Real Estate

Articles and Information about Real Estate

NetFinancial | Institutions | Loans
Colleges and Universities | Search Engines

Financing Houses


What Real Estate Lenders Look For

Lenders control many programs -- some make use of over 200! Generally, lenders look for the following typical standards, with many exceptions:

1. Absolutely no late mortgage payments
2. Credit score above 580
3. If bankruptcy, no charge-offs or collection accounts afterwards
4. If bankruptcy, only 1 late payment afterwards
5. Two active revolving accounts in good standing
6. Good employment history or stated income
7. Three to six months reserves (covering mortgage payment, taxes & insurance) in savings
8. 55% income to debt ratio
9. Appropriate loan-to-value ratio on purchase property

Borrowers obtain a loan by bringing something of value to the table. One of the following assets ought to get you financing:

1. Good credit score
2. Good income
3. Good cash down payment and reserves

Seven Loan Types and Finance Terms

Understanding the variety of loan types and terms enables you to choose an effective lender. Here are seven important loan types and related terms:

1. "A" Loans
Borrowers with great credit, a good cash reserve, good employment, and a debt-to-income ratio of less than 33%, qualify for "A" loans. These loans typically cost less upfront for points and costs, charge no prepayment penalty, and offer lower interest rates.

2. Sub-Prime Loans
Credit reporting agency websites portray Americans as having great credit. These informational articles and graphs mislead and cause struggling home buyers to feel inadequate. In fact, my Countrywide lending contact told me that 60% of all applicants are considered "sub-prime" borrowers. Sub-prime borrowers usually are those with credit scores under 620 or those with other conditions such as undocumented stated income, poor employment history, or credit issues such as collections, charge offs, and late payments.

3. Stated Income Loans
Most applicants for a mortgage have a full-time job with income tax returns verifying income for the past two years. Other borrowers, like me, with multiple streams of income must get loans with stated income. Some lenders require two years of bank statements showing deposits equaling the required total income, proving the ability to make the mortgage payment.

4. Full-documented Loans
These loans require tax returns, employment verification, bank statements, and other individual lender demands. Other processing types, more flexible and easier for the borrower to gather information on, do not necessarily cost more. High credit scores, big down payments, and large cash reserves ease documentation requirements.

5. Conforming Loans & Jumbo Loans
According to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines, "conforming loans" are mortgages for less than the following allowable amounts at the time of this writing:

(Unit= dwelling or housing unit)
1 unit $333,700
2 units $413,100
3 units $499,300
4 units $625,000

Note: the amounts are higher in Hawaii and Alaska. Other states like California, New York, and Florida join the higher limits this year. The dollar amount of these loans changes periodically.

Conventional lenders also use the term conforming loans for loans which are not Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans. Conforming loans simply refers to the dollar amount; it doesn't mean you get a Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae loan.

6. "Jumbo loans" are for higher dollar amounts.
You need jumbo loans to finance properties requiring larger mortgages than the limited conventional loan amount. Jumbo loans usually charge higher interest rates than conforming loans.

7. Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
If you already own your own home, consider a Home Equity Line of Credit, with few fees and lower costs, for purchasing investment property. Use this line of credit for a large down payment on your investment properties over and over. With twenty percent or more down on an investment property, you get better financing plus save on loan costs.

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm


MORE RESOURCES:

Realtors peddle real estate to bike-happy clients
The Associated Press - 7 hours ago
(AP) — With gas prices high, bicycles flying out of stores and a buyers' market for houses, a handful of real estate agents around the country are touting ...


K2C Real Estate Solutions Recruits Top Sales Agent
MarketWatch - 7 hours ago
CHARLOTTE, NC, Aug 29, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- K2C Real Estate Solutions, a real estate consulting firm that provides marketing and sales services ...
K2C launches infill project near uptown Charlotte Bizjournals.com
all 26 news articles


Real estate agent accused of food, change thefts
Hartford Courant, United States - 8 hours ago
Monroe police have arrested a real estate agent accused of stealing change from a home she's trying to sell. Police say there are complaints that she stole ...


China Real Estate Opportunities sees more growth
Forbes, NY - 8 hours ago
LONDON, Aug 29 Reuters - China Real Estate Opportunities Ltd, the London AIM market-listed property developer, believes the recent Olympic Games in Beijing ...
China Real Estate swings to H1 pretax profit 15.04 mln pounds vs ... Forbes
all 4 news articles


Foreign invasion just a myth say real estate agents
Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand - 4 hours ago
One of the Waikato's top real estate agents, Carolyn Evans, said that she hadn't noticed a change and thought that the "problem" had been exaggerated. ...


Real estate info flows freely on the Web
USA Today - 12 hours ago
By By Jeff Roberson, AP file By Anna Bahney, USA TODAY Not so long ago, real estate websites offered little more than a thumbnail photo of a house and puffy ...


Sarah Palin Is Solid Gold Real Estate
FITSNews, SC - 5 hours ago
... because let’s face it, the super hot Alaska governor and newly-minted GOP Vice-Presidential nominee is solid gold real estate right now. ...
Video: The Republican's first female vice-presidential candidate AlJazeeraEnglish
all 4,118 news articles


Jill Childress: New managing broker for Century 21 Winter Park ...
Sky Hi Daily News, CO - 2 hours ago
Dan Cheek, broker/owner for Century 21 Winter Park Real Estate is proud to announce that Jill Childress has accepted the position of managing broker for its ...
Realtors donate to many projects Sky Hi Daily News
Brenda Kellen: We found the right home, what’s next? Sky Hi Daily News
all 3 news articles


Police: Real Estate Agent Took Food, Change
WFSB, CT - 6 hours ago
A Derby real estate agent is accused of stealing from homes she was trying to sell. Holli Tapley, 29, was arrested on charges of larceny after several ...
Real estate agent faces theft charge Connecticut Post
all 4 news articles


NYC Real Estate Braces for
GlobeSt. com, NY - 4 hours ago
It may well also contribute to the creeping increase in vacancy in New York City’s real estate market, which is heavily dependent on the financial sector. ...
Unthinkable Happens: Manhattan Apartment Prices Fall New York Sun
all 2 news articles

Real-Estate - Google News

Currency Trading | Investing | Leadership | Negoatiation | Real Estate | Stocks and Mutual Funds | Taxes
home | NetFinancial | Institutions | Loans | Colleges and Universities | site map
Search Engines | EZmatic | 0pops | GetSonic | TrafficFish | Health
© 2006