Monday, March 8th, 2010 at
3:21 am
When you apply for a mortgage, or indeed any financial product, your credit rating is checked. A credit rating helps a lender decide whether you fit their criteria as a risk worth lending money to.
The lenders look at the reasons for your mortgage application and study your financial status and your income and outgoings. For the credit check they will use one of the two main credit reference agencies: Experian or Equifax. These agencies keep a track of your credit history – how well you have paid off your past loans and mortgages and whether you have missed any payments. Different lenders will use the results from the agencies in different ways, but there is little or nothing that won’t be recorded on your file if you have had problems in the past.
It is worth keeping an eye of your credit rating via either of those agencies so you know where you stand. It is also help you to bring to light any erroneous problems on your file – which do occur from time to time. You need to raise any such problems with the agency and try and get them cleared as soon as possible.
One thing you should try and do is to avoid applying for a mortgage that you who be rejected for, as any rejected applications for credit will be show on your file and may count against you in future applications.
If you do have an impaired credit rating then you might need to look for a bad credit mortgage. Over recent years the number of brokers and lender specialising in bad credit mortgages has grown. The reason for this is that is money to be made for people providing these mortgages, thanks to the higher interest rates that the mortgages attract.
Ironically, the credit crunch, which has made life tougher for most people and helped to push more into the “at risk” categories, has reduced the number of bad credit mortgage providers.
Although it is wise to shop around, to avoid problems of multiple applications counting against your credit rating, it is best to use an independent specialist bad credit mortgage adviser. They will know how likely you are to be accepted by the lender, and help you avoid the rejection spiral.
The best way to find such a professional is by personal recommendation. If you can’t find one in this way, search the interent for an independent, whole of market mortgage broker.
By: Aaron Hill
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at
9:24 am
If you have a dream about owning your own home and applying for a mortgage then you may be a bit nervous at the present moment. While having your own home is the American dream the high prices involved can be overwhelming. In addition to this, many lenders will be more concerned with earning a profit than with helping you find a home that matches your income. Below are some steps you can take to properly apply for your first mortgage.
Applying for a mortgage used to be simple. People would compare the prices and rates on houses they wanted, and once the found a lender they were comfortable with, they would make a large down payment and then move in. Today things have changed, and going through the number of options available can be very stressful. One thing you should do before shopping for a house is to educate yourself.
First Mortgage Application Steps
The first thing you will want to do is look at your current income. How much do you make per year? How secure is your job? Remember, if you go about getting a mortgage the traditional way, it could take 15 to 30 years to pay it off, and if you get behind on your payments, you could lose your home and have your credit ruined. If you can’t afford a home, it is best not to move into one until you can. This will keep you from taking on debt you can’t afford.
How Much Can You Afford?
If you feel that you can afford a mortgage the next thing you should decide is how much you can afford. Lenders have a tendency to offer you mortgages which are more than you can afford, and this is important to remember. In addition to the cost of the mortgage itself, you will have to pay taxes, insurance and other expenses as well. These costs should be included in your monthly expenses.
Apply Directly Or Via A Broker?
When you begin looking for a mortgage you will encounter two types of lenders; mortgage brokers and direct lenders. The direct lenders are the people who have the money to lend you. They are ultimately the individuals who decide if you will be approved for a home. The mortgage broker acts as a middleman, going out and finding direct lenders who can give you the best deal.
While the lenders may have a limited number of loans available, a mortgage broker will often have access to multiple lenders simultaneously. If you are looking for a specific type of mortgage, a mortgage broker may be better to use than a direct lender. However, a mortgage broker will charge you for their services, and this could be a certain percentage of the mortgage loan you end up with. With the rise of the internet, online mortgage brokers can help you save money.
Get The Paper Work In Order
Once you have found a loan through a direct lender or mortgage broker the next step is to fill out an application. There are a number of things you will need to fill out on the application and it will help if you have some supporting documents. You will need to provide information about your income, length of employment, and your assets. They will also want to know what other loans or credit cards you have.
Once this information has been provided, the lender will look at your credit report. In addition to this, they will want to see your bank statements and check stubs from your job. You may also need to show them tax information and data about your insurance. If your credit is good, an appraiser will be hired to make sure the house is valued at the loan amount that will be given to you.
By: Joseph Kenny
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Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at
10:20 pm
Applying for a mortgage can be a very stressful time for a person and it is important that you choose the best mortgage deal for you. Without research into what is on offer you could find yourself opting for a deal that is not right for you and your circumstances. Mortgages are a loan that is used in order to buy a house and the borrower makes regular monthly payments to pay off the loan amount, until eventually the full amount is paid and the house belongs outright to the borrower.
If you are looking to apply for a mortgage and are unsure of where to get information on the best mortgage deals around look no further than Go Direct. Here you will find online tools to help you come to an informed decision about the type, size and term of your mortgage.
Many people assume that all mortgage are the same, but they are not and this is why it is so important to find the best mortgage deals. After all why apply for a mortgage that does not suit your financial situation and could leave you out of pocket? If you are unsure as to how to even begin searching for the best mortgage deals then you have come to the right place.
There are so many mortgages available right now all with different repayment terms and conditions, interest rates and offers such as cash back when you apply for them, so you do need to have an overview of what are the best mortgage deals. Here is a brief rundown of the kind of mortgages you can expect to choose from:
• Variable rate mortgages – these are linked to the interest rate and will go up and down as the interest rate does. These are a good idea if you would like to pay less for your mortgage when the interest rate is low – however, be warned if the interest rate goes up so does your mortgage payment and you need to be able to make your repayments or your home could be at risk.
• Fixed rate mortgages – these are the opposite of variable rate mortgages as the repayment amount is fixed. This fixed amount is often higher than the variable rate amount but borrowers have the peace of mind of knowing how much their mortgage payment is every month.
• Interest only mortgage – these are mortgages where the borrow only pays off the interest on the amount borrowed. Although it can seem like a good idea and can be cheaper than some of the other mortgages around in the long run you will only be paying the interest and not the equity in the property.
• 100% mortgages – these are mortgages for 100% of the property’s value and were popular up until recently. However mortgage companies are now cutting down on the number of 100% mortgages that they offer.
• Joint ownership – these are mortgages where a housing company or local council own half of the house and the borrower owns the other half. Then repayments are split between the other owner and the mortgage company. This type of mortgage is good if you can only afford to borrow a small amount.
• Buy to let – these are mortgages on properties that the owner intends to rent out and they work slightly differently to a ‘standard’ mortgage.
If you are looking for the best mortgage deals the best place to check out is Go Direct who have the tools and advisors on hand to steer you through the minefield of choosing a mortgage that is right for you.
By: Henry Funk
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