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The Timeline: Prequalifying To Closing

October 12, 2021 by Scott Hill

The Timeline: Prequalifying To ClosingEven though purchasing a new home can be exciting, it can also be stressful. There are a lot of tasks that need to be completed between qualifying for a mortgage and receiving the necessary funds. Therefore, potential homeowners need to understand the timeline so they make sure they are on track to meet their closing dates. What are a few examples of important milestones that have to be accomplished? 

Make An Offer On A Home

After getting pre-qualified for a mortgage, the next step is to make an offer on the right house. An offer on a home has a lot of information. This includes the offer price, the size of the down payment, the name of the closing agent, a targeted closing date, and any closing costs that the buyer wants the seller to pay. If the offer is accepted, it is time to move on to the next step. 

Review The Disclosures On The Mortgage

After having an accepted offer, buyers need to get a mortgage locked in. Important components of a mortgage include the interest rate, the monthly payment, the closing costs, and any prepayment items. A lot of this can be negotiated with the lender, and this mortgage needs to be approved prior to closing. 

Complete The Home Inspection And Appraisal

Buyers will also need to conduct a home inspection and appraisal. In many situations, the lender will set up the appraisal; however, homebuyers need to work with a real estate agent to get a home inspection set up. That way, if there are any major repairs, they can be addressed. 

Renegotiate If Necessary

Based on the appraisal and the inspection, potential home buyers might want to renegotiate the price of the house. Even though it will not necessarily change, homebuyers might want to ask the seller to cover additional repairs that were discovered on the inspection. 

Close On The Home

Finally, after all of this is done, it is time to close on the home. The lender will be responsible for wiring the funds to an attorney, who will disburse the funds to all appropriate parties. From start to finish, this process usually takes about a month.

Filed Under: Mortgage Tagged With: Application, Clear to Close, Mortgage

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 11, 2021

October 11, 2021 by Scott Hill

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week - October 11, 2021Last week’s scheduled economic news included readings on public and private-sector jobs and the national unemployment rate. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also published.

Non-Farm Payrolls: Jobs Growth Dips Sharply in September

U.S. jobs growth dipped sharply in September according to the federal government’s Non-Farm Payrolls report. 194,000 public and private sector jobs were added and fell far short of the expected reading of 500,000 jobs added. 366,000 public and private sector jobs were added in August. Hiring lagged as continuing concerns over Covid kept workers at home. Less hiring at public schools reduced September’s jobs growth at a time when schools traditionally hire for the upcoming school year.

ADP reported 568,000 private-sector jobs added in September; analysts expected 425,0000 jobs added based on 340,000 private-sector jobs added in August. In related news, the national unemployment rate fell to 4.80 percent in September as compared to August’s jobless rate of 5.20 percent. Analysts expected the national unemployment rate to drop to 5.10 percent in September.

Mortgage Rates Mixed, Jobless Claims Fall

Fixed mortgage rates fell last week as the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell two basis points to 2.99 percent; rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages fell by five basis points on average to 2.23 percent. The average rate for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages rose by four basis points to 2.52 percent. Discount points averaged 0.70 percent for fixed-rate mortgages and 0.30 percent for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages

New and continuing jobless claims fell last week as 326,000 initial jobless claims were filed as compared to the previous week’s reading of 364,000 first-time claims filed. Analysts expected 345,000 initial jobless claim filings. 2.71 million continuing jobless claims were filed last week as compared to the previous week’s reading of 2.81 million ongoing jobless claims filed.

What’s Ahead

This week’s scheduled economic reporting includes readings on inflation, retail sales, and consumer sentiment. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims will also be published.

 

Filed Under: Financial Reports Tagged With: Financial Report, Jobless Claims, Mortgage Rates

Baby on the Way? Helpful Advice for Managing a Mortgage With Only One Parent Working

October 8, 2021 by Scott Hill

Baby on the Way? Helpful Advice for Managing a Mortgage With Only One Parent WorkingIf you’re dealing with paying off your mortgage and going down to a one-income family, it can be complicated to determine how to financially swing it. However, becoming a parent and managing a mortgage are quite common nowadays with maternity leave and the modern family. While managing a mortgage on just one salary can be a challenge, there are a few simple things you can do to make it work.

Buy The House You Can Afford

It may sound much too simple, but many people get so wrapped up in the concept of a dream home that they forget about what makes the cost of it manageable from month to month. While affordability is important, it becomes even more important when you’re dealing with one income, so ensure you have a monthly payment that you can pay off with one salary. Even if interest rates shift or an emergency comes up, you’ll still be able to handle your monthly payment.

Create A Budget

Budget may very well be the dreaded ‘b’ word when it comes to finances, but there is nothing that’s going to be a better friend to you in managing a one-income mortgage than sticking to it. Instead of leaving your expenses to chance, make sure that you’ve set aside the appropriate funds for your mortgage, groceries, car payments or transportation, necessities and any extras that go along with living. Keep in mind that while starting a budget is good, you may want to schedule weekly meetings to ensure you’re sticking to it.

Maintain An Emergency Fund

Since it may be a struggle to pay off your mortgage and pay for day-to-day life on one salary, it’s important that you’re prepared for any emergencies that come up. Because these will be the things that arise that can sink your budget, like your car breaking down or a window needing to be replaced, you should be setting aside money each month to cover the incidentals. Tossing aside your budget for an emergency can have serious financial implications, so be prepared for what can arise.

It goes without saying that managing a mortgage on one income can be a challenge in this day and age, but this is a situation that many families find themselves in when they decide to have children. If you’re currently trying to determine how you’ll be able to manage your mortgage on one income, contact your trusted mortgage professionals for more information.

Filed Under: Home Mortgage Tips Tagged With: Home Mortgage Tips, Mortgage, Mortgage Budgeting

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Scott Hill

Scott Hill


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scott@hillmortgageinc.com

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