1% Origination Fee and 1% Point: Know the Difference

There are several types of closing costs involved when financing or refinancing a home. Some are lender fees while still more are non-lender fees. We’re talking about processing fees, document preparation, title insurance and others. Yet two of these fees alone are expressed as a percentage of the loan amount. Those fees are a 1% […]

Loan Processing: What Does it Really Mean?

Getting a home loan is indeed a process and a simple application will go through various stages before it finally funds. In the early stages, even before you’ve submitted your application, you speak primarily with your loan officer. Your loan officer will provide various loan options based upon your current situation and your goals. Your […]

6 Things to Know About USDA Loans

There are two government-backed mortgage programs that do not require a down payment. The first one is the VA home loan program. The VA loan doesn’t require a down payment at all and available to those who are eligible. Those eligible include veterans, Armed Forces and National Guard members with at least six years of […]

How to Dispute a Property Appraisal (Let Your Loan Officer Help)

You’ve finally decided to move forward and refinance your existing mortgage and at the same time pull out some extra cash to make a couple of home improvements and take some time off for a well-deserved vacation. You speak with your loan officer to get an update on rates and monthly payments and to confirm […]

Appraisal Management Companies: What They Do and Why

Appraisal management companies essentially do one thing: manage appraisals. Appraisal management companies have been around only a relatively short period of time compared with the rest of the mortgage industry, but they play an important role. An appraisal management company works directly with a lender to receive an appraisal order, place the order, receive it […]

Why Wholesale Lending is So Important

If you’re not familiar with the term “wholesale lending” in the mortgage industry, you’re not alone. If you have heard the term, it’s easy to misinterpret its meaning. “Wholesale” might imply universal or overall but that’s not the definition. Wholesale lending plays a crucial part in the mortgage business and I’ll explain why. What is […]

Why Rent Payment History is So Important

If you’re thinking about buying your first home or maybe you have owned a home before but it’s been a while since you did, you’re going to wonder about how to qualify in today’s environment. There are different qualifying guidelines based upon things such as your income and employment, current monthly debt, rent payment history, […]

“Mattress Money” and Mortgages

What is “mattress money?” It’s a funny term but it means funds that someone owns but does not have a paper trail. Let’s look at how mattress money can be viewed by a lender and how to document these funds. It’s a good thing to come across some extra cash. Maybe the sale of a […]

FHA Cash Out Refinance Loans in 2020

The Federal Housing Administration’s home loan program is one of the three government-backed loans and is also the most popular. The other two government-backed loans are the VA and USDA programs. The FHA loan is also the favorite for first-time homebuyers. There are several reasons for this popularity but primarily the minimum down payment is […]

How Private Lending Works

Private lending is a necessary and legitimate function in the world of real estate. Without it, many successful projects would have never gotten off the ground. Unfortunately, not too many consumers are aware of private funds with the result being too many opportunities being left behind. In this article, I’ll explain how private lending works, […]