What is a Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure?

As of March 1st, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will allow homeowners to apply for a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure even if they have been making their mortgage payments on-time.  Until recently, the GSEs only allowed their borrowers to engage in a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure if they were more than 90 days delinquent.

What is a Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure?

It is a deed instrument in which the borrower conveys all interest in a real property to the lender in order to satisfy a loan that is in default. This is done in hopes of avoiding foreclosure proceedings. The deed-in-lieu of foreclosure has advantages for both the borrower and the lender.  The borrower is immediately released from most or all of their personal indebtedness that is associated with the defaulted loan.  Also, the borrower's credit is not hurt as much as it would be if they went through foreclosure.

Advantages for the lender include a reduction in the amount of time and money that is associated with a repossession. There is also a lower risk of the borrower exacting revenge by vandalizing the property before they are evicted.

It is considered a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure when the debt is secured by the real estate being transferred  Both the borrower and the lender are expected to enter the transaction voluntarily and in good faith.  However, if the borrower's outstanding debts are greater than the current fair value of the property, the lender may not proceed.

To summarize briefly, a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure basically means that the homeowner cannot afford their mortgage and are voluntarily giving their home back to the bank in exchange for wiping their debt clean. It does have a negative impact on credit scores, but sometimes it is the only option for some people.  It is quite possibly the fastest way that one can escape foreclosure.

To qualify, homeowners must be able to prove their hardships, such as the loss of a job, serious illness, or the death of a co-borrower. They must have a debt-to-income ratio of 55 percent or higher, and the property must be in good condition. This mortgage release option is best for those facing a hardship and will not be able to make their payments in the future. It is not expected than a large number of homeowners will suddenly apply for a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure though, especially since home prices are going up. It is up to each homeowner to decide if it is better for them to continue paying their mortgage for a few more years while home prices further improve, or take a hit to their credit now and move on.

If you find yourself unable to make your mortgage payments, be sure to carefully consider all of your options before making a decision. If you are unsure of what to do, we are willing to help assess your situation and answer your questions. Call us at 888-883-5252 for help.

Builders Confidence Improves in August

If you are interested in building a new home for your family, it is becoming an increasingly better time to do so. Builder confidence has improved again in August for the 4th month in a row! On the National Association of Home Builders/ Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), their confidence rose two points to 37. It had risen 6 points in July and is at the highest level now since February 2007.

Current sales conditions and the prospect of sales for the next six months are looking good and this aids in improving builders confidence in the market. Of course there can always be more improvement, but considering the state of recession of the past few years, the outlook is very bright. It proves that the housing market is finally getting that economic boost that it has desperately needed.

Should you decide to build a home, Quest Loans would love to help you get the home loan process started. Visit us at QuestLoans.com or call 888-883-5252 for more information!

Refinancers Opt for Fixed-Rate Mortgages

Are you a current homeowner who is interested in refinancing? If you are, surely you have many questions regarding how to go about doing so and which loan one is right for you. While everyone's situations are different, we can tell you that in the second quarter of 2012 more than 95% of refinancing borrowers chose a fixed-rate mortgage. And of those people, 30% chose to reduce their loan term. This information comes from Freddie Mac's Quarterly Product Transition Report.

Borrowers who refinanced with HARP tended to take out a long-term, fixed-rate mortgage. These fixed mortgage rates are averaging at 3.79% interest for a 30-year loan, and 3.04% interest for a 15-year loan. If you are indeed interested in taking advantage of these low fixed-rates, you could get an even lower rate by also shortening your term. This will reduce your loan balance faster and help you build home equity sooner.

Give Quest Loans a call if you need help getting the refinancing process started! 1-888-883-5252. We would love to help!

Ready to Purchase Your Home?

At Quest Loans we are committed to obtaining the best loan programs and pricing for everyone from first time home buyers to experienced investors. Let us do the all legwork when it comes to researching the various loan programs available in today’s market. If you are looking to refinance or purchase a new property, let Quest Loans provide you with the Best Rates, Best Service, Period.

Contact us at 1-888-883-5252 to get started on your loan! Or you can email us at information@questloans.com if you have any questions!

Is it possible to "buy" a better rate?

Do you plan on keeping your loan for a while? Then it may make sense to "buy" a lower interest rate by paying one or more "points."

