Articles Tagged "mortgage"

Buying a home for the first time can be a challenge. At Cressy & Everett Real Estate, our real estate agents are always there to advise you. That means not only finding you the best South Bend homes for sale, but helping you make the right choices every step of the way.

Buying a home may seem intimidating at first, but there's good news. Many buyers simply jump into the process with both feet. If it throws them a curveball, they often end up having to walk away from the home they want. By spending some time researching – like you're doing right now – you are much more likely to succeed.

Your real estate agent is there to guide you, but in the end, you make all the decisions. So, the more you know about buying a property, the easier it'll be. A little knowledge goes a long way! Here's how to beat the odds as a first-time homebuyer.

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Buying a new home is exciting! You've checked out available South Bend homes for sale, figured out your down payment, and have a mortgage pre-approval letter from a lender. You finally found the perfect home and it's time to get a mortgage. You apply, get excited, start packing and then you hear the two most dreaded words in the home buying process: "Mortgage Denied."

It happens. If you've been rejected for a loan, it can be jarring, but you can turn it around. The key is understanding the reason(s) why you were turned down, and how to fix any problems.

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Getting a mortgage isn't what it once was. After the market crash of a decade ago, getting the funding for the most expensive purchase most people will make during their lifetimes has been heavily regulated and for good reason. If you're looking for South Bend homes for sale and happen to be self-employed, your journey toward a mortgage comes with some additional challenges.

Even so, our real estate agents can help you take the right path to mortgage approval.

• Get Your Documents in Order
  The first rule of getting a mortgage for anyone is to get all of your financial documents in order and be prepared to present them if asked by your lender. A non-self-employed person who earns regular wages can expect to provide a couple of months of bank statements, a handful of paystubs, and a couple of years of tax returns.
  
  The self-employed mortgage applicant, however, may be required to provide the same documentation but more of it. If you keep proper books, then it shouldn't be any trouble providing both business and personal documents that show cash flow through the business and translated into personal income. In short, be prepared to do a little more work to prove your financial status and income.

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Student loan debt is a growing problem, and for many Americans thinking about buying their first home, the weight of that debt can be crushing. We believe that owning a home should be possible for anyone, and our real estate agents are here to help. 

According to a recent report by Forbes, student loan debt is at an all-time high in 2019, with 44.7 million U.S. borrowers collectively owing $1.56 trillion in student loan debt. If you're one of them, that debt can feel like an impenetrable barrier between you and your dream of becoming a homeowner. Here's why it's not. 

Getting a Mortgage With Student Loan Debt

Student debt is especially a problem for first-time home buyers, who tend to be younger and less experienced. Many student debt holders cite their debt as a major reason for putting off buying a home, despite today's historically low mortgage rates and the variety of low to no down payment mortgage options available. 

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Our real estate agents often hear from our new clients that the process of getting a mortgage is intimidating. That's understandable!

Having an experienced real estate agent on your side does a lot to make applying for a home mortgage manageable.

Even so, it's important to know a few things about the process. Once you learn more, you'll see exactly what you need to do to make things easier.

That can be just what it takes to make your worries evaporate. The truth is, most people learn getting a mortgage is quite a bit easier than they imagined. It just takes some preparation.

These four steps will make it easier:

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When you commit to the idea of buying a new home, you'll probably want to jump right into it. You'll want to search online listings, check open house schedules and track For Sale signs in your neighborhood of choice. These activities will play an important role in buying a house, but it's important to obtain a mortgage pre-approval as your first step. 

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A home mortgage is a commitment that affects your financial picture for a good portion of your life. It's a big ambition, but paying off your home mortgage even a little bit early can save you thousands of dollars over time. Our real estate agents have put together this list of ways to pay your home off early.  

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