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How to Find the Right Mortgage Lender

by Mehner Weiser Real Estate, LLC.

How to Find the Right Mortgage Lender

 

Choosing the right lender is an important step on your homebuying journey. Not only will it impact your costs as a borrower but also your overall experience when buying a home.

Mortgage lenders can vary quite a bit. Every company offers different interest rates and loan programs, and fees and customer service can be widely different as well.

How do you find the right lender for your home purchase? Here are the steps you should take.

Understand what loan type you need. There are many kinds of home loans, including FHA, conventional, jumbo and more. Each one has different requirements for borrowers. Study up on loan programs to determine which ones might work for you. Doing this can help you pinpoint a lender who offers what you’re searching for.

Ask for referrals. Ask your friends, family and colleagues for lenders they may have used when buying a home. We can also discuss local lending experts as you get started on your home search. Then, you can continue your research about available loan programs, rates and other details.

Check out online reviews. Look up customer reviews of the lenders you’re considering on multiple platforms. You can also look at the NMLS database to see if there are any legal or licensing issues with the lender.

Get preapproved and compare offers. Once you’ve narrowed your pool of potential lenders, apply for preapproval. Then, you’ll get a loan estimate detailing the terms and costs of the mortgage each company is offering you, which you can use to compare your options.

If you have questions about homebuying or need help finding a great mortgage lender to work with, get in touch today.

How to Make the Most of Your Home Equity

by Mehner Weiser Real Estate, LLC.

Home equity is a powerful thing.

As you pay off your mortgage, your equity — or the stake in the home you actually own — increases. And the more equity you build, the more you stand to gain when you sell.

But even if you aren’t planning to sell your property, equity can be used in a few different ways. Consider these four possibilities if you’d like to make the most of what you have.

Make Renovations

With a home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC), you can turn your stake in your home into money that you can use for renovations, repairs or any other cost you might be facing.

Buy a New Home

Taking out a home equity loan or other product may give you the money you need to buy a vacation home or investment property. You could also sell your existing home, turn a profit and use those funds toward your next place.

Pay Off Debt

If you have high-interest credit card debts, personal loans or car loans, you might consider using a home equity loan or cash-out refinance to pay them off. This essentially rolls those balances into your new loan (and mortgages tend to have lower interest rates than other loans or credit lines).

Use It Toward Retirement

Equity also makes a great nest egg. Once you retire, you have the option to sell your home, downsize and use the profits your equity gave you to boost your income.

Roll the Repairs into the Mortgage

by Mehner Weiser Real Estate, LLC.

Roll the Repairs into the Mortgage

It's been said that if you can find a home that has most of what you want, you should go ahead and purchase it.  Many first-time buyers are using everything they have for a down payment and closing costs and would have to "live" with the less than perfect home until they can save the money to make the changes.

The FHA 203(k) mortgage allows a borrower to purchase a home and provides additional funds for improvements to be made.  These types of renovations can include kitchen and bathroom remodels, flooring, plumbing, heating and air conditioning systems, additions and other things.

The benefit to the buyer is that they have the opportunity to consider a home that needs repairs and might have been unacceptable without a program like this.  Being a FHA loan, a minimal down payment is required, fair interest rates and generous qualifying requirements.

The 203(k) Streamline can be used for cosmetic improvements, appliances and minor remodeling up to $35,000 in cost.

As you can imagine, this is a specialized program and not all lenders choose to make 203(k) loans.  They usually take longer to process and getting firm bids on the work to be done will be required.  It is important to find out how much experience a lender has with this particular type of loan.    

It will also be required that you work with a 203(k) consultant in addition to the mortgage officer.

For more information, go to Hud.gov FNMA has a similar conventional loan program called HomeStyle Mortgage Your real estate professional will be able to help with recommendations.  Call me at (907) 261-7632.

3 Easy Mistakes to Avoid When You Buy a House

by Mehner Weiser Real Estate, LLC.

3 Easy Mistakes to Avoid When You Buy a House, Anchorage, Alaska

Whether you buy a house for the first time or want to upgrade your space, the process of qualifying for a mortgage, finding the right home, and closing with the seller can be complicated. Mehner Weiser Real Estate in Anchorage, AK, wants to help you avoid feeling stressed and confused. To make home buying smoother, here they share critical mistakes many potential homeowners make. 

Top 3 Missteps When You Buy a House 

1. Forgetting the Mortgage 

While shopping for a house is the most exciting part of the experience, you should qualify for a mortgage first. You may become disappointed if you discover the ideal home, only to find out you are in the wrong price range or can’t make a serious offer. Once you know how much you can borrow, you can bid on a beautiful home that fits your budget. 

2. Skipping the Inspection 

Anchorage-Buy-a-HouseSince home inspections take time and carry a fee, some buyers bypass them. Foregoing a professional review of a property you like is a costly mistake. Expensive, hidden damage could reveal itself after you close on the house. Avoid surprises about major repairs by getting an inspection first. 

3. Overlooking a Real Estate Agent 

Some home buyers choose not to hire their own real estate agent. Instead, they work with the seller’s Realtor®. These agents want to secure the best price and terms for the seller. If you don’t have an advocate, you could be outbid or pay too much. 

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Mehner Weiser Real Estate Group
RE/MAX Dynamic Properties
3350 Midtown Place
Anchorage AK 99503
Bethany (907) 223-1632
Bonnie (907) 223-0005