15
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

What To Know About Your Debt-To-Income Ratio When Buying A Home

When you apply for a mortgage, your lender will do some quick math to figure out how much of a loan you can afford. Your lender will consider many factors, and one of the most important ones is your debt-to-income ratio. It is usually shortened to DTI, and understanding this formula can help you better understand how big of a house you can afford.  An Overview Of A DTI Your DTI represents the amount of money you spend compared to the amount you make. Your lender is going to have very strict DTI requirements when deciding whether you can be…
Read More
13
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

The Minimum Credit Score For VA Home Loan Approval: What To Know

When you are applying for a home loan, you need to make sure that you meet the minimum credit score requirements. If you decide to go with a traditional loan, the credit limit can be high, making it hard to qualify for a home loan. In contrast, you might be able to qualify for a VA home loan with a much lower credit score. What do you need to know? The VA Does Not Have A Minimum Credit Score Requirement One of the major benefits of applying for a VA home loan is that you do not need to worry…
Read More
07
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

Should You Buy Mortgage Points?

When you take out a home loan, you might have the option to purchase mortgage points. Essentially, this is money that you pay to the lender upfront in exchange for getting a lower interest rate over the life of the loan. If you got a great deal on the house, you might have some extra cash on hand. Should you use that money to buy down the interest rate? This is a math problem that you need to calculate for yourself. How To Do The Math If you want to figure out if the mortgage points are worth it, you…
Read More
01
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

Consider A Home Renovation Loan To Navigate A Challenging Housing Market

Today, there are many people who are having a difficult time purchasing a house. Even though interest rates have gone up, sales are still happening quickly. Therefore, it can be difficult for people to qualify for a mortgage, purchase a house, and get to the closing table before the property is sold. One potential way to get around the hot housing market is to consider a home renovation mortgage. How can a home renovation mortgage help you?  A Renovation Loan Can Help People Buy A Less Desirable Home If you want to close on a home, you might be interested…
Read More
31
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

Expenses To Consider When Buying A Home

When you are in the process of buying a home, it can be intimidating to take a look at so many factors. A home has a big price tag, and you need to make sure that you budget accordingly. Fortunately, this is not a process that you have to go through on your own. There are several items that all experts will say that you have to consider as you budget for your next home purchase. The Down Payment Your biggest expense is probably going to be your down payment. In general, it is a smart idea to put 20…
Read More
26
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

The Importance Of Pre-Approval During The Homebuying Process

If you want to buy a home in the near future, you are probably aware of just how competitive the housing market is. You need to put yourself in the best position possible to be successful by getting pre-approved for a home loan. This is a very important step, particularly when you compete against people making cash offers. Learn more about the importance of getting pre-approved below, and make sure your offer is taken seriously. A Pre-Approval Letter Shows You Are Serious The first reason why you need to get a pre-approval letter is that it will show any potential…
Read More