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Applying for a Loan
The Advantages of Loan Pre-Qualification
√ Know how much house you can afford.
√ Know how much cash you will need for the down payment.
√ Simplifies pre-approval.
A number of factors determine the price range of homes you'll want to preview - one of these factors is loan pre-qualification.
Scoring your Credit - How's your FICO?
In today's increasingly automated society, it should come as no surprise that when you apply for a mortgage, your ability to pay can be reduced to a single number. All the years you've been paying your mortgage, car payments, and credit card bills can be analyzed, sliced, diced, spindled and mutilated into a single indicator of whether you're likely to meet your future obligations.
Prudential Discover Real Estate ~ Amy Merrill
All three of the major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) use a slightly different system to arrive at a score. The best known is called the FICO score, based on a model developed by Fair Isaac and Company (hence the name) and used by Experian. Equifax's model is called BEACON, while TransUnion uses EMPIRICA. While each of the models considers a range of data available in your credit report, the primary factors are:
Credit History - How long have you had credit?
Payment History - Do you pay your bills on time?
Credit Card Balances - How much do you owe on how many accounts?
Credit Inquiries - How many times have you had your credit checked?
Each of these, and other items, are assigned a value and a weight. The results are added up and distilled into a single number. FICO scores range from 300 to 850, with higher being better. Typical home buyers likely find their scores falling between 600 and 850.
FICO scores are used for more than just determining whether or not you qualify for a mortgage. Higher scores indicate you are a better credit risk, and thus may qualify for a better mortgage rate.
What can you do about your FICO score? Unfortunately, not much. Since the score is based on a lifetime of credit history, it is difficult to make a significant change in the number with quick fixes. The most important thing is to know your FICO score and to ensure that your credit history is correct. Conveniently, Fair Isaac has created a web site (www.myFICO.com) that let's you do just that. For a reasonable fee, you can quickly get your FICO score from all three reporting agencies, along with your credit report. Also available is some helpful information and tools that help you analyze what actions might have the greatest impact on your FICO score. Each of the credit services offers similar services on their web sites: www.equifax.com, www.experian.com, and www.transunion.com.
Armed with this information, you will be a more informed consumer and better positioned to obtain the most favorable mortgage available to you.
Verifying Your Down Payment,
Closing Costs, Assets, Income and Debts
A critical step in the mortgage loan application process is to verify the sources for your down payment, closing costs and assets, as well as documenting income and debts. The lender uses this step to determine your qualifications as a borrower.
Down Payment & Closing Costs
Documenting that the down payment comes from your savings and that you will have savings and/or assets over and above the down payment gives the lender confidence in your strength as a borrower and your ability to repay the loan.
Take extra care to document the sources for any monies to be used for the down payment or closing costs.
Acceptable Down Payment & Closing Costs Sources
Cash in a bank account
Mutual funds / stocks / IRA / 401(K)
Proceeds from the sale of another property
Gift from an immediate relative
Assets
Collect information about your personal assets that add to your net worth and help to prove your credit worthiness.
Common Assets Considered in a Mortgage Loan Application
Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, 401(K) and retirement accounts
Life insurance
Personal property estimate - cars, boats, antiques, jewelry, etc.
Other real estate or property
Income and Employment
The lender will want to confirm your current gross income and have evidence of stable employment. Documentation requirements vary depending upon a number of factors - including the source of income (hourly, salary, salary + bonuses, salary + commission, commission, self-employed, etc.).
Debts
Your lender will want to review a list of all your current debts. This along with your credit report will provide the lender with a snapshot of your obligations. The lender will want to confirm that you will not be overextended when the mortgage payment is added to your current debt load.
Loan Application Checklist
In general, the documentation you will need includes:
Check for application fee
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Property Information (if you already have a contract on a house)
Purchase Agreement.
Copy of legal description and MLS sheet.
If you are selling your current home, copy of listing contract.
If you have sold your current home, copy of settlement statement (HUD-1).
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Income & Assets
Pay stubs for the last 30 days.
For the past two years:
Names and addresses of each employer.
W-2s
Statements for each bank, mutual fund, and/or investment account for the last three months.
Estimated value of personal property and furniture.
If you have made any large deposits to your accounts:
Explanation and source for deposit.
