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Loans

YOU ARE IN ESCROW AND YOU ARE OFFERED A GREAT JOB – WHAT DO YOU DO?

The other day I posted about the underwriters that approve your loan doing a second go through right before you close. I also stated that if they see anything at all that changes they can start all over in the process of reviewing you for loan approval. At the minimum this can delay closing, also the seller could cancel the deal or you can be denied the loan.

I received the question above, what do you do if you get offered a great job?  This is a great question and you need to stop and think about it.  So naturally you have to take this great job, that is a no brainer but you also have to be pro-active with the bank. Talk to your lender or mortgage broker and explain what is happening. Make sure you put this in writing, listing the reasons you are going to take the job etc etc . Make sure that everyone knows about this upfront.

What this will do is force the underwriter to review your file before it gets to the day before closing and all questions he needs can be answered in a timely manner.

Oh and if this job offers comes up less than a week before closing, guess what… tell them you will be taking the job, but you cannot start for a couple of weeks. Do not spring this on the lender a couple of days before closing or you will be causing the delay or cancel of escrow

YOU ARE NOT ALONE WORRYING ABOUT THE MORTGAGE

More than half of Americans are worried about not having enough money to pay their mortgage or rent, according to a survey from the Washington Post released today. See I thought it was only me. Read the whole article it wont help with the house payments but at least you know you are not alone. Most Are Worried About House Payments

10 Reasons Now Is The Time To Buy A Home – Wall Street Journal

READ THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE – LINK BELOW

DO YOU AGREE — DO YOU DISAGREE — TELL ME

Of course I am going to say this, I am a salesman and I am supposed to say now is the time to buy a house. Not only now but tomorrow, yesterday and always. Of course I want you to buy a house now! I like to eat!!!
However it really is the right time to buy. I know I hear it is going lower but at what point will you know it is at the lowest?
Pick a point and make that decision and when you do the market has gone up 5%. You missed it. If you have magic powers please help me.
So how do you know when it is time to buy in a buyers market.. easy! 

When you do not feel like you are gambling that is will go down further, you feel you are getting the house you want, at a price that you can afford, that is probably down 20% from its high and with the best financial terms possible.

The elephant in the room is interest rates. Oh it’s going down further and further. We are at 4.22% 30 year fixed. Lets take some bets, what do you think we will hit first 3% or 5 1/2% because you are now in the middle of those two points.

Here is the link     10 Reasons To Buy A Home

BRENTWOOD – KENTER CANYON HOUSE – $500,000 PRICE REDUCTIONS

INEREST SO LOW – PRICE SO LOW – 6 BEDROOM HOUSE FOR THE PRICE OF A CONDO!!
BLOCKS FROM KENTER CANYON SCHOOL
6 BEDROOMS, 4 ½ BATHS, 3569 SQ FT LIVING SPACE ON 16,800 SQ FT
ASKING PRICE $1,299,999 — I WOULD BID $1,150,000 – WHAT WOULD YOU OFFER?

Family Home w/ Large Guest House or Artist Studio and Au Pair Quarters. With a Total of Six Bedrooms and Four and Half baths. A living room that Boasts a Beautiful Marble Fireplace, Vaulted Ceilings and so much Space for Entertaining your Special guests with a Wet Bar and Hardwood floors, Tile and Carpeting as well. French Doors that Lead to A Beautiful Large Private Yard with lush Landscaping and plenty of Room for a Pool and more.

Please call me at 310.505.5571 or email to bob_schmalz@wlaregroup.com to get the complete listing or if you would like to set up an appointment to see it

Acive 9.7.10                         10-724134

Will Mortgage Interest Rates Go Down Further? How Does This Effect Home Prices?

I received the following question regarding the historic low mortgage interest rates, and felt that the question and answer could be of interest to all my readers

Q: How much further do you think they will go down? How does this effect home prices? I feel like a deer caught in headlights and figure I will just wait

A: If only I could answer this question I would not be pounding the keys at Peet’s,
then again maybe I would.

In my opinion I do not see interest rates going much lower, I do see them being close, or even above, 5% by the end of the year.
How it effects home prices is another story. Normally low interest rates would increase buyers interest and push sales prices higher.
However we do not have a normal situation. We have high inventory of homes, we have a glut of distressed houses on the market and comming on the market and the biggest pressure keeping home prices down will be the unemployment situation.

It doesnt matter how low the interest rates go, if people are out of work or fear losing there jobs they are not about to go house hunting.
So it will reamin a great buyers market for the time being for people with the ability to meet the down payment and are secure in there jobs.

I know the feeling being caught in the headlights of a car…. but you shouldn’t feel that way. As a buyer you have more control in buying the right house at a fantastic price with the best mortgage rates in 50 years. If you are secure with your job and have enough for the down payment stop paying rent.

Call me anytime at 310.505.5571 and I can put you in touch with a mortgage broker who can run the numbers for you.

Mortgage Broker vs Direct Lender? / Big vs. Small Bank?

I had a post from one of my readers that was great and I wanted to make sure everyone who follows my Blog had a chance to see it.

The Question Was:

Bob what is your feeling with going with a small lender that offers lets say 1/4 point less than a larger more well known bank. Also your thought about using a Mortgage Broker than going directly to a bank

Answer:
Let me say that the most important aspect of getting your loan is to work with someone you want to have a relationship with…… no not that kind.
I always recommend going with a live person rather than on line lenders even though you can get a better rate on line. It is better to have one person you know that you can get to if there are problems in Escrow etc.
Mortgage Brokers do not cost more than direct lenders and are not locked into any one source so I do prefer a reputable mortgage broker.
However there are advantages of doing all your business with one bank and one banker and that is to have multi services and branches at your disposal and use for all your banking
Lastly if it is between a large bank and small one I rather go with the larger one; firstly for all the branches you can walk into and the fact that building a relationship with a bank will help you in future banking needs. Having said all that 1/4% perhaps would not drive my decision (although I would pound on the banker or Broker to meet it or come closer) but a 1/2% would drive my decision.
My way to play it. Check with 2 or 3 mortgage brokers; see who has the best rate and you like the best. Go to a major bank and see if they will come to matching or getting close to the rate you were offered.
Your the boss so act like they need you not the opposite. I know it doesnt feel like it.