Category: General, Mortgage & Financial

Six Tips to Getting the Mortgage You Want

Now is the best time to purchase a home. Interest rates are at a historic low, and housing prices in many markets have adjusted to levels that have not been seen in years.

But before you start your Internet search or drive around neighborhoods looking at every house with a "For Sale" sign in the yard, you'll need some information. In particular, you'll need to know how much house you can afford and get preapproved for a mortgage.

Get Advice Seek out a trusted real estate professional first. A Realtor who's recommended by family, friends or business associates is your best bet. When asking for a recommendation, specify that you need an agent who understands your needs and circumstances and who will work within your budget.

Understand Your Income and Debt Ratios Today it's more vital than ever to consider your income and debt ratios. A good rule to follow for your monthly housing payment is principle, interest, taxes, and insurance (PITI), which should not exceed 28 percent of your total monthly gross income.

Share By knowing your optimum monthly payment and how much of your savings you want to use for a down payment, a skilled real estate agent can determine approximately how much house you can buy. Be ready to supply some basic income and debt information to your agent and be honest with the payment you feel you can realistically afford. Just because you may eventually qualify for a higher monthly payment doesn't mean you should put your family's finances in jeopardy by stretching your budget.

Ask for a Lender Recommendation Ask your real estate agent to recommend a mortgage professional who has given clients excellent service in the past. Find one who will work within your comfort level.

Be Prepared with Financial Information When you sit down with the lender, have your two most recent bank statements, pay stubs for the most recent month, and your W-2 forms and tax returns for the last two years available. The lender will run a credit check and review your income and debt information and your credit scores with you.

Plan Ahead If buying a house involves a higher payment than you're currently making in rent or mortgage payments, take the difference between the current and proposed monthly payments and put it in a separate “house” account. At the end of several months, two things will have happened: First, you'll have trained yourself to make the higher monthly payment and second, you'll have grown the savings account for your home purchase.