Why a Mortgage Professional Beats a Banker Every Time -- The Story Tells It All
The best way to explain why a mortgage professional is always better than a banker is to use an anecdote. My parents lived in the house I grew up in for 35 years, so it was finally time to move. They found a home they liked, made an offer, and signed a purchase agreement. After conferring with me, they decided to go to a bank ? one of the more well-known mortgage banks in the region. Of course, I thought a good mortgage professional would be better, and I told them I could follow the deal from start to finish, if they went with a company I previously worked for, but the bank they decided on offered a little better rate and lower fees, so they wanted to go with them. I told them to go ahead, but I was nervous, knowing what I know about large banks, ones that are not wholesale lenders, who work with mortgage professionals. After many trips to the bank (remember, bank loan officers don't come to you) that included plenty of hassles over paperwork, they agreed on a loan for their new home. The next step was to sell their house, so they could use the proceeds for a down payment and moving expenses. My parents had over $60,000 in equity and wanted to put a good chunk down on their new house and use the rest for expenses. Since time was against them ? they had 30 days to pay off the seller of their new home, and they didn't have an immediate offer on their current residence ? they decided to apply for a bridge loan (more on bridge loans later). This would take the equity from their current home and use it to pay off their mortgage, leaving them enough money for the down payment on their new house. When they sold their old home, they would use that money to pay off the bridge loan. Here is where things got very dicey. Their new lender offered 85 percent of the value of their home for the bridge loan. So, if the home appraised for $100,000, they would get $85,000. They assumed the value would be there. The bank sent an appraiser on a drive-by, which means my parents weren't notified, and the appraiser did not go in the house. He then wrote up the value for the bank's loan underwriter. Drive-by appraisals almost always come in lower than the home's actual value. Now one of the three or four loan officers my parents were dealing with called and told them the value they would use for the loan, and it turned out to be about $10,000 less than they expected. This meant they would not have the money they hoped for, and they would now have to put less money down on their new home. This would, of course, lead to other problems ? like a higher monthly mortgage payment and less money for moving expenses. They were, to say the least, devastated. Being the proactive person that I am, I decided to intervene and call their bank. I spoke with one of the many loan officers (you see, you don't have just one person handling you at a bank; you're just another loan number). I had, of course, already done my own research and learned that the value of my parents' house should be much higher. I asked the loan officer to explain how they came to this very low value. She fumbled through her answer and told me they use comparable sales prices in the area and that they don't do a drive-by appraisal. She said I would have to talk to someone in their equity department, because she didn't know what other options there were. I was somewhat surprised at her lack of intimate knowledge with the bank's policies, but I certainly wasn't shocked. This is the nature of home loan operations at a bank ? one person passes the responsibility to another and only in rare instances does one department really know what the other is doing. You'll never have this problem with a good mortgage professional. After being channeled through another receptionist at the same branch office, I wound up speaking to an underwriter in the equity department. She told me that a drive-by was, in fact, done. I explained to her as I had the other woman why the value was inaccurate. (I had very accurate comparable sales prices from different resources, given to me by one of the area's best appraisers.) I asked the equity underwriter if my parents could have a complete interior appraisal done to give a true value, and she said this was an acceptable option. In the end, my parents got the value they needed, and things worked out just fine. They needed a quality mortgage professional, though, to get it done. Mark Barnes is an investment real estate and real estate finance expert. Get his free mortgage finance course at http://www.winningthemortgagegame.com. Mark is also the author of the new novel, The League, a shocking, sports-related conspiracy. Learn more about his suspense thriller at http://www.sportsnovels.com.
Related News
Looking to refinance? Now might be the time - Boston Globe
Looking to refinance? Now might be the timeBoston Globe, United States -6 hours agoMortgage rates have been stubbornly high for quite some time but the government's recently announced $800B plan to bolster mortgages and consumer loans had ... |
See if lender will let you pay insurance, taxes - San Francisco Chronicle
See if lender will let you pay insurance, taxesSan Francisco Chronicle, USA -9 hours agoI almost feel like the mortgage companies are just trying to get extra money from us by having us refinance soon. Even in this economy, this house would ... |
Treasury Yields Drop to Record Lows as Bernanke Cites Buybacks - Bloomberg
Commercial loan "nightmare" projected for 2009-JPMorgan - Reuters
Good time to refinance your mortgage? - WKTV
Good time to refinance your mortgage?WKTV, NY -6 hours agoBy GARY LIBERATORE (WKTV) - If you are in the market to buy a home, it's a really good time, but if you're selling, it's not so good. ... |
Ben Bernanke: Fresh Attack on Mortgage Rates - U.S. News & World Report
Ben Bernanke: Fresh Attack on Mortgage RatesU.S. News & World Report, DC -3 hours agoLower rates will enable some borrowers to refinance out of adjustable and into fixed-rate loans. But those who need to refinance the most have homes with ... |
Mortgage rates fall, but many borrowers will have trouble qualifying - Los Angeles Times
Bellingham man's adjustable mortgage became money trap - Bellingham Herald
Wolters Kluwer Financial Services Begins Development of Hope for ... - MarketWatch
Great Wolf continues mortgage negotiations - Wisconsin State Journal
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Types of Mortgage Interest Rate
Here is a useful guide to the different types of Mortgage Interest Rates that are available. Mortgage Lenders offer all kinds of different deals when it comes to the interest you pay on your mortgage. Sometimes you may have a choice, sometimes you may not.
No Deposit Home Loans
A few years ago, many of us would have had a light chuckle to ourselves if someone mentioned that you could borrow money to buy a house with only the promise of solid future earnings. But today this is a regular occurrence. Many of the industry's non-conforming lenders are selling these financial products to many happy consumers, with most of the major banks avoiding this riskier route.
