenses and adjust your spending in the time before and after you incur the expense.

Add Up All Income

Totaling your income is an important first step when learning how to budget your money using the 50/30/20 rule, but it’s not always as simple as it sounds. Depending on your job, you might have a relatively steady paycheck or one that fluctuates from month to month. If the latter is the case, collect your paychecks from the last six months and find the average income between them. 

Is the 50/30/20 Budget Right for You?

The 50/30/20 budget isn’t the only option. Other popular methods include:

  • Zero-sum: The principle of the zero-sum budget is that you must allocate each and every dollar you earn toward a specific expense, savings account, debt, or disposable income account. This style can help deter unnecessary spending because you’ll know exactly how much you have to spend on what items.   
  • Envelope budgeting: Swiping your card left and right is easy—but the envelope method doesn’t let you succumb to this temptation. Rather than using your card to spend, you use a predetermined amount of cash as your spending pool, nothing more.  

Choosing a budgeting style that works for you depends on a variety of factors; there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to budgeting and saving money. That said, the 50/30/20 tends to be a simple yet effective option for getting started on your budgeting journey.

Main Takeaways: How to Budget Using the 50/30/20 Rule

Here are the key tenets of the 50/30/20 rule of budgeting:

  • This budget rule is a simple method that can help you reach your financial goals
  • This budgeting method stipulates that you spend no more than 50% of your after-tax income on needs
  • The remaining after-tax income should be split up between 30% wants or “lifestyle” purchases, and 20% to savings or debt repayment

Mint offers budgeting software and a helpful budgeting calculator that makes it easy to live in accordance with the 50/30/20 rule (or any budget that suits your lifestyle) so that you can live life to its fullest. After spending just a little bit of time determining which of your expenses fall into which category, you can create your very first budget and keep track of it every day. And when your situation undoubtedly changes, Mint lets you adjust, so your budget can change with you.

Sign up for your free account today, build your 50/30/20 budget, and make this the year you build a strong foundation for your future.

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Source: mint.intuit.com

Acronyms of Real Estate: What Homebuyers Need to Know

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Cleaning And Maintenance, Home, Real Estate Tagged acronyms, agent, borrowing, building, Buy, Buying, Education, estate, Family, Fees, FHA, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, foreclosure, Home, home loans, homeownership, homes, house, housing, How To, Insurance, keep, lew, lew sichelman, Life, Loans, Main, Make, market, mls, money, More, Mortgage, Mortgage Bankers Association, mortgages, multiple listing service, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Realtors, Popular, principal, property, Purchase, Rates, real, Real Estate, realtor, selling, Selling a Home, sichelman, tax, Taxes

Real estate is a regular smorgasbord of acronyms – everything from APR to REO. Here’s a list of the ones you’re likely to run into and what they mean when you’re buying or selling a house:

Acronyms You’ll Hear Associated with Real Estate Professionals

Real estate agents, builders and most other realty-related professions have numerous professional designations, all designed to set them apart from those who haven’t taken advanced courses in their fields. These designations don’t mean that professionals without letters after their names are not as experienced or skilled, but rather only that they haven’t taken the time to further their educations.

Read: How to Build Your Real Estate Team

Let’s start with the letter “R,” which stands for Realtor. A Realtor is a member of the National Association of Realtors, the nation’s largest trade group. NAR says it speaks for homeowners, and it usually does. But in that rare occasion when the interests of its members and owners don’t align, it sides with those who pay their dues.

Read: A Timeline of the History of Real Estate

NAR embraces a strict code of ethics. There are about 2 million active and licensed real estate agents nationwide, and 1.34 million can call themselves Realtors.

NAR members sometimes have the letters GRI or CRS after their names. The Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) designation signifies the successful completion of 90 hours of classroom instruction beyond the continuing education courses required by many states for agents to maintain their licenses. After the GRI, an agent may become a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) by advancing his or her education even further.

black family touring a house to buy racial homeownership gap discriminationblack family touring a house to buy racial homeownership gap discrimination

Builders can obtain the GBI – Graduate Builder Institute – designation by completing nine one-day classes sponsored by the educational arm of the National Association of Home Builders. Those who pass more advanced courses become Graduate Master Builders, or GMBs. Remodeling specialists with at least five years of experience can be Certified Graduate Remodelers, or CGRs. And, salespeople can be CSPs, or Certified New Home Sales Professionals.

In the mortgage profession, the Mortgage Bankers Association awards the Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) and Accredited Residential Originator (ARO) designations, but only after completing a training program that may take up to five years to finish. To start the process, CMB and ARO candidates must have at least three years’ experience and be recommended by a senior officer in their companies.

Acronyms Associated with Mortgage Lending

When obtaining a mortgage, you will be quoted an interest rate; however, perhaps the more important rate is the annual percentage rate, or APR, which is the total cost of the loan per year over the loan’s term. It measures the interest rate plus other fees and charges.

An FRM is a fixed-rate mortgage, the terms of which never change. Conversely, an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) allows rates to increase or decrease at certain intervals over the life of the loan, depending on rates at the time of the adjustment.

Female client consulting with a agent in the officeFemale client consulting with a agent in the office

A conventional loan is one with an amount at or less than the conforming loan limit set by federal regulators on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two major suppliers of funds for home loans. These two quasi-government outfits replenish the coffers of main street lenders by buying their loans and packing them into securities for sale to investors worldwide.

Other key agencies you should be familiar with are the FHA and the VA. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures mortgages up to an amount which changes annually, as does the conforming loan ceiling. The Veterans Administration (VA) guarantees loans made to veterans and active duty servicemen and women.

LTV stands for loan-to-value. This important ratio measures what your are borrowing against the value of the home. Some lenders want as much as 20% down, meaning the LTV would be 80%. But in many cases, the LTV can be as great as 97%.