Even if you're unsure of how long you plan to keep your mortgage before you move or refinance, paying points now for a lower rate may make sense. For example, do you have a high-paying job now but you think you might change careers in the next few years? We can help you sort it out. It's part of our goal to find you the right loan for your means and future.

A point -- which equals one percent (1%) of the total loan amount -- is an up-front fee that lowers your annual interest rate and total interest due over the life of your loan. So, a one point loan will have a lower interest rate than a no point loan. Basically, when you pay points you trade off paying money later in favor of paying money now. You can pay fractions of points, meaning there are a lot of points packages that can make a loan's terms more favorable if that's what's right for you.

There are a variety of rate and point combinations available. When you look at different loan programs, don't look just at the rate -- compare the whole package. Federal law requires lenders to publish their loans' Annual Percentage Rate, or A.P.R. The A.P.R. is a tool used to compare different terms, offered rates, and points.

What are the current rates?

According to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, mortgage rates have dropped even more! They are now at NEW all-time record lows. This includes all rates except for the 1-year ARM which didn't reach a new low.

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRM) are averaging at 3.87 percent. This time last year it was at 4.81 percent.
• The 15-year FRM averaged 3.14 percent which is down from 4.08 percent last year.
• The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 2.80 this week and was at 3.69 last year. 

Take advantage of these great rates today! Give Quest Loans a call at 1-888-888-2322 for more information so you can be that much closer to owning your own home!  You can also email us at information@questloans.com!

Fannie Mae vs Freddie Mac: What is the difference?

You may hear the names Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac often. But what are they exactly?

They are both Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSE) in the home mortgage business. They are very similar. they both buy mortgages on the secondary market, pool them, and then sell them as mortgage-backed securities to investors in the open market. The way they handle government guarantees, subsidies and direct government funding are the same.

Their main difference is that Fannie Mae primarily buys mortgages issued by banks while Freddie Mac buys mortgages issued by thrifts.

Fannie Mae was a federal program that was created in 1938 as part of the New Deal, and Freddie Mac was chartered by Congress as a private corporation in 1970. Fannie was monopolizing the mortgage market as a government agency until it became a private corporation in 1968. Freddie Mac was brought into the market to compete with Fannie Mae's monopoly so that lenders and bankers would have two options instead of just one. Today, Fannie Mae is a privately-owned corporation while Freddie Mae is a stockholder-owned corporation.

Fannie Mae allows guarantee on multiple properties owned by a single person up to 10 units, while Freddie Mac allows guarantee on no more than 4 units. They do have a slight difference in rules regarding down payments as well. Fannie Mae asks as little as 3% from home loan borrowers and Freddie Mac requires at least a 5% down payment, which means that it does not allow loans of more than 95% loan-to-value.

They both have a common goal in mind: to provide affordability to homeowners. They aim to provide a stability to the mortgage market so that it can continue to function. While Fannie and Freddie compete with each other in the same market, they really are very similar and have the same basic foundation and goals to help you, as a homeowner, get the most affordable loan that you can. Ask your loan officer what is best for you.

Are you pre-qualified or pre-approved for a loan?

 Before you begin to shop for a new home, you should set up a time to meet with me so we can figure out how much you can afford. This will put you in a better position as a buyer. That’s when it is important to understand the distinction between being pre-qualified for a loan and pre-approved for a loan. The difference between the two terms will be crucial when you decide to make an offer on a house.

To get pre-qualified for a loan, I will collect information about your debt, income, and assets. We’ll look at your credit profile and assess goals for a down payment and get an idea of different loan programs that would work for you. I will issue you a pre-qualification letter indicating the amount you are pre-qualified to borrow.

It is important to understand that a pre-qualification letter is just an estimate of what you are eligible to borrow, not a commitment to lend. Getting pre-approved for a loan gives you competitive advantage when the time comes to bid on a home because you have been approved for a loan for a specified amount.

To get pre-approved, you will complete a mortgage application and provide me with various information verifying your employment, assets and financial status such as W-2 forms, bank records and credit card statements. We’ll review your mortgage options and submit your application to the lender that best meets your needs. Once the application process is complete you will receive a pre-approval letter indicating the amount your lender is willing to lend you for your home.

A pre-approval letter is not binding on the lender; it is subject to an appraisal of the home you wish to purchase and certain other conditions. If your financial situation changes (e.g. you lose your job), interest rates rise or a specified expiration date passes, your lender must review your situation and recalculate your mortgage amount accordingly.