If large deposit was a gift:
Signed gift letter (lender can supply).
Copy of gift check.
Copy of deposit receipt.
If you own more than 25% of a business:
Corporate or partnership tax returns.
If self-employed:
Tax returns for the last three years (with schedules).
Year-to-Date Profit and Loss Statement prepared by an accountant.
If you own rental property:
Tax returns for the last two years and current rental agreements.
If you are retired:
Pension Award Letter.
If you receive Social Security:
Social Security Award Letter.
If you are counting child support as income:
Copy of divorce settlement.
Copy of twelve months of cancelled child support checks.
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Debts
Names, addresses, account numbers, balances and monthly payments on all current loans.
Explanation of credit report anomalies, including:
Late payments, credit inquiries in the last 90 days, charge-offs, collections, judgments and/or liens.
Bankruptcy filed within last seven years (bring a copy of your bankruptcy papers).
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VA Loans
Copy of DD Form 214, Report of Separation.
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Miscellaneous
Photo ID and proof of Social Security number.
Residence addresses for the past two years.
If applicable, a copy of your divorce decree.
If you are not a citizen, a copy of the front and back of your green card.
How to Stay Approved
The Last Minute Credit Check
Did You Know?
Your mortgage lender may run a second credit report just prior to closing. Red flags that appear in this credit report can disqualify you for the mortgage loan.
Your actions after receiving lender approval for a mortgage loan can disqualify you for the loan. A mortgage loan is conditionally approved, with the lender reserving the right to re-verify credit, income, assets and employment at anytime. The lender may cancel the loan if there are any adverse changes to your qualification status.
Debt-to-Income Ratio
Your debt-to-income ratio is your gross monthly income divided by the amount you spend on debt. Debt items include mortgage payments (including principal, interest, insurance, tax), car payments, credit card payments, student loans, child support payments, etc.
The lender considers debt-to-income ratio when approving you for a mortgage loan. Only 28 percent of your income can be used for your mortgage payment, which includes taxes and insurance; and 36 percent for the mortgage payment plus the rest of your debt. Anything you do to negatively affect your debt-to-income ratio may change an "approval" to a "disqualification."
Avoid Red Flags
A red flag is any inquiry made regarding your credit worthiness. If you decide to purchase a big ticket item - like a car, boat or furniture - prior to closing, you're at risk of having a red flag show up on your credit report.
Keep Your Money Where It Is
The balances of your liquid assets are considered when approving you for a mortgage loan. These liquid assets may include checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, retirement accounts, stock and mutual funds.
Avoid changes to the balances of these accounts. Do not close accounts. Do not change banks. A large withdrawal or deposit to any of these accounts will trigger a red flag for your mortgage lender. If a red flag is triggered, you may be asked to produce a paper trail tracking large withdrawals and/or deposits.
Employment Status
For most employees a change of jobs to one of equal or higher pay will not trigger a red flag. However, sales people should not change jobs prior to closing on their mortgage loan.
Salaried Employees
If your income is strictly salary than you should not have a problem changing to another job of equal or greater income. If, however, your income includes salary and bonuses, commissions and/or overtime, you should not change jobs prior to closing.
Hourly Employees
If your income is based solely on a 40-hour work week without overtime, than changing to a job with equal or greater hourly pay should not be a problem. However, if your income is dependent upon overtime pay, do not change jobs prior to closing.
Commissioned Employees
If your income is from commission or a substantial portion of your income is from commission, then you should not change jobs prior to closing. Typically, mortgage lenders average your commissions over the last two year period to determine income. Changing employers eliminates the two-year commission history and places uncertainty on your income status.
Talk to Your Loan Originator
Do not make any changes to your financial and employment status without first talking to your loan originator.
How to Reduce Your Mortgage
One Additional Mortgage Payment a Year
There's a simple trick to significantly reduce the length of your mortgage and save you thousands of dollars. The trick is to make one extra mortgage payment a year and apply that payment toward your loan's principal.
This is the method being used by "Bi-Weekly Mortgage Reduction Services" and "Bi-Weekly Mortgage Savings Programs". Only, when you do it yourself, you don't pay a third party unnecessary set-up costs and fees!