Private mortgage insurance (PMI), is a fee you’ll have to pay if you make less than a 20% down payment. PMI covers the lender should you default, but you have to pay the freight. Fortunately, you can cancel coverage once your LTV dips below 80%.

Your monthly payment likely will include more than just principal and interest. Many lenders also want borrowers to include one-twelfth of their property tax and insurance bills every month, as well. That way, lenders will have enough money on hand to pay these annual bills when they come due. Thus, the acronym PITI (principle, interest, taxes, and insurance).

Real-estate owned (REO) properties are foreclosed upon by lenders when borrowers fail to make their payments. When you buy a foreclosure, you buy REO. Short sales are not REO because, while they are in danger of being repossessed, they are still owned by the borrower.

houses real estate market selling buyinghouses real estate market selling buying

Acronyms You’ll Hear During an Appraisal

There is no acronym for an appraisal, which is an opinion of value prepared by a certified or licensed appraiser (though sometimes other types of valuation methods are used in the buying and selling process).

A Certified Market Analysis (CMA) is prepared by a real estate agent or broker to help determine a home’s listing price. A Broker Price Opinion (BPO) is a more advanced estimate of the probable future selling price of a property, and an automated valuation model (AVM) is a software program that provides valuations based on mathematical modeling.

AVMs are currently used by some lenders and investors to confirm an appraiser’s valuation, but they are becoming increasingly popular as replacements of appraisals, especially in lower price ranges.

Other Terms to Know

If you hear the term MLS, you should know it stands for multiple listing service. An MLS is a database that allows real estate brokers to share data on properties for sale, making the buying and selling process more efficient. There are many benefits to both homebuyers and sellers utilizing an MLS, for more information on how to get your home available through an MLS, work with a real estate professional when selling.

Read: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know About Multiple Listing Services

Did you know? Homes.com has some serious MLS partnerships, no joke! When you start your home search on Homes.com, you’ll see accurate property information quickly so you’ll never have to wonder if a home is actually available.

House tourHouse tour

However, not all properties for sale are listed on the MLS. A home may be a for-sale-by-owner (FSBO), if the owner is selling his or her property without an agent and bypassing an MLS listing. In addition, some agents fail to enter their listings in the MLS for days or weeks at a time in hopes of selling to a list of preferred clients.

Read: Advantages of Buying With or Without an Agent

Finally, you may find yourself buying into a homeowners association (HOA) when you purchase a house or condominium apartment. HOAs are legal governing bodies that establish requirements everyone must adhere to in order to keep the community it oversees running smoothly and ensure property values are maintained.


Lew Sichelman

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Syndicated newspaper columnist, Lew Sichelman has been covering the housing market and all it entails for more than 50 years. He is an award-winning journalist who worked at two major Washington, D.C. newspapers and is a past president of the National Association of Real Estate Editors.

Source: homes.com

Current Mortgage Rates Continue to Move Lower

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Money Etiquette, Money Management, Mortgage Rates Tagged big, Blog, Current Mortgage Rates, existing, Federal Reserve, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Home, house, housing, market, More, Mortgage, Mortgage Interest Rates, Mortgage Rate Trends and Analysis, Mortgage Rates, News, Purchase, Rates, Refinance, second, Spending, todays mortgage rates, Unemployment

It’s been good news this week for home buyers and home owners looking to refinance as mortgage rates have improved. It hasn’t been a big swing lower but mortgage rates have mostly remained lower after a drop on Monday morning. Read on for more details.

Where are mortgage rates going?                                             

Mortgage rates move lower in the Freddie Mac PMMS

Current mortgage rates have moved lower for second straight week, according to the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS).

Here are the numbers:

  • The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage moved lower by two basis points to 4.51% (0.5 points)
  • The average rate on a 15-year fixed rate mortgage ticked lower by three basis points to 3.98% (0.5 points)
  • The average rate on a 5-year adjustable rate mortgage fell by five basis points to 3.82% (0.03 points)

Here is what Freddie Mac’s Economic & Housing Research Group had to say about rates this week:

“Mortgage rates inched backward this week to their lowest level since mid-April.

Backed by very strong consumer spending, the economy is red-hot this month, which is in turn rippling through the financial markets and driving equities higher.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the housing market, where it appears sales activity crested in late 2017. Existing-home sales have now stepped back annually for the fifth straight month, and purchase mortgage applications this week were barely above year ago levels.

It is clear affordability constraints have cooled the housing market, especially in expensive coastal markets. Many metro areas desperately need more new and existing affordable inventory to break out of this slump.”

Rate/Float Recommendation                                  

Lock now before move even higher     

While mortgage rates have improved for the second consecutive week, the long-term outlook continues to be for them to gradually increase as the Federal Reserve gets ready for and follows through with increases to the nation’s benchmark interest rate. The first hike is expected to take place next month, with another likely in December.

Learn what you can do to get the best interest rate possible.  

Today’s economic data:           

Jobless Claims

Applications filed for U.S. unemployment benefits for the week of 8/18 came in at 210,000. That’s 2,000 lower than the previous reading, bringing the 4-week moving average down to 213,750.

FHFA House Price Index

The FHFA House Price Index increased 0.2% from the previous month in June. That brings the year over year increase to 6.5%.

PMI Composite Flash

The PMI Composite index hit a 55.0 in August. Manufacturing came in at 54.5 while Services hit 55.2.

New Home Sales

New Home Sales for July came in at an annualized rate of 627,000. That’s slightly below the consensus reading of 649,000.

Jackson Hole Symposium

Kicks off today and ends tomorrow.

Kansas City Fed Mfg Index 

11:00am

Notable events this week:     

Monday:   

Tuesday:   

Wednesday:         

  • Existing Home Sales
  • EIA Petroleum Status Report
  • FOMC Minutes

Thursday:     

  • Jobless Claims
  • FHFA House Price Index
  • PMI Composite Flash
  • New Home Sales
  • Jackson Hole Symposium
  • Kansas City Fed Mfg Index

Friday:          

  • Fedspeak
  • Jackson Hole Symposium

*Terms and conditions apply.

