Tag Archive for: Home loans

Overlays Explained

What are Overlays? An Overlay is a mortgage industry term. In simple terms, overlays are additional qualifying requirements on top of the guidelines set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as FHA, VA and USDA. These guidelines are set forth for several reasons but one is to provide lenders with mortgage program stability. […]

Why Financing a Second Rental is So Much Easier

Financing a second rental property can be much easier the second time around. For those thinking about dipping into the investment real estate world, there are some important things to know. At its most basic level, financing a rental property is not much different as it relates to income, assets and credit. First time buyers […]

How to (effectively) Buy a Fourplex and Live Mortgage Free

Understanding how to buy a fourplex is an interesting concept and at first glance it might seem a bit misleading. The obvious way to buy a fourplex and live mortgage free is to pay cash for it. But many don’t take that route because it can put a dent in a bank account and tie […]

Refinancing? Better to Close Sooner vs. Later

To understand how refinancing works when the loan closes, it’s important to understand how a purchase loan closes first. By comparing the two different processes, Home Purchase: How it Works on Closing Day The final settlement date for a purchase is listed directly on the sales contract. Once the contract is executed by both parties, […]

Tip Income: How to use it for Qualifying Income

For those in the service industry, getting tips certainly helps the overall pay. Most people who do earn tips work in a restaurant, hotel or similar industries. But can tip income be counted when helping to qualify for a new mortgage? We recently spoke about various types of income but getting tips is a bit […]

Qualifying Income You May Not Know About

When people start thinking about different types of qualifying income, most simply come to the conclusion that income is defined by their regular paycheck on the 1st and 15th. And that’s true, most people do get their income from their employer. It’s the most common form. Mortgage lenders use this income when qualifying someone for […]

5 Things You Should Know About VA Loans (they’re all good)

The Department of Veteran’s Affairs provides benefits for those who qualify for the program and one of the more popular is the VA mortgage loan. VA loans are the ideal option for those wanting to come to the closing table with as little cash as possible. The most obvious benefit is the lack of a […]

Do You Have to Be Married to Apply for a Joint Mortgage?

When two people file for a joint mortgage, it’s important to understand that it’s not necessary to be married. In fact, more and more people apply to finance a home together without having officially ‘tied the knot.’ Still, both parties need to be clear early on that they’re both going to be responsible for the […]

The Importance of Non-QM Mortgages

Yes, they’re not only important but necessary in the mortgage world. What are non-QM mortgages you ask? Non-QM is short for Non-Qualified Mortgage. To understand what that means and the importance of a non-QM loan, we first need to understand what a Qualified Mortgage (QM) loan is. Qualified Mortgage (QM) Loan Explained The Consumer Financial […]

Paying Off Credit Card Balances vs. Closing the Accounts

With While mortgage lenders review a loan application, affordability is determined. Affordability can sometimes be a moving target as different loan programs may have different acceptable levels of debt. Paying off credit card balances might seem important, but lenders look at things differently. There are two primary types of debt, installment and revolving. Installment debt […]