There are 2 main ways of getting a mortgage, through a bank or through a mortgage company. To help with getting a mortgage you will use a loan officer or a mortgage broker.
The main difference between a loan officer and a mortgage broker is that the loan officer works for the bank or mortgage company that is offering the mortgage and the mortgage broker is independent. They may use a number of different companies to arrange a mortgage with and there fore give you the borrower more choice.
One of the main advantages of having a broker arrange your mortgage for you is that they do have a wider choice of products and companies to choose from. On the other hand you need to be aware that the mortgage broker is paid from the closing fee made on the mortgage.
So if you have a poor credit history most banks will not give you a mortgage. The mortgage broker on the other hand can search around all the companies he deals with to find a company that offers bad-credit mortgage loans. He may even be able to find a choice of offers for you and you can pick the best deal for your circumstances.
It may be faster getting your mortgage through a bank or credit union but you may not always get the best deal. The mortgage broker should be able to get you a better deal on your mortgage, although it may take longer to arrange because he is acting as the middleman between you the borrower and the mortgage company, the lender. It can be time-consuming to resolve mortgage matters between these two entities because of all the paperwork involved and the financial checks needed.
While the mortgage broker can help with filling in the applications and details it is up to the borrower to check and submit correct information so that they do not get into financial difficulties later on.
While buying a home is one of the most stressful things you can do, it is also usually a sound financial investment. However it is always best to get good and sound financial advice from an independent financial advisor, someone who is familiar with property or an independent mortgage broker.
The Difference Between Prequalified and Preapproved
While people will sometimes use the words prequalification and preapproval interchangeably, these two words do not mean the same thing and it is important to understand the difference.
Prequalification means that you have met with someone at a financial institution and discussed the particular issues of your personal finances such as your income, assets, commissions, and debts, and from that discussion the lender has offered an educated opinion as to how much money you are qualified to borrow.
Preapproval is a much more in-depth evaluation where the financial advisor will actually go over your paperwork such as past paychecks and pay stubs, tax forms such as W2's and 1099's, bank statements, credit reports, and any assets that are owned. After this evaluation you will receive a letter from the lender that specifies how much money you are allowed to borrow pending a good review of the property to be purchased.
What Type of Paperwork Does The Lender Look For?
One important thing that your financial institution will look for when deciding whether they should or shouldn't give you a loan is your credit score and past credit history. If you have a good history of paying back you credit cards on time, especially if you can spend $10,000 or more in a month and then pay it off rapidly, this is a good signal of financial competence.
So what to do if you have a low credit score or an unattractive credit history? Start by not charging anything more, and then pay off all your credit card balances down to zero. From then on, only charge on your credit cards what you have the money in the bank to pay off immediately.
Lenders will also consider your income over the past months and years by reviewing your paychecks and pay stubs, and they will also look for your tax forms to verify your income. They will want to see the paperwork for your other bank accounts or investment accounts so that they can verify your current assets and work that number into the total evaluation.
Also important is your current outstanding liabilities such as credit card debt or other loans. With all of this information, plus any other information deemed appropriate to your personal financial picture, your bank will decide how much money they would be willing to lend you for a home loan.
Both Ken Snow & Nathan Navachi are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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