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Setting the Right Expectations for House Hunting

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Buying your next home is an exciting prospect. Sometimes we can get swept away with the features we want in our new homes. So, let’s bring things back to reality and think about what you NEED your new home to have. Check out the tips below to help keep you on track when you start house hunting.  

Create a Budget

One important thing to do before you start is to find out how much you can spend on a house. Once you figure this budget out, you can use a mortgage calculator to better understand your mortgage monthly payments (see Texas Loan Star for more information).

Using some kind of budgeting program will help give you a clear picture of how your mortgage payment fits into your monthly expenses. You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of money left over at the end of the month for savings, improvements, and m other miscellaneous items.

Prioritize what you need, what you want and what you can live without

Sit down and think about what your new house absolutely must have. We’re not talking about a bathroom, kitchen or bedroom either. Those are fairly standard for the vast majority of homes. Think about whether you need to be closer to work to have a better work-life balance. Is the house close to a good school? We’re talking about essentials – things you cannot live without.

Next think about what you want your new home to have that your current home doesn’t have. Think of these as upgrades.

Cut out the what can you live without

The pie-in-the sky stuff, like your own personal basement bowling alley, would be nice; however, you can probably continue to live perfectly fine without it. Is it worth it to spend thousands of dollars more on those luxury items when you could use that money elsewhere?

Take your list and start house hunting

Make a plan with your real estate agent and start looking at homes online to see what homes are out there and compare them with all of the items on your list. This will help you see if you can get everything on your list within your budget. If you can’t find a home you can afford with everything you want, it’s time to re-evaluate.

Re-Evaluate your list

Look back at your list and see where you can cut. Remember, you can always change things like flooring, carpet, paint, cabinets and appliances.

An updated, ready-to-use kitchen, for example, would be great, but maybe you can use the money you save on a lower priced house to update the kitchen later. You might even save money by doing the work yourself.

Finding the right home might take a little time. Preparing ahead of time, knowing what you really want in a house and having the right expectations makes the process easier and less stressful. Good luck!

Call Texas Loan Star at 713-802-0606 for more information!

Conditional Approval vs. Pre-Approval?

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What you inquire about qualifying for a home loan, you’ll likely hear the term “conditionally approved” but might not be sure what that means or how it differs from a pre-approval. A conditionally approved loan is closer to closing than a pre-approved one but it comes with a few conditions, usually concerning documentation and income, that must be met before a client can be pre-approved to close.

A conditional approval occurs once the client has provided the necessary documentation to get their loan set up, such as supplying the following documentation:

  • Employment and income verification
  • Pay stubs
  • Tax returns
  • Bank statements
  • Debt obligations (credit cards/other loans)
  • Utility bills
  • Asset statements

All this information is required before the loan is completely approved.

Conditional Approval vs. Pre-Approval

People often confuse conditional approval and pre-approval when talking about mortgages. Loans are pre-approved by a lender who has reviewed your income and credit information. Your information must be verified and approved before a final decision can be made.

The pre-approval is based on what the client tells the banker and their credit report information. Conditional approval differs from pre-approval in that the loan may not have been reviewed by an underwriter when pre-approved. After your information is reviewed, you’ll receive a pre-approval letter stating your eligibility for a loan up to a specified amount.

Conditional approval comes after pre-approval and involves going a little deeper. An underwriter conducts a strict documentation review before your loan is conditionally approved. This documentation is reviewed by an underwriter, and provided the client’s information matches up with what was initially stated to the mortgage lender, they are conditionally approved. This means the loan is moving forward, but there are or may be additional conditions that will need to be met in order to finalize and close the loan. If the conditions aren’t met, the client might not be able to close on the loan.

Conditions on a Conditional Approval

There are a few common conditions attached to a conditional home loan approval. Additional documentation, such as pay stubs, paperwork for business income and tax documentation, is often required for final approval. This might also include written verification of employment from your employer or additional asset statements, depending on what’s needed for your loan.

Conditional approval can also require purchase agreement addendums. Title verification, an appraisal, an inspection and home owners insurance are usually needed to verify the market price of the home, the loan-to-value ratio and other details. This can also include confirmation that there are no unexpected liens or judgements on the home.

Denial of a Conditionally Approved Loan

Clients with a conditional approval for a home loan are at risk for denial if they fail to meet any of the conditions laid out by the lender.

Here are a few reasons why a client might be denied:

  • The underwriter is unable to verify the data provided by the client
  • The home the client is trying to purchase has an unexpected lien.
  • The client has a judgment on their record
  • The home inspection or property appraisal came in with unexpected issues
  • The client experienced a decrease in income
  • The client had negative entries on their credit report

Call us today for more information or if you want to start the process to get pre-approved!