Veteran Affairs (VA) Loans

VA guaranteed loans are made by lenders and guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to eligible veterans for the purchase of a home. The guaranty means the lender is protected against loss if you fail to repay the loan. In most cases, no down payment is required on a VA guaranteed loan and the borrower usually receives a lower interest rate than is ordinarily available with other loans.

Other benefits of a VA loan include:
Negotiable interest rate.
Closing costs comparable – and sometimes lower - than other financing types.
No private mortgage insurance requirement.
Right to prepay loan without penalties
Mortgage can be taken over (or “assumed”) by the buyer when a home is sold.
Counseling and assistance available to veteran borrowers having financial difficulty or facing default on their loan.

Although mortgage insurance is not required, the VA charges a funding fee to issue a guarantee to a lender against borrower default on a mortgage. The fee may be paid in cash by the buyer or seller, or it may be financed in the loan amount.

A VA loan can be used to buy a home, build a home and even improve a home with energy-saving features such as solar or heating/cooling systems, water heaters, insulation, weather-stripping/ caulking, storm windows/doors or other energy efficient improvements approved by the lender and VA.

Veterans can apply for a VA loan with any mortgage lender that participates in the VA home loan program. A Certificate of Eligibility from the VA must be presented to the lender to qualify for the loan.

Understanding the Terms: "APR" and "Interest Rate"

You'll see an interest rate and an Annual Percentage Rate (A.P.R.) for each mortgage loan you see advertised. The easy answer to "why" is that federal law requires the lender to tell you both.

The A.P.R. is a tool for comparing different loans, which will include different interest rates but also different points and other terms. The A.P.R. is designed to represent the "true cost of a loan" to the borrower, expressed in the form of a yearly rate. This way, lenders can't "hide" fees and upfront costs behind low advertised rates.

While it's designed to make it easier to compare loans, it's sometimes confusing because the A.P.R. includes some, but not all, of the various fees and insurance premiums that accompany a mortgage. And since the federal law that requires lenders to disclose the A.P.R. does not clearly define what goes into the calculation, A.P.R.s can vary from lender to lender and loan to loan.

The A.P.R. on a loan tied to a market index, like a 5/1 ARM (adjustable mortgage rate), assumes the market index will never change. But ARMs were invented because the market index changes and makes fixed rate loans cheaper or more expensive to make -- that's why they're variable rate in the first placed!

So, A.P.R.s are at best inexact. The lesson is that A.P.R. can be a guide, but you need a mortgage professional to help you find the truly best loan for you.

Note when you're browsing for loan terms that the A.P.R. will not tell you about balloon payments or prepayment penalties, or how long your rate is locked. Also, you'll see that A.P.R.s on 15-year loans will carry a higher relative rate due to the fact that points are amortized over a shorter period of time

Definitions of Common Mortgage Terms

One issue commonly arises when first time home buyers begin their mortgage application process: understanding the definitions of various mortgage terms. If you are not familiar with the process or the industry, there is plenty of jargon that could slow down this process for you. We want you to fully understand these terms and how they apply to you and your future new home.

Definitions

Annual income
Your annual income before taxes. For married couples this is your total combined annual income before taxes.

Purchase price
The price of the home you wish to purchase. This is the actual price you'll pay, not including any closing costs.

Total monthly payment
Total monthly payment that you can qualify for. This is the total of principal, interest, taxes and insurance paid each month. Often called PITI.

Cash on hand
Cash you have for the down payment and all closing costs.

Interest rate
The current annual interest rate you can receive on your mortgage.

Understanding the Terms: "Lock" and "Float"

If I were considering financing or refinancing a home today, I would do the following: Lock if my closing was taking place within 7 days or Float if my closing was taking place between 8 and 60 days from now.

This is only my opinion of what I would do if I were financing a home. It is only an opinion and cannot be guaranteed to be in the best interest of all/any other borrowers. Brought to you by the professionals at Quest Loans.

What does this mean?

Basically, a deposit is paid by a borrower to lock in an interest rate for a specific period of time while a mortgage application is being processed. If interest rates decline during this period, the float down option allows the borrower to obtain a lower rate.

For example, suppose a borrower locks in a rate of 5%. Before the borrower's mortgage application is complete, however, interest rates drop to 3.5%. If this borrower has a mortgage rate lock float down, they may lock in the lower mortgage rate before the mortgage is approved.