7 Ways To Protect Your Credit Score For Better Mortgage Rates
Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 5:39pm. 16 Views, 0 Comments.
February 5th, 2010
As mortgage lenders tighten approval standards in Nebraska and nationwide, the importance of a good credit score is rising. Credit scores not only make the difference between a mortgage approval and mortgage turn-down, but they also play a large role in determining your actual mortgage note rate.
In this 3-minute video, the NBC Today Show talks about 7 ways that homebuyers ruin their credit — often by accident. Some of the highlighted mistakes include:
- Closing open credit cards
- Making appliance buys on credit prior to closing
- Asking creditors to lower credit balances prior to closing
In general, a 740 FICO will insulate a borrower from the higher costs and/or rates associated with low credit scores. Below 740, though, every 20 points…
What is a Short Sale?
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 5:34pm. 11 Views, 0 Comments.
February 2nd, 2010
A “Short Sale” is when a home seller sells his home for a lesser amount than what is owed on his mortgage, and the mortgage lender agrees to accept the lesser amount in lieu of a full payoff.
By way of example, a Short Sale may be appropriate for a Omaha home seller whose mortgage balance is $250,000 but whose home wouldn’t sell for more than $220,000. Rather than pay the $30,000 difference to the lender at the time of sale, the seller enters into an agreement with the lender by which all sale proceeds are paid to the bank and the deficient balance is forgiven.
Short Sales are a preferable alternative to foreclosure but the process still harms both parties. For one, the seller is penalized with a derogatory tradeline on credit for not…
There’s 100 Days Left To Claim The Homebuyer Tax Credit
Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 4:53pm. 9 Views, 0 Comments.
January 20th, 2010
November 6, 2009, Congress voted to extend and expand the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit program. There’s 100 days left to claim it.
The expiration date of the up-to-$8,000 tax credit has been pushed forward to spring, requiring homebuyers in Omaha to be under contract for a home no later than April 30, 2010, and to be closed no later than June 30, 2010.
In addition, “move-up” buyers were also added to the program’s eligibility list meaning you don’t have to be a first-time home buyer to be eligible for the tax credit. If you’ve lived in your home for 5 of the last 8 years, you meet the IRS requirements.
Move-up buyers are capped at a total tax credit of $6,500.
The tax credit’s basic eligibility requirements remain the same:
- You can’t…
Fannie Mae Gets Tough(er) On Borrowers. Again.
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 at 10:16am. 27 Views, 0 Comments.
Fannie Mae raised the bar for mortgage applicants this past weekend. Getting approved for a home loan just got harder.
In its official announcement, Fannie Mae says the updates minimize long-term lending risks. If that's the case, this won't be the last guideline change Fannie Mae makes -- especially with loans defaulting at an above-normal clip.
The immediate changes are major. The first pertains to credit scores.
Effective December 13, 2009, the bulk of Fannie Mae's loans require a 620 credit score minimum. There are very few exceptions.
A second relates to loans with private mortgage insurance.
Homeowners whose loan-to-value exceeds 80 percent now have a choice:
How To Increase Your 2009 Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 11:51am. 32 Views, 0 Comments.
For many American homeowners, interest paid on a mortgage is tax-deductible in the year in which it was paid.
Knowing that, eligible homeowners can increase their 2009 tax deductions just by making their January 2010 mortgage payment before the end of the year.
By paying in 2009, the mortgage interest paid can be applied against 2009's itemized tax deductions even though the payment isn't technically due until 2010.
It can reduce your tax burden come Thursday, April 15, 2010.
And lest you think you're paying the mortgage "in advance", remember that mortgage interest is paid in arrears; a payment due January 1 accounts for interest that accumulated in December 2009 anyway.
Tax planning is a complicated issue and not all homeowners qualify for mortgage interest…
Store Credit Cards : The Hidden Cost Of "Instant Savings"
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 1:17pm. 32 Views, 0 Comments.
'Tis the season to do shopping -- and get bombarded with offers to open credit cards.
The deals are tempting, too. "Open a charge card today" and save up to 20% on your purchase. Considering that the average Black Friday ticket was $343, that's $68 saved per store.
For big-ticket items like televisions, the savings are even bigger.
But for people in the market for a new home -- or looking to refinance -- taking advantage of in-store savings could be a long-term money loser.
Every time you apply for a credit card, your credit score drops.
According to myFICO.com, "new credit" accounts for 85 out of 850 possible credit scoring points. New credit is defined by such traits as:
- Number of recently opened accounts
- Number of recent credit inquiries
- Time since credit…
Should You Consider A 15-Year Fixed Mortgage?
Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 12:10pm. 33 Views, 0 Comments.
For today's home buyers and homeowners that can manage the higher monthly payments, 15-year fixed rate mortgage rates look attractive as compared to comparable 30-year products.
The 15-year/30-year interest rate spread is near its 5-year high.
Despite lower rates, however, homeowners opting for a 15-year fixed mortgage should be prepared for its higher monthly payments. This is because the principal balance of a 15-year fixed is repaid in half the years as with a standard, 30-year amortizing product.
As compared to 30-year terms, 15-year products repay 3 times as much principal each month.
Versus a 30-year, 15-year fixed mortgages have a few downsides worth noting. The first is that, because 15-year mortgages are heavy on principal and light on interest,…
Congress Expands And Extends The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 12:06pm. 35 Views, 0 Comments.
Congress both extended and expanded the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit program Thursday. The bill was signed by Presiden Obama on Friday.
The up-to-$8000 tax credit's expiration date has been pushed forward to spring, requiring homebuyers to be under contract by April 30, 2010, and to be closed by June 30, 2010.
The program's basic eligibility requirements remain the same:
- Buyers can't purchase the home from a parent, spouse, or child
- Buyers can't purchase the home from an entity in which they're a majority owner
- Buyers can't acquire the home by gift or inheritance
- All parties to the purchase must meet eligibility requirements
The new law includes some notable updates, however.
For one, the definition of "first-time home buyer" has been expanded to include…
What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : November 9, 2009
Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 1:15pm. 27 Views, 0 Comments.
Mortgage markets were extremely volatile last week, carving out a wide range between Monday and Friday.
Thankfully for rate shoppers, the overall momentum was positive.
Mortgage rates fell for the second time in as many weeks. Rates still sit higher versus their early-October lows.
For pure "news", last week was a busy one:
- The Federal Reserve held the Fed Funds Rate near 0.000 percent
- The Unemployment Rate crossed 10 percent
- The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit was extended to April 2010
Combined, the 3 events reinforced the growing belief on Wall Street that the U.S. economy is in recovery, but not yet out of the woods. This particular philosophy has been excellent for mortgage rates, helping to hold conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rates near 5.250…
Because Of The Federal Reserve, You Should Lock Before 2:15 PM ET Today
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 10:03am. 27 Views, 0 Comments.
The Federal Open Market Committee caps off a scheduled, 2-day meeting today in the nation's capital, its 8th meeting of the year.
The group adjourns at 2:15 PM ET and, as is customary, will issue a press release reviewing its monetary policy and the health of the U.S. economy.
The FOMC's post-meeting statements are brief but comprehensive. They're a window into the mind of the Federal Reserve and Wall Street picks apart every sentence for clues.
It's why FOMC meetings tend to shake up the mortgage markets -- for good and for bad.
After its September 2009 meeting, the FOMC said in its press release:
Since September, the momentum has picked up. Credit risks have…
