Posts Tagged ‘Monthly Expenses’

Pre-qualifying: Understanding the Process and the Benefits Related to Purchasing Real Estate

Katrina asked:


Any person interested in purchasing real estate properties need to be pre-qualified for a loan. Doing this puts a buyer in good position especially in deciding what to buy and how much to buy. However, do you know what getting pre-qualified means? Do you already know the benefits of getting pre-qualified?

Pre-qualifying: the meaning

Pre-qualifying is the process whereby a lender makes an initial analysis of whether or not the borrower is qualified for a loan. In this stage of mortgage application, lenders draw a rough estimate of the amount that could be possibly granted to the borrower. These are then based on few information that will be provided by the borrower. After such, they will send a notice through a letter, in order to affirm the borrower that they are qualified to loan a specific amount.

Certain calculations may be done to draw the estimates. They do this by identifying qualifying ratios. These ratios will give the lender a rough picture of the relationship of the borrower’s income to his or her debt. This, along with the compensating factors, will also help the lender in identifying the financing options to suggest.

As mentioned above, borrowers will be asked to furnish data for their analysis. This is the basis for calculating qualifying ratios. The data is also used to identify compensating factors that could counterbalance any deficiencies of the borrower. Below are the data that might be required for pre-qualifying:

Monthly expenses including your annual tax Income from all sources Basic information like name, address, occupation Assets owned and current debts Credit report History of previous residences and employment

Getting into the process

Know that getting yourself pre-qualified will not cost you a dime. You can just go to a trusted lender and give them the data requested. Some will also consider over the phone pre-qualifications (if the lending institution permits it). Another option is to go online. Some websites provide prequalification calculators that will generate an analysis that could be similar to that of the lender. However, these services are not accurate. Hence, it is still best to consult experts in person.

Benefits of getting pre-qualified

Although this process does not guarantee you in getting the actual loan, being pre-qualified can give you an idea on what homes you can purchase. Aside from that, it can also give you a picture on what your monthly expenditure will be if you avail of the loan. This will get give you time to think of ways on how to manage your finances efficiently. 

Other points to consider

If you want to prove that you are a serious buyer, getting pre-approval is sometimes better. In pre-approval, you get a more accurate estimation of the loan; thus, there will be no doubts in picking out the house that you want. In addition, doing this would also expedite your loan processing thereafter.

Pre-qualification is just the first step in getting a mortgage. Therefore, it should not be misconstrued as the actual loan itself. Remember, the values are estimates only. It can even change when the lender goes through an extensive credit check (like in pre-approvals). In case, you have provided a falsified or an altered information, the amount of loan could change; or worse your application can be denied.



La Mirada Real Estate

Pre-Qualify To Purchase Real Estate

Rose asked:


When planning to purchase a home, a lot of people commit the common mistake of just being impulsive to take a look at the homes they like. However, this could lead to such a disappointment once they perceive that they can’t afford the cost of the house which looks amazingly good. The process of prequalifying can secure you of the price range that you are looking at and to stabilize your financial standing once the loan is already approved. To pre-qualify gives you “power” to make better negotiations with the property owners.

Here are some steps on how to pre-qualify to have the power to buy a real estate property:

1. First is to list down all the details of your monthly expenses which includes groceries, gas, bills, school expenses, work expenses, etc. Also add in the yearly expenses and after you have totaled everything, divide it by 12 before adding to your monthly expenses.

2. Think about how much you are earning and all the sources that you are getting it from. Focus on your net income and not on the gross. Subtract your expenses from your total income to be able to know how much you can afford still for a house payment. Do not ever go beyond what you can just afford.

3. You can search Google to access an online mortgage calculator. In fact, a lot of bank websites offer this feature in their home page and you do not even have to be a customer first. Another option for this step is to buy an amortization book in the nearest bookstore. This particular step is very helpful in making you save money and time on a long term basis since it will explain to you the right process of calculating your payments in accordance with interest and years to pay-off.

4. After you have finally determined the amount of your monthly payment that your budget can afford, you will now need to determine the total price of the house as well. If you have settled this already, then it is about time to call the lending institution that you will run to since you already have your figures all tidied up when you start your call.

5. Be specific to the mortgage specialist of what you exactly want, the kind of loan you are planning to have and the terms that you want. Inform the mortgage specialist that the lump sum amount is what you want to pre-qualify for and that you want a locked in current fixed rate as soon as you qualify.

6. Finally, ask the mortgage specialist to issue you a letter of qualification and send your realtor a copy of it as well. Remember that homeowners are more trusting to those whom they know who have a loan already than someone who is still in the process of getting a loan.

Nowadays, pre-qualification can be easily done over the phone or by getting online. The systematic approach it offers will not only assure you of the house you are dreaming of but also help you save time on getting a loan approved.



La Mirada Real Estate