Carter Wessman

Carter Wessman is originally from the charming town of Norfolk, Massachusetts. When he isn’t busy writing about mortgage related topics, you can find him playing table tennis, or jamming on his bass guitar.

Source: totalmortgage.com

Bank statements: 3 things mortgage lenders don’t want to see

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Money Etiquette, Money Management, Mortgage, Mortgage Rates, Real Estate Tagged About Mortgages, agent, Auto, Auto Loans, Banking, big, borrowing, Buying, car, Checking Account, Credit, Credit Card, credit cards, credit report, Credit Score, Debt, Debts, employment, estate, existing, Family, Fees, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Gina Pogol, Home, home buyer, home buying, housing, How To, lists, Loans, Make, money, More, Mortgage, mortgage lenders, mortgage payments, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Strategy, mortgages, Personal, real, Real Estate, Refinance, save, savings, Security, seller, selling, Student Loans, tax

What do mortgage lenders look for on bank statements? 

When you apply for a mortgage, lenders look at your bank statements to verify that you can afford the down payment, closing costs, and future loan payments. 

You’re much more likely to get approved if your bank statements are clear of anything questionable. 

Red-flag issues for mortgage underwriters include:

  1. Bounced checks or NSFs (Non-Sufficient Funds charges) 
  2. Large deposits without a clearly documented source
  3. Monthly payments to an individual or non-disclosed credit account

Fortunately, you can fix a lot of issues before they become, well, issues. Here’s what to look for, and how to deal with problems you find.

Verify your home buying eligibility (Feb 9th, 2021)


In this article (Skip to…) 


How far back do lenders look at bank statements?

Lenders typically look at 2
months of recent bank statements along with your mortgage
application.

You need to provide bank
statements for any accounts holding funds you’ll use to qualify for the loan.

Lenders use these bank statements
to verify your savings and cash flow, check for unusual activity in your
accounts, and make sure you haven’t taken on any recent debts.

Two months worth of bank
statements is the norm because any credit accounts older than
that should have shown up on your credit report. 

One uncommon exception is for self-employed borrowers who hope to qualify based on bank statements instead of tax returns. In this case, you will need to provide the past 12-24 months of bank statements.

What underwriters look for on your bank statements 

The underwriter — the person who evaluates and approves mortgages — will look for four key things on your bank statements: 

  1. Enough cash saved up for the down payment and closing costs
  2. The source of your down payment, which must be acceptable under the lender’s guidelines 
  3. Enough cash flow or savings to make monthly mortgage payments
  4. “Reserves,” which are extra funds available in case of an emergency

An underwriter generally
wants to see that the funds in your bank accounts are yours, and not borrowed
from someone else (unless via a properly-documented down payment gift).  

In other words, any funds used to
qualify for the mortgage need to be “sourced and seasoned.”

“Sourced” means it’s clear where
the money came from, and any unusual deposits are explained in writing. And
“seasoned” typically means the money has been in your account for at least 60
days. (So the funds should show up on the two months’ bank statements you’re
required to provide.)

Bank statements also prove to
underwriters that you haven’t opened up any credit accounts or created new debt
prior to getting the mortgage. 

Do lenders look at bank statements before closing?

Lenders typically will not re-check
your bank statements right before closing. They’re only required when you
initially apply and go through underwriting.

However, there are a few things your
lender will re-check before closing, including:

  • Credit score
  • Credit report
  • Employment and income

You should avoid financing any large
purchases or opening new credit lines (like a credit card) between mortgage
approval and closing.

New debts can affect your credit score as well as your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), and could seriously affect your loan approval and interest rate.

In addition, if anything changes
with your income or employment prior to closing, let your lender know
immediately so it can decide whether this will impact your loan approval and
help you understand how to proceed.

Verify your home buying eligibility (Feb 9th, 2021)

    Related

3 things mortgage lenders don’t want to see on bank statements 

You might want to take a look at your bank statements with a mortgage underwriter’s eye before turning them into the lender.

That’s because the lender looks for red flags that, if found, can require lengthy explanations. 

Mortgage underwriters are trained to unearth unacceptable sources of funds, undisclosed debts, and financial mismanagement when examining your bank statements.

Here are three things you can look for on your bank statements that might turn up a red flag for a mortgage company.

1.  Bounced checks

If your checking account is littered with multiple overdrafts or NSFs (non-sufficient funds) charges, underwriters are likely to conclude that you’re not great at managing your finances.

Mortgage rule-making agency Freddie Mac says that additional scrutiny is required when bank statements include NSF fees.

FHA loans require lenders to manually re-approve borrowers with NSFs, even if the borrower has already been approved by a computerized system.

2. Large, undocumented deposits

Outsize or irregular bank deposits might indicate that your down payment, required reserves, or closing costs are coming from an unacceptable source.

The funds might be borrowed. For instance, you could take a cash advance on your credit card, which might not show up on your credit report.

A large deposit could also indicate an “illegal” gift. A home buyer can’t take help from a party who stands to gain from the transaction — like the home seller or real estate agent. 

So, what’s considered a “large” bank deposit by mortgage lenders? 

  • Fannie Mae’s Selling Guide says, “When bank statements (typically covering the most recent two months) are used, the lender must evaluate large deposits, which are defined as a single deposit that exceeds 50 percent of the total monthly qualifying income for the loan.”
  • Likewise, Freddie Mac lists “recent large deposits without acceptable explanation” as red flags about which lenders should follow up with the applicant

If you can’t prove through documentation that the source of a big deposit is acceptable under the program guidelines, the lender must disregard the funds and use whatever is left to qualify you for the loan.

If the verified funds aren’t enough to qualify you for a loan, you’ll need to save another chunk of cash — from an acceptable source.

That said, borrowing a down payment is allowed. You just have to disclose where the down payment money came from. This must be considered an “acceptable” source, like: 

If you did receive a large deposit recently — and it wasn’t from one of these sources — you may want to wait 60 days before applying for a mortgage. 

At that point, the funds become “seasoned,” meaning they are now your funds, despite the source.

It’s still not a good idea to take funds from a party with interest in the transaction. That breaks a myriad of other rules. 

But if your family member paid you back for a recent vacation, or you sold a car to your aunt and didn’t document it, waiting 60 days could be a solution.

3. Regular payments, irregular activities

Watch out for a monthly payment that does not correspond to a credit account disclosed on your application.

Typically, your credit report will pull in your credit cards, auto loans, student loans, and other debt accounts. But some creditors don’t report to the major credit bureaus.

For instance, if you got a private, personal, or business loan from an individual instead of a bank, those debt details may not show up on your credit report.

The monthly $300 automatic payment on your bank statement, however, is likely to alert the lender of a non-disclosed credit account.

Verify your home buying eligibility (Feb 9th, 2021)

A bank “VOD” (verification of deposit) won’t solve all bank statement issues

Verifications of Deposit, or VODs, are forms that lenders can use in lieu of bank statements. You sign an authorization allowing your banking institution to hand-complete the form, which indicates the account owner and its current balance.

VODs have been used to “get around” bank statement rules for years. But don’t count on them to solve the above-mentioned issues.

First, the lender can request an actual bank statement and disregard the VOD, if it suspects potential issues.

Second, depositories are also required to list the account’s average balance. That’s likely to expose recent large deposits.

For instance, if the current balance is $10,000 and the two-month average balance is $2,000, there was probably a very recent and substantial deposit.

In addition, there’s a field in which the bank is asked to “include any additional information which may be of assistance in determination of creditworthiness.”

That’s where your NSFs might be listed.

There are good reasons to double-check your bank statements and your application before sending them to your lender. The bottom line is that you don’t just want to be honest — you want to avoid appearing dishonest.

Your lender won’t turn a blind eye to anything it finds suspicious.

FAQ on mortgage bank statements

Why do mortgage lenders need bank statements? 

Mortgage lenders need bank statements to make sure you can afford the down payment and closing costs, as well as your monthly mortgage payment. Lenders use your bank statements to verify the amount you have saved and the source of that money. They want to see that it’s really your cash — or at least, cash from an acceptable source — and not a discreet loan or gift that makes your financial situation look better than it really is.

How many bank statements do I need for a mortgage?

Mortgage lenders typically want to see the past two months’ worth of bank statements.

Do I have to disclose all bank accounts to a mortgage lender?

If a bank account has funds in it that you’ll use to help you qualify for a mortgage, then you have to disclose it to your mortgage lender. That includes any account with savings or regular cash flow which will help you cover your monthly mortgage payments.

What do underwriters look for on bank statements?

When underwriters look at your bank statements, they want to see that you have enough money to cover your down payment and closing costs. Some loan types require a few months’ worth of mortgage payments left over in the account for emergency “reserves.” In other words, the upfront costs can’t drain your account. 

Underwriters also want to see that all the funds in your accounts have been “sourced and seasoned.” That means the source of each deposit is acceptable and verified, and the funds have been in the account long enough to show they weren’t a last-minute loan or questionable deposit.

Do mortgage lenders look at savings?

Yes, a mortgage lender will look at any depository accounts on your bank statements — including checking and savings — as well as any open lines of credit. 

Why would an underwriter deny a loan?

There are plenty of reasons underwriters might deny a loan. The two most common are insufficient credit and a high debt-to-income ratio. As far as bank statements are concerned, an underwriter might deny a loan if the sources of funds can’t be verified or aren’t “acceptable.” This could leave the borrower with too little verifiable cash to qualify.

How long does it take an underwriter to make a decision?

Underwriting times vary by lender. The time it takes an underwriter to approve your mortgage could be as little as two or three days, or as much as a week. Big banks tend to move more slowly than non-bank mortgage lenders.

Do you qualify for a mortgage loan?

Bank statements are just one of many
factors lenders look at when you apply for a mortgage.

Almost all areas of your personal
finances will be under scrutiny; including your credit score and report, your
existing debts, and any source of income you’ll use to qualify for the
loan.  

These factors help determine how
large of a loan you qualify for, as well as your interest rate. The cleaner
your finances look across the board, the better deal you’re likely to get on
your new home loan or refinance.

Verify your new rate (Feb 9th, 2021)

Compare top lenders

Source: themortgagereports.com

Refinance soon to avoid the FHFA adverse market refinance fee

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Money Etiquette, Money Management, Mortgage News, Refinance Tagged Conventional Loans, covid-19, crisis, Finance, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, government, Home, house, housing, industry, Insurance, Loans, Make, market, money, More, Mortgage, Mortgage News, mortgage payments, Mortgage Rates, mortgages, News, protect, Purchase, real, Refinance, refinancing, Security, Unemployment

FHFA fee starts on December 1, but rates will go up before that

Starting on December 1, a new “Adverse Market Refinance Fee” will be imposed on most conventional refinances.

But homeowners won’t pay the new fee at closing.

Instead, lenders will cover it by raising refinance rates — likely by as much as 0.125% to 0.25% on average.

To avoid higher rates, you’ll want to refinance before the fee takes effect.

But there’s a catch: to avoid FHFA’s fee, your refinance loan needs to be closed and delivered to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac before December 1.

Homeowners who want the lowest-possible refinance rate should apply 2-3 months before December 1 — which is pretty much right now.

Find and a low refinance rate now (Feb 9th, 2021)

What is the Adverse Market Refinance Fee?