How to Negotiate the Best Price on a Home (With Your Realtor)

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It takes a keen understanding of the home buying process to be good at negotiating. Be sure you have it down before you make any offers on homes. Especially, with the market heating up for Summer. Or better yet, rely on your real estate agent to do the negotiating for you, but you should always be part of the process. Realtors are professionals in the housing market and have the best tools for you to use when looking for a new home. Here are some tools and information the best negotiators use:

CMAs – Comparable Market Analysis

Once you’ve found a home you want to buy, the first step in negotiation is to assess the fair value. CMAs show what similar properties in the area have sold for. Your real state agent will have access to CMAs and can share them with you.

Generally, CMAs list houses in a particular location that are currently on the market, have sales pending, have expired from the market, or have sold. It is the “sold” properties you need to look at because the list price and the offer aren’t necessarily the best indicators of what the house will sell for. There can be a big discrepancy between those two figures.

The CMA often gives you general information about the houses being compared: number of bedrooms and baths, square footage, the listing price and the sold price. Make sure you focus on houses similar to the one you’ve selected – both in description and location. The more recent the data, the better.

Condition

Once you have the CMA, drive by all of the properties listed in the sold column. Condition has a lot to do with the ultimate selling prices of a house. Does the home in which you’re interested shine above or fall below those sold? Make a realistic comparison of condition and discuss with your realtor, then adjust your thinking up or down according to what you see.

Extra Amenities

Does the house you’ve chosen have more or fewer amenities than comparable homes? Although amenities won’t affect the value as much as location or overall condition, they can be a factor. Be wary, though. An outdoor hot tub, for example, may have been a major motivating factor in your choice of a house, but it won’t add much to the value of the property when you resell.

Motivation

A good negotiator gathers as much information as possible on the house and the sellers. The owner’s reason for selling is at the top of the list. Does he or she have to sell? Want to sell? Just throwing in on the market at a high price to see if it’ll move? If your agent representing you in the transaction is a buyer’s agent, they can try to secure this information for you. If you’re working with an agent representing the seller, they typically can’t disclose this information without the seller’s consent.

Preparation

Great negotiators always prepare themselves. The most important factor is your frame of mind. Never let emotions override common sense during negotiations. Set a realistic limit and stick to it. If the price isn’t to your liking or is outside your budget, you must always be willing to walk away. In addition to your emotional frame of mind, your finances should be in order. An offer carries more weight if there are no dangling financial problems and if you’re pre-approved for a mortgage.

Realism

Make a realistic offer. Nothing offends a seller more than a low-ball offer on a house that is fairly priced. Often, negotiations will stop, rarely to be revived again.

Call us today to get pre-qualified so you are prepared to negotiate on a home!

6 Things to Know Before Applying for a Home Loan

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There are some thing to keep in mind to ensure that your home buying process is simple. Here are six tips to help you feel confident when applying for a new home loan.

1.Pay All Your Bills on Time

When Applying for a home loan, it’s important you have good credit history, which includes paying all your bills on time, every time. A late payment may negatively affect your credit score and that can play a part in whether you’re approved financing and ultimately, the rate and term you may receive. Even after your home loan closes, it’s still important to pay your bills on time.

2. Be Wary of Employment Changes

A stable employment history is important when preparing to buy a new home. After all, you have to show that you have the stability and continuity of income to repay the loan.

Requirements may vary based on the type of employment you have, but for most salaried borrowers, there is no specific time on the job required. Generally, lenders will request to review at minimum a two-year work history.

3. Do You Own Research

With so many home loan options available, it may be difficult to determine the ones that’s right for you. While your lender will work with you to find the best option, it’s important that you learn the basics about fixed-rate and adjustable rate loans.

4. See What You Can Afford

After you’ve taken the time to do your own research, it’s time to see how much you can afford to spend on a home. For example, most budgets call for earmarking 28% of your post-tax income for a house payment, including your homeowner’s insurance and property tax.

5. A Few Things to Consider

What options are available in rates, points and fees (and yes, there’s more than one rate).

Hold off on opening any new accounts.

If you’re looking for a new home, there’s a good chance you’re going to be looking to furnish and decorate it as well. While that “5% discount on all furniture purchases” credit offer may look good at the moment, it’s best to put off opening any new credit accounts or lines of credit until after your loan has closed. Taking on more debt could impact the type of loan you receive or change the one already in process.

6. Hold Off on Closing Any Existing Accounts

Each item on your credit report contributes to your credit history or the record of your responsible repayment of debts. The longer your credit history, especially with a good payment record, the better. When applying for a new home loan, don’t close any existing accounts, even if they have a $0 balance.

Following these tips may help set you up for a success with a smooth home buying experience. Call us today with any questions you have! 713-802-0606