Life of an Escrow
Escrow is one of the last stages in the purchase or sale of a real property. When someone says that they are in escrow, it means that they have either accepted an offer on the sale of their property, or their offer to purchase has been accepted. The offer to purchase agreement is the instrument that is first signed by all parties before they "go to escrow".
2nd Mortgage Loan After Bankruptcy - Get Approved Online
A 2nd mortgage loan after a bankruptcy is possible in as little as two years. Refinancing your mortgage can help you make needed home improvements or pay off high interest debt. Refinancing with adverse credit history requires savvy shopping on your part to ensure that you get a reasonable 2nd mortgage loan.
Reverse Mortgages ? a Reversal of the Mortgage Process
Mortgages have assumed a number of characters from the time of their inception. The traditional mortgages used to be of the repayment type. Every month the mortgagor used to pay a certain amount towards both principal and interest. Sensing the hardships that people have to face in making these payments, mortgage providers came up with interest only mortgages. But the present day customer is more pampered. He needs a mortgage where he enjoys the cash, but is not required to pay a penny towards the repayment.
Refinancing Online - Tips For Getting a Low Interest Rate When Applying Online
Refinancing online is a great opportunity to find low interest rates. Online mortgage lenders provide information about rates and fees for easy comparisons. However, to find the lowest interest rates, you will need to do more than just surf sites. The following tips will give you the edge in your refinancing search.
Home Loans: Where Do I Begin?
So you've finally decided you've had enough of paying rent and want to jump into home ownership. Well you've got your work cut out for you. Plumbing problems are now your responsibility, not your landlord's. A nice, clean yard is also your responsibility, not your landlord's. The air-conditioning goes out in August, who do you call. Not the landlord, you're now responsible. Yep - a lot of work.
What is a Flexible Mortgage?
'Flexible mortgage' is a term that's used a lot, but what exactly does it mean? A flexible mortgage allows the borrower to make extra repayments when they have the extra money and even reduce or skip payments should the need arise.
How To Turn Disadvantages Of A Reverse Mortgage To Your Advantage
When it comes to a reverse mortgage, wise consumers weigh the advantages and disadvantages prior to signing on the dotted line.
Choosing The Right Mortgage For You
This article will help you understand the differences between a variety of mortgage options. There are many different mortgage products offered by the various lending institutions in Canada, so you may not know what features to look for.
Home Loan Lenders - Finding the Best Home Mortgage Lender
The process of obtaining a mortgage or home loan can be very stressful and quite time consuming. Finding the best lender for your situation requires research and comparisons between lenders and loan packages. You may be searching for a first time home loan or to refinance your existing mortgage. Compare lenders carefully and find the best possible terms available to you.
Bad Credit? Qualify Yourself For A Zero Down Mortgage Loan
I decided to write this article today after closing a home purchase loan for a couple that had some major credit issues. They got into the house with ZERO down payment, and only had to bring $600 for the closing costs. Their situation was pretty bad, I'm talking about a bankruptcy 2 years ago, thousands of dollars in outstanding collections, charge-offs and debt to income ratio of 49%. By the way, we left all of their outstanding charge-offs and collections open which means they didn't have to pay any of them off! So many think they won't be able to qualify for a mortgage loan. Many will keep thinking they can't qualify until they read this article.
Residential Mortgage - Finding The Best Home Mortgage Lender
Most people approach the act of getting a home mortgage purchase or refinance loan the wrong way. They timidly approach lenders and cross their fingers that they will quality for that all-important loan. But that's just the opposite of what most people should be doing!
Buy To Let Mortgages ? To Let in Reasonable Capital Growth with Financial Obligation
Every individual needs a home and every home needs an owner. Perhaps you are already a homeowner. If you can afford why not buy a home and let it out on rent. It can be immensely rewarding if you need a loan. Buy to let is when a buyer buys a property to let it out for commercial purposes. Mortgages specific to these kind of purchase are called buy to let mortgages.
How Homeowner Can Save Their Home From Foreclosure
Drive around and see how many signs you see that says House for Sale. How many lease purchases do you see? How many abandon houses are on your street? Our country is up against the wall with delinquence mortgages. FHA mortgage lenders are filing claims in the millions from HUD. How do I know? I counsel homeowners every month concerning their mortgage and what they need to do to protect their property and communicate with their mortgage lender.
Need a Mortgage, Refinance or Equity Loan? Learn What it Takes, Before Applying
Do you know what it takes to qualify for mortgage and refinance loans? There are several factors involved with qualifying for a purchase, refinance or equity line of credit, and having an in-depth understanding of these could make the difference in you being accepted or turned down by a bank loan officer.
Home Equity Loan ? When Does Refinancing Make Sense?
For the last two years, interest rates have been much lower than anytime during the last thirty years. This has resulted in an unprecedented boom in real estate sales, home refinancing and home equity lending, as borrowers try to take advantage of these rates for the long term. But refinancing or even borrowing against your home's equity may not make sense for everyone. When is it a good idea to refinance your home? When is it not advisable?
What is a Tracker Mortgage?
A tracker mortgage 'tracks' the Bank of England base rate, meaning your mortgage stays in line with interest rates and the market in general. The result on your monthly mortgage interest payments is that they go up when the base rate goes up and go down when the base rate goes down.
Basic Tips for First Time Home Buyers
The first time you purchase a home is an exciting experience. You are anxious to call the place yours and maybe a little worried about how the whole thing will play out. Knowing a few basic tips for home buying is important and will help eliminate your fears altogether.
What You Dont Know About The Real Estate Process, Some Inside Secrets
Some people in the real estate industry have a terrible reputation. Why, because they deserve it. A lot of hard earned money trades hands and if things go wrong that leaves a very bitter taste in the injured parties mouths.
|