On August 12, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced they would assess a new fee on all conventional refinance loans.

The fee is equal to 0.5% of the loan amount.

That means if you had a $200,000 refinance, the new fee would amount to an additional cost of $1,000.

Refinances take a long time to close and deliver, so a September 1 start date meant the fee was already being added to refinances in process.

Originally, the fee was meant to start on September first — meaning it would have applied to all loans not yet delivered to Fannie or Freddie by that date.

But because refinances take a long time to close and deliver, the fee effectively started being added to loans that were already in process prior to September 1.

However, Fannie and Freddie have since changed the rules (and delayed the start date for the fee) in response to a strong industry backlash against it.

Changes to the FHFA refinance fee

On August 25th, FHFA announced two changes to the new refinance fee.

  • The start date moved from September 1 to December 1
  • The new charge will not apply to loan amounts below $125,000, or to HomeReady and Home Possible loans

This is good news for borrowers. It means rates may stay a little lower, a little longer.

It also means that borrowers who were already in the process of refinancing might not see their rates go up as a result of the fee.

In fact, loans currently in the pipeline might have their loan costs re-adjusted in borrowers’ favor, notes Matthew Graham of Mortgage News Daily.

But each lender will handle its own loans differently, so make sure you talk to your mortgage company if you were in the process of refinancing.

Also, note that loans must be delivered to Fannie or Freddie before December 1 to avoid the fee.

That means the refinance will have to close much earlier (in October or early November), so time your refinance accordingly.

Find and lock a low refinance rate (Feb 9th, 2021)

The new fee could push refinance rates up by 0.125% or more

When the new fee does go into effect, borrowers won’t pay it directly.

Instead, it’s likely to be charged to borrowers in the form of higher rates.

“The fee is 50bps [0.50%] in terms of PRICE, and that equates to roughly 0.125% in terms of interest rate,” says Graham.

Though others have estimated that refinance rates could rise as much as 0.375% on average when the fee goes into effect.

Either way, that’s a significant difference in refinance rates for borrowers.

For those who planned to refinance in the near future, it makes sense to get the ball rolling as soon as possible.

The earlier you start your refinance, the better your odds of closing and having the loan delivered to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac before the fee once again goes into effect.

Find a low refinance rate today (Feb 9th, 2021)

Will all refinances be affected by the new fee?

The Adverse Market Refinance Fee will only apply to refinance loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

In other words, it applies to ‘conventional’ refinance loans.

But other types of mortgages could be affected indirectly.

In fact, the initial announcement set off higher rates for both purchase and refinancing loans, including some not intended for sale to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Those who had not locked in rates suddenly faced higher interest costs.

So in the coming months, it seems safe to assume that conventional refinances won’t be the only type affected by rising rates.

No refinance fee on loans under $125,000

One piece of good news from Fannie and Freddie’s most recent announcement is that the refinance fee won’t be charged on loans under $125,000.

Note, that’s based on the loan balance — not the home’s value.

So if your home is worth significantly more than $125,000, but you’ve paid down a lot of the balance, you might end up refinancing less than $125K and the fee won’t affect you.

In addition, the fee won’t be charged to those refinancing a Freddie Mac Home Possible loan or Fannie Mae HomeReady loan.

Why was a new fee developed?

We have faced the COVID-19 economy for months. Some 55 million people have filed for unemployment, and lenders have had to adjust many of their policies to account for the added uncertainty.

But did something new happen to justify this extra fee?

According to Freddie Mac, the new fee was necessary “as a result of risk management and loss forecasting precipitated by COVID-19 related economic and market uncertainty.”

Fannie Mae explained that it was adding the fee “in light of market and economic uncertainty resulting in higher risk and costs.”

But on August 25th, a different answer emerged.

According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) — the regulator that runs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — the new money was “necessary to cover projected COVID-19 losses of at least $6 billion at the Enterprises.”

“Specifically,” says FHFA, “the actions taken by the Enterprises during the pandemic to protect renters and borrowers are conservatively projected to cost the Enterprises at least $6 billion and could be higher depending on the path of the economic recovery.”

This refers to relief packages passed during COVID-19, which allowed borrowers to skip mortgage payments without penalty and prevented lenders from foreclosing on any delinquent loans.

But this amount is a fraction of the $109.5 billion in profits Fannie and Freddie have added to government coffers, even after paying back bailout funds they received during the 2008 housing crisis, according to ProPublica.

Using a small percentage of past years’ profits to help homeowners through a worldwide pandemic seems like a good idea to us, anyway.

Will Congress stop the new fee before it goes into effect?

The Adverse Market Refinance fee is now set to start after the November election.

So, could the results of the election impact whether or not the fee actually goes into effect?

That’s not certain. Both Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, and Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), Chair of the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance, oppose the new charge.

If opposition to the fee is strong enough, there could potentially be an investigation into the fee and an attempt to stop it. But there’s no guarantee this will happen.

What to do if you want to refinance

Rates are still sitting near record lows — below 3% in many cases. This is basically unheard of in the mortgage world.

Rates are likely to go up as the new refinance fee start date nears. But that’s just one of the many, many factors that can impact mortgage and refinance rates.

If the economy starts to see a real recovery any time soon, rates could start going up regardless of what happens with the refinance fee. On the flip side, they’re not likely to go much lower than they are now.

So for borrowers hoping to refinance at record-low rates, it makes sense to get started sooner rather than later.

Verify your new rate (Feb 9th, 2021)

Source: themortgagereports.com

Rates Under Pressure Despite Weak Jobs Report

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Money Etiquette, Money Management, Mortgage Rates Tagged away, big, bond markets, budget, Debt, employment, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, government, housing, Interest Rates, keep, market, money, More, more money, Mortgage, Mortgage Rates, mortgages, News, Purchase

Economic data is traditionally one of the key contributors to interest rate movement. Of the regularly-scheduled reports, none has more market-moving street cred than The Employment Situation–otherwise known as “the jobs report” or simply NFP (due to its headline component: Non-Farm Payrolls).

The relationship between econ data and rates can wax and wane.  Covid definitely threw a wrench in the works, and economists still don’t know exactly how things will shake out.  In general, the market is trading on the assumption that things continue to improve even if the data isn’t making that case today.

In fact, today’s jobs report specifically suggests something quite different.  The economy only created 49k new jobs in January, and the last few reports were revised much lower to boot.  Taken together, these reports effectively put an end to the “correction” phase of the labor market recovery.

20210205 nl0.png

In other words, payrolls plummeted at the onset of covid (“contraction” phase).  They’d been bouncing back in record fashion through September, but have since returned to closer to zero growth.  That’s not great news considering we’re still roughly 10 million jobs away from pre-covid levels.

20210205 nl3.png

Based solely on the data above, interest rates shouldn’t be eager to rise.  A 10 million job deficit is a big deal and it speaks to a level of economic activity that promotes risk-aversion (which, in turn, benefits rates).

But rates have other factors on their mind.  In fact, we don’t even need to move on to other factors to consider one counterpoint.  Simply put, the labor market recovery is still playing out.  While it’s true we’ve seen the big contraction and correction, there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the coming months. It’s too soon to declare the death of the labor market based on the past few months–especially when seasonal adjustments are considered.

The following chart zooms in on the monthly job count to show the recent volatility and the normal range for solid job growth.  One could easily imagine returning to that range as lockdown restrictions are eased and vaccine distribution improves.  To a large extent, the bond market (and thus, interest rates) is operating based on its best guesses about the next 6-12 months as opposed to what it mostly already knew about January 2020.  Bottom line: if job growth is going to end up in that “solid range,” we wouldn’t necessarily know it yet.

20210205 nl1.png

Moving on from jobs data, the bond market has other timely concerns.  Next week brings another round of record-setting Treasury issuance.  Treasuries = US government debt.  The more money the government needs to spend (and the less revenue it takes in), the more Treasuries it must issue.  The greater the issuance, the more upward pressure on rates–all other things being equal.  

At the same time, congress passed a budget resolution that paves the way for the $1.9 trillion covid relief bill to pass in as little as 2 weeks.  Stimulus hurts bonds/rates on two fronts by increasing Treasury issuance and by (hopefully) strengthening the economy.  A stronger economy can sustain higher interest rates, in general.  

With all of the above in mind, it’s no great surprise to see a continuation of a well-established trend toward higher yields in 10yr US Treasuries.  The 10yr yield is the benchmark for longer-term rates in the US and it tends to correlate extremely well with mortgages.  As such, this chart would normally be a concern for the mortgage market.

20210205 nl55.png

But as we discussed last week, mortgage rates have diverged from Treasury trends in an unprecedented way.  

20210205 nl5.png

Despite the departure, the point of last week’s newsletter was to provide another reminder that mortgage rates can’t keep this up forever.  Indeed, when we zoom in on the actual day-to-day changes in 10yr yields and mortgage rates, we can see strong correlation again–just with much smaller steps taken by mortgages.

20210205 nl6.png

The takeaway is that it’s no longer safe to bank on a series of increasingly lower all-time lows in mortgage rates.  As long as the broader bond market remains under pressure, so too will the mortgage market–even if it takes less damage by comparison.  If these trends continue, mortgage rates may not rise as fast as Treasuries, but they’d still be rising.

For now though, the sun is still shining on the mortgage market.  Both purchase and refi applications are soaring, and new housing inventory can’t come fast enough.

20210205 nl4.png

Next week’s focal point for interest rates will be the Treasury auctions in the middle of the week–especially the 10yr Note Auction on Wednesday.  Last time around, that auction marked a turning point for a rising rate trend that shared several similarities with the current one.  

Source: mortgagenewsdaily.com

Housing, civil rights groups ask Congress for $25B

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Money Etiquette, Mortgage, Real Estate Tagged American Bankers Association, budget, Census Bureau, covid-19, COVID-19 pandemic, crisis, Featured, Finance, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Home, Homeowner Assistance Fund, homeownership, housing, Housing Policy Council, industry, Insurance, Loans, More, Mortgage, Mortgage Bankers Association, mortgage payments, mortgages, NAACP, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Realtors, National Consumer Law Center, National Fair Housing Alliance, National Urban League, Podcast, politics, Politics & Money, property, Real Estate, Recession, tax

A large partnership of housing and civil rights organizations reached out on Monday to congressional leaders advocating for further relief for homeowners in the next COVID-19 stimulus package.  

The letter was signed by representatives of more than 350 housing and civil rights organizations, including American Bankers Association, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Realtors, National Association of Home Builders and the Housing Policy Council, the NAACP, National Urban League, National Fair Housing Alliance and National Consumer Law Center.

The letter calls for $25 billion in direct assistance to homeowners facing hardships as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, at least $100 million for housing counseling, and just under $40 million for the Fair Housing Initiatives Program.

Of the approximately 3.8 million homeowners past due on their mortgages, over half of them are persons of color, according to Census Bureau.

Recent homebuyers that relied on low- or no-down payment loans from FHA, VA or the Rural Housing Service are at particular risk, the group contends, noting that even six months of forbearance can put borrowers underwater on their mortgages, owing more than their home is worth.


Honest Conversations — a podcast on minority homeownership

Join HousingWire this February as we aim to provide listeners with a greater perspective on how race, housing and wealth intersect, and what experts are doing to close the homeownership gap. Tune into HousingWire Daily every Wednesday to listen to our new miniseries, Honest Conversations, a show that will examine the state of minority homeownership.


“Moreover, these borrowers are predominantly Black and Latinx families, first-time buyers and low to moderate-income families,” the letter says. “Mortgage payments assistance will be critically important to the nearly 3 million borrowers that remain in long-term forbearance plans from their mortgage servicers. We cannot begin to tackle the racial homeownership and wealth gaps if we do not take steps to prevent a wave of COVID-induced foreclosures and loss of home equity.”

The group is hoping the bulk of the requested $25 billion comes through the recently reintroduced Homeowner Assistance Fund, which can be used by state housing finance agencies. In the letter to Congress, the group states that the HAF can help homeowners by providing direct assistance with mortgage payments and get into affordable loan modifications, while assisting with utility payments, property tax and insurance payments, homeowner association dues and other support to prevent the loss of home equity.

The outreach from housing and civil rights groups comes at a pivotal time for the American housing industry. Recently appointed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said she will play a key role in pushing the Biden administration’s economic agenda on Capitol Hill – which includes aggressive aid distribution in order to avoid an even longer recession.

President Joe Biden has repeatedly said his administration is focused on providing aid for those in need of affordable housing, and his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan was recently voted into the budget reconciliation process in order to speed up passage. The plan calls for an additional $30 billion in funding for emergency rental, energy and water assistance for hard-hit households, plus $5 billion in emergency assistance to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

All of this at a time in the country where Black homeownership has declined year-over-year, according to a recent Census Bureau report, and the percentage of Americans experiencing housing insecurity has risen to 9.5% – up from 7.2% in late 2020.

“A critical lesson of the Great Recession is that the communities most impacted need targeted, early intervention,” the group wrote in the letter. “Acting now to include these key provisions in the pending COVID-19 relief package will help stem what could be a damaging housing crisis in the U.S. concentrated in low income communities and communities of color.”

Source: housingwire.com

What Is Mortgage Insurance?

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Money Etiquette, Mortgage Tagged borrowing, Buy, Buying, Buying a Home, Credit, credit history, Credit Score, Extra Money, Family, Fees, FHA loan, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Home, home buying, home loans, homes, housing, Insurance, insurance premiums, Life, Loans, Make, money, More, Mortgage, mortgage payments, Mortgage Rates, protect, Purchase

If buying a home is your next financial goal, then you may have heard about mortgage insurance. Mortgage insurance is probably not what you expect it to be. We will cover what you need to know about mortgage insurance before you buy your future home.

happy family

What is mortgage insurance?

Mortgage insurance is a way for lenders to protect themselves from high-risk borrowers. The mortgage payments allow lenders to compensate for any losses due to defaulting on a mortgage loan.

When you think of insurance of any kind, you typically think that the insurance would help you in times of need. Instead, this helps mortgage lenders to limit the risk from borrowers, which allows for more lending to happen.

The mortgage insurance payments protect the mortgage lender. It does not protect you in any way if you fall behind on your monthly payments.

Mortgage insurance makes the home buying process more expensive for the borrower. However, it will make it possible for some to buy a home at all. If your down payment is less than 20%, then receiving a loan with mortgage insurance attached may be the best (and only) way to secure a home loan.

How Mortgage Insurance Works

As the borrower, you would need to pay extra money to the lender as a form of insurance. The method of payment can vary by lender.

You may need to pay an upfront fee or a monthly insurance payment that is added to your mortgage payment. Some lenders may even require both an upfront fee and an additional monthly payment.

The payment amount will vary widely based on your own credit, loan amount, and ability to pay the mortgage. Typically, low-risk borrowers will be entitled to lower mortgage insurance costs. High-risk borrowers should expect to pay a higher mortgage insurance premium.

The borrow is basically paying for the privilege of borrowing the money even though the borrower has a high associated risk.

Why would I get mortgage insurance?

Borrowers are required to pay mortgage insurance if they make a down payment of less than 20% of the home purchase price. Many federal programs like the FHA and USDA loans also require mortgage insurance as a part of the loan conditions.

If you are purchasing a home through a loan, your lender may require that you purchase mortgage insurance. You may have no choice in the matter if your lender dictates that you must purchase mortgage insurance to receive the loan.

It is generally not helpful for your financial situation to sign up for mortgage insurance. If you have the option to skip mortgage insurance, then that may be a good choice, depending on your situation. Otherwise, you will be paying for your lender to be protected, but you will not gain anything in the process.

What are the common types loans that require mortgage insurance?

There are many different kinds of home loans. Each type of loan has a slightly different type of mortgage insurance associated with it for some high-risk borrowers. We will cover the most common kinds below.

Conventional Loans

Conventional loans are typically offered through private companies. Depending on your down payment amount and your credit score, the private lender may require private mortgage insurance (PMI) as a condition of the conventional loan.

The amount of private mortgage insurance will also vary based on the down payment, loan amount, and your credit history. Higher credit scores and down payments will generally lead to lower required mortgage insurance premiums.

With private mortgage insurance, the premiums are usually paid out monthly with no initial upfront fee. You may also have the ability to cancel your private mortgage insurance in certain situations.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs Loans

If you are a service member or a veteran, you have likely heard of the VA loan. The idea is to help these honorable men and women purchase homes.

The VA will back your loan, so there are no monthly mortgage insurance fees required. However, you may need to pay an upfront funding fee that will act as mortgage insurance. The initial funding fee will vary based on your military history, down payment, credit score, and several other factors.

Although the upfront funding fee is not termed as mortgage insurance, the idea is the same.

US Department of Agriculture Loans

USDA loans offer great mortgage rates meant to help low to moderate-income home buyers in rural areas. The hope is that these loans will help to infuse life back into rural areas.

The loans offer zero down payments to home buyers, but mortgage insurance is required. A USDA loan requires that you pay an upfront premium as well as monthly premiums.

Federal Housing Administration Loans

FHA loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration but are completed through private lending companies.

FHA loans offer another low down payment option for people with lower credit scores. However, there is an enforced maximum loan limit that varies by county.

Every loan insured by the FHA requires mortgage insurance. You pay the annual mortgage insurance premium (MIP) monthly for the life of the FHA loan. The upfront and monthly mortgage insurance premium amounts vary by loan, but you can expect to pay it with FHA loans.

See also: FHA Loan Requirements for 2021

Can I avoid paying for mortgage insurance?

The easiest way to avoid mortgage insurance is by making a down payment of 20% or more. Of course, this is not feasible for every situation. Depending on your current financial picture, you may need to pay for mortgage insurance in order to purchase a home.

Alternatively, you can request to have your PMI canceled once the equity in your home reaches 20% of the purchase price or appraised value.

Bottom Line

Mortgage insurance is a required expense for many home buyers. If you are unable to make a 20% down payment on your home purchase, you will likely be required to pay for mortgage insurance.

Source: crediful.com

Working with Mortgage Brokers: Tips and Advice

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Money Etiquette, Mortgage Tagged big, Buy, Buying, Buying a Home, crash, Credit, credit report, estate, Family, Fees, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Home, house, housing, investment, Life, Main, Make, market, money, More, Mortgage, Purchase, real, Real Estate, Salary, trust

The process of finding and buying a home can be complicated and stressful, but you don’t have to go it alone. A real estate agent can help you to find the right house; a mortgage broker can help you get the best deal. 

Everyone understands what the former does and why they need them, but many first-time buyers often overlook the services of a mortgage broker.

The question is, what is a mortgage broker, what services can they provide you with and should you work with one?

What is a Mortgage Broker?

A mortgage broker acts as an intermediary between you and the mortgage lender. The broker has your best interests at heart, working with the lender to help you secure the home loan you need at an interest rate you can afford.

Mortgage brokers are fully licensed and regulated. They know enough about mortgage companies to understand what makes them tick and help you secure the best rate from the many different lenders out there.

The broker will pull your credit report, gather documents pertaining to your income, creditworthiness, and affordability, and work as the middleman throughout. Once you find the best mortgage lender for you, the broker will help you file the loan application and work closely with the mortgage underwriters to ensure everything runs smoothly.

As a first-time homebuyer it can be very helpful to have someone like this on your team. It can feel like you’re entering the home loan process blindfolded, with little more than references and advice from friends and family to guide you. 

It’s not a hugely complicated process, but when it’s your first time, a lot of money is at stake, and you’re trying to juggle your everyday life with all these new demands, it can feel overwhelming.

How do They Get Paid?

A mortgage broker can be paid by the borrower, but more often than not they are paid by the lender. The mortgage lender pays the broker anywhere from 0.50% to 2.75% of the total mortgage amount on average. This means that on a $100,000 loan, the broker could be earning $500 to $2,750.

It can seem like a lot of money for one mortgage acquired for one buyer. However, once you consider all the work that goes into this process and the length of time it takes, as well as the fact that mortgage brokers are highly specialized individuals, it begins to look like a bargain. More importantly, you’re not the one paying the fees, so you don’t need to worry about them.

If you have any experience with affiliate companies or lead generation, it’s kind of the same thing, but on a much grander scale. Simply put, the mortgage lender needs customers and they get those customers through the broker, rewarding them with a small share of the profits in exchange.

Are Mortgage Brokers Fair?

You could be forgiven for thinking that mortgage brokers are only interested in earning money and will steer you down whatever path earns them the highest share. However, their only goal is to find the right mortgage rates for you and as long as you get a mortgage in the end, they won’t care. 

They’re getting paid either way and it doesn’t benefit them to focus on a single lender. They’ll look at all mortgage products and loan options; they’ll compare all lenders, and they’ll remain with you throughout the mortgage process. That’s all that matters, and you don’t need to worry about favoritism.

Mortgage Brokers vs Loan Officer

The main difference between a mortgage broker and a mortgage loan officer is that the former works as a middleman between you and the lender, while a loan officer works directly for the lender and is paid a salary by them.

A loan officer is also employed by just one mortgage lender, while a mortgage broker works with multiple lenders. 

Do I Need a Mortgage Broker?

The mortgage process can take a lot of time and it’s time that you might not have. If you’re busy and you’re going into this process blind, we recommend working with a mortgage broker or at least looking at ones in your area to see what sort of benefits they can provide you with.

In any case, whether you’re working directly with big banks and credit unions or going through a mortgage broker, it’s important to study the interest rates and closing costs closely. Are you getting cheaper rates but paying huge closing costs? Are you paying over the odds for your origination fee just to get a few fractions shaved off elsewhere?

A mortgage is something that may stay with you for several decades, and if you make a bad decision now, you could pay thousands or tens of thousands extra in that time. 

Always check the loan terms before you sign on the dotted line and commit to the home purchase. It’s also important to understand the house prices in your area and to have a good grasp of the current housing market. If there is any doubt that the market is about to go into freefall, you may be better off waiting for a year or two. 

Real estate is usually a sound investment that increases in value over time, but if you buy at the height just before a crash, that house may lose a lot of its value in a short space of time and take years to recover.

Finding a Mortgage Broker

We usually don’t advocate asking friends and family for advice when it comes to things like this. After all, the internet exists, and you can “ask” millions of people for their opinions at the press of a button, so why would you focus on one person?

However, when it comes to local mortgage brokers, this is one of the best tactics. You trust your friends and family to give you an honest opinion and when you don’t have a lot of reviews to read through and a lot of information to check, that opinion could be invaluable.

This works best if you have multiple people to ask. The problem is, many of them probably had a good experience and as they likely only worked with one mortgage broker, they’ll probably only gave that one recommendation to make. So, compare recommendations from different friends, see if any of them match, and pay more attention to the friends who have worked with several different mortgage brokers.

Source: pocketyourdollars.com

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