Month: April 2021

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Categories
Mortgage News Matters

5 Reasons to Refinance

Refinancing can be beneficial to homeowners who are hoping to get cash out for a home project, or those who are simply looking to lower their interest rate.

Though a borrower’s reason to refinance is unique to them, it may be helpful to look at a few common reasons one might want to consider refinancing their current home loan.

  1. Finance home improvements and upgrades. Whether you’re looking to increase the value of your property through a home addition or you’re finally ready to make that much-needed upgrade, cash-out refinancing can help you fund these goals.
  2. Lower your interest rate. If refinancing can reduce your interest rate by even 1%, it can ultimately save you money in the long run, while also allowing you to build equity at a faster rate.
  3. Consolidate high-interest debt, such as credit cards or other personal loans. When consolidating, it is important to be mindful of how much equity you currently have in your home. This way, you can avoid paying private mortgage insurance, if your equity dips lower than 20%.
  4. Reduce or eliminate mortgage insurance. If your property value has increased, you may find yourself currently with 20% equity in your home. In this case, you could reduce or eliminate your PMI.
  5. Purchase an investment property. Like financing improvements and upgrades, a cash-out refi will give you the capital to invest in other projects, such as the purchase of an investment property.

If you’re considering refinancing your home and want to find out more about the benefits that come along with it, email us at servicemyloan@vandykmortgage.com or give us a call today!

Categories
Mortgage News Matters

8 Reasons that Could Delay Closing on a New Home

At VanDyk Mortgage, we are determined to provide you with a seamless and efficient experience, from the moment you apply for your loan until you close on your new home.

Though we work tirelessly to make sure you close on time, want wanted to share some common reasons that could cause a delay.

  1. Pest Inspection. Ideally, these issues are resolved before escrow closes, but sometimes there are issues and further action may need to be taken by either the buyer or the seller.
  2. Low Appraisal. In the case of a lower-than-expected appraisal, the seller may have to lower the selling price, or the buyer will have to pay the difference in cash. In this case, we always think it is a good idea to get a second opinion before moving forward.
  3. Claims to the Title. Title insurance protects both the buyer and lender against claims on the property. If there is in fact a lien or a claim, this will have to be resolved before the transaction can move forward. By simply performing a title search, you can ensure that no party – including the IRS, state, or relative of the seller – has any legal claim to the property.
  4. Home Inspection Defects. Most individuals sign a home inspection contingency, which allows the purchaser to back out of a deal without penalty in the case that there is a major defect in the home inspection. If a contingency is not put in place, the purchaser could lose the entirety of their earnest money down. If the sale proceeds, there may be a delay due to the time it took to go through negotiations.
  5. Buyer or Seller Doubt. Having cold feet is very real, and something that can certainly delay the closing of a new home. Unless there is a legitimate reason to back out of the purchase, i.e., not waiving a contingency or a deadline not being met, the buyer will be at risk of losing their earnest money, should they decide not to go through with the sale.

    This money is used to compensate the seller for the time that the property was taken off the market, missing out on other possible offers. Likewise, in the case of a seller having cold feet, the buyer is eligible for damages from the seller.
  6. Financing Falls Through. It is best practice to get pre-approved, at the very beginning of your homebuying journey, in order to secure the best mortgage loan program for you. However, there are cases, such as a drastic increase in interest rates, a change or loss in employment, or a decrease in credit score, when financing falls through. If this happens, the homebuying process can be delayed or even stopped altogether.
  7. High-Risk Location. In some locations, homes may require Hazard Insurance. To determine if you will need this type of insurance for your new home, you can request a National Hazard Disclosure Report, and see if any national hazards in the area could affect you.

    Hazard Insurance is often greater than homeowner’s insurance and can cause a delay in the closing process. To avoid this, you can ask your agent or city planner about national hazards in your area.
  8. Survey Issue. Before closing on your home, a qualified land surveyor will draw up the boundary lines for your property. In the case of an infringement, either by a neighboring tree or fence, you may have to hire an attorney to facilitate a lot-line agreement.
Categories
Mortgage News Matters

How to Apply for a Mortgage: The Loan Process

Navigating the steps of the loan process can feel complex – especially if it’s your first time doing so.

To help you out, we’ve put together a helpful list that breaks down the process, step-by-step, so you can focus your efforts on preparing to move into your new home, rather than worrying about how you’re going to get there.

  1. Pre-Approval. The first stage in the mortgage loan process is to apply for a pre-approval. Getting pre-approved is a more in-depth process than getting pre-qualified and will require more paperwork from you. The upside? It shows the seller that you are serious. This information will tell the seller that you can secure a mortgage and you are ready to find your new home. Once you receive your pre-approval letter, it will be valid for 90 days. For more information on pre-approval, refer to our Pre-Approval Document Checklist.
  2. Submit an application. After you’ve received pre-approval, you’re ready to submit your application! At VanDyk Mortgage, there are 3 ways you can apply; either online, over the phone, or in person. Some documentation, such as a government-issued photo ID, home address, and income, are required at this stage. For a full list of required documentation, please refer to our Application Checklist in our helpful Loan Survival Guide.
  3. Loan Submission. Once your offer is accepted, your loan package will be sent to you for the required signatures. At this time, all documentation is sent to underwriting for approval.
  4. Conditional Approval. At this stage, underwriting has reviewed, and your loan is conditionally approved contingent on the receipt of additional documentation.
  5. Final Approval. A loan processor will review the materials for completeness and send them back to underwriting for final approval. At this stage, your loan officer will begin to prepare you for the closing process.
  6. Closing. A title company or closing attorney prepares documents that are reviewed and signed by you. And… voila! You’ve just become a homeowner! Congratulations and welcome to your new home! See, it wasn’t that hard!

To get you started on your Mortgage Loan Process, reach out to one of our experienced Loan Originators today!

Categories
VanDyk Mortgage Community Events

How a Superbowl Tailgate Turned into an Act of Kindness

Branch Manager and Senior Loan Originator from Safety Harbor, Florida, Peggy Bradshaw was just playing a fun game of “Super Bowl Squares” with a few friends and some co-workers. Before she knew it, she, along with a handful of others had raised almost $5,000 for the Tampa General Hospital Foundation.

Tampa General Hospital, like many throughout the country and the world, has faced many unbelievable challenges throughout this past year. Often, these challenges made it difficult for hospitals to provide their employees with important services such as coffee carts or employee appreciation benefits. This generous donation made by Peggy and a few other VanDyk Mortgage superstars has helped bring a bit of light and hope to the hardworking team at Tampa General Hospital.

The donation of $4,525 made to the Tampa General Hospital Foundation will pay for:

  • Gift cards to the hospital’s in-house Starbucks team for employees.
  • An employee appreciation Happy Hour for the hospital’s COVID team who have been working tirelessly this past year to protect and provide for their community.
  • Custom made t-shirts specific to each team across the hospital’s COVID units, who work interdepartmentally, to show appreciation while boosting morale.

This past year has been tumultuous, to say the least. It has been a year that has left many of us asking the question, “What can we do for our neighbors in need?” and “How can we support our Front Line Workers?” 

Well, this is how. By giving whatever you can, whenever you can to those who are putting so much on the line to protect us and our communities. Those who are working hard every day so we can get up and safely get to work each day. By paying it forward.

We just want to say THANK YOU to Peggy, and everyone who contributed to the Tampa General Hospital Foundation. We couldn’t be prouder of our extraordinary employees in the community who continue to do great things each and every